Editing Smokey Robinson (section)

===Solo career===
[[File:Smokey Robinson 2.jpg|right|thumb|Robinson in concert at the [[Chumash Casino Resort]] in [[Santa Ynez]], California, 2006]]
After a year of [[retirement]], Robinson announced his comeback with the release of the eponymous ''[[Smokey (album)|Smokey]]'' album, in 1973.<ref name="Larkin"/> The album included the Miracles tribute song, "Sweet Harmony", and the hit ballad "Baby Come Close". In 1974, Robinson's second album, ''[[Pure Smokey]]'', was released but failed to produce hits. Robinson struggled to compete with his former collaborators Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder and former Temptations member [[Eddie Kendricks]], as all three had multiple hit singles during this period.

Former [[The Beatles|Beatle]] [[George Harrison]] featured the track "[[Pure Smokey (song)|Pure Smokey]]" on his 1976 album ''[[Thirty Three & 1/3]]'' as a tribute to Robinson.{{citation needed|date=July 2024}} (Harrison's fellow Beatles [[John Lennon]] and [[Paul McCartney]] were also fans of Robinson's songwriting and the group covered "You Really Gotta Hold on Me" on their second UK album ''[[With the Beatles]]'' and US album ''[[The Beatles' Second Album]]'', respectively.)

Robinson answered his critics the following year with ''[[A Quiet Storm]]'', released in 1975.<ref name="Larkin"/> The album launched three singles – the number-one R&B hit "[[Baby That's Backatcha]]", "The Agony & The Ecstasy" and "Quiet Storm" (the radio format [[quiet storm]], originated by DJ [[Melvin Lindsey]], is named after the album). However, Robinson's solo career suffered from his work as Motown's vice president, and his own music took the backseat. As a result, several albums including ''[[Smokey's Family Robinson]]'', ''[[Deep in My Soul]]'', ''[[Love Breeze]]'' and ''[[Smokin' (Smokey Robinson album)|Smokin]]'', saw poor promotion and received bad reviews. At this point Robinson relied on other writers and producers to help him with his albums.

Following these albums, Robinson got out of a [[writer's block]] after his close collaborator (and fellow Miracle), [[Marv Tarplin]], who joined him on the road in 1973 after Robinson left the Miracles, presented him a tune he had composed on his guitar. Robinson later wrote the lyrics that became his first solo top ten Pop single, "[[Cruisin' (Smokey Robinson song)|Cruisin']]".<ref name="Larkin"/> The song hit number one in [[Cash Box]] and peaked at number four on the [[Billboard Hot 100|''Billboard'' Hot 100]].  It also became his first solo number one in [[New Zealand]]. Robinson would follow a similar approach with his next album, ''[[Warm Thoughts]]'', which produced another top 40 hit, "Let Me Be the Clock", though it did not repeat the success of "Cruisin'".

In 1981, Robinson topped the charts again with another sensual ballad, "[[Being with You (song)|Being with You]]", which was another number one hit in [[Cash Box]] and peaked at number two on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100.<ref name="Larkin"/> It also hit number one in the [[UK Singles Chart]], becoming his most successful single to date.<ref name="Larkin"/> The Gold-plus [[Being with You (album)|parent album]] sparked a partnership with [[George Tobin]] and with Tobin, Robinson released his next several Motown albums, ''Yes It's You Lady'', which produced the hit "Tell Me Tomorrow", ''Touch the Sky'' and ''Essar''. In 1983, Robinson teamed up with fellow Motown label mate [[Rick James]] recording the R&B ballad, "[[Ebony Eyes (Rick James song)|Ebony Eyes]]".

In 1987, following a period of personal and professional issues, Robinson made a comeback with the album, ''[[One Heartbeat (album)|One Heartbeat]]'' and the singles, "[[Just to See Her]]" and "[[One Heartbeat (song)|One Heartbeat]]",<ref name="Larkin"/> which were Top 10 hits on ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]''{{'}}s Pop, Soul, and Adult Contemporary charts.  They were aided by popular music videos.  "Just to See Her" won Robinson his first [[Grammy Award]] in 1988.<ref name=":0">{{cite web| url=https://www.grammy.com/artists/smokey-robinson/7944| title=Smokey Robinson| date=March 17, 2014| website=The Grammys| language=en| access-date=January 9, 2019}}</ref> The album became one of his most successful ever, selling over 900,000 copies in the United States alone. In the same year, Robinson released ''One Heartbeat'', the UK group [[ABC (band)|ABC]] released a tribute song, "[[When Smokey Sings]]".

He was inducted as a solo artist to the [[Rock and Roll Hall of Fame]] in 1988,<ref name="Larkin"/> later igniting controversy as the committee had inducted only Robinson and not members of his group, the Miracles, which Robinson saw as an affront.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.rockhall.com/inductees/smokey-robinson| title=Smokey Robinson| website=Rock and Roll Hall of Fame| access-date=October 20, 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.goldminemag.com/blogs/mary-miracles-marvelettes-motowns-missing-from-rock-hall| title=Rock & Roll Hall of Fame still missing 3 Motown stalwarts| magazine=[[Goldmine (magazine)|Goldmine]]| first=Phill| last=Marder| date=December 15, 2010| access-date=November 9, 2011}}</ref> In 2012, however, the committee rectified the mistake announcing that the group would be inducted on their own merit. Though Robinson was not listed as an inductee, he was due to induct his former group at the ceremony in April 2012.

After [[Music Corporation of America|MCA]] purchased Motown in 1988, Robinson relinquished his position as vice president. Following the release of the album, ''Love Smokey'', in 1990, Robinson left Motown for a deal with [[SBK Records]] in 1991. However, the album, ''[[Double Good Everything]]'' failed to chart. Robinson remained virtually quiet during the nineties (though he would make a notable cameo appearance in [[The Temptations (miniseries)|The Temptations 1998 miniseries]]), making a brief comeback in 1999 when he re-signed with Motown and issued the album, ''Intimate'', which included the song "Easy to Love".

In 2003, he once again split ties with Motown, releasing the [[gospel music|gospel]] album, ''[[Food for the Spirit (album)|Food for the Spirit]]'' on Liquid 8 Records in 2004. In 2004, Robinson sang the main title theme song "Colorful World" to the American children's animated series ''[[ToddWorld]]'' for [[Discovery Kids]], [[TLC (TV network)|TLC]] and Mike Young Productions. Two years later, Robinson released the [[Standard (song)|standards]] album, ''[[Timeless Love]]'', in 2006 on Universal Records.

In 2009, he issued the album, ''[[Time Flies When You're Having Fun]]'' on his own label, Robso Records.  It reached  number 59 on the ''Billboard'' album chart, his highest showing since ''[[One Heartbeat]]''. He subsequently released "Now And Then" in 2010, which peaked at number 131.
[[File:Doug Jones and Smokey Robinson.jpg|thumb|Robinson with Senator [[Doug Jones (politician)|Doug Jones]] while testifying at the United States Congress to support the [[CLASSICS Act]] in 2018]]
''[[Smokey & Friends]]'' was released in mid-August 2014. It was an album of duets, including songs with [[Elton John]], [[Linda Ronstadt]] and [[James Taylor]]. It reached number 12 on the ''Billboard'' album chart.

''[[Christmas Everyday]]'' was Robinson's first post-Miracles Christmas album, and was released on November 10, 2017. In 2018, he appeared on an episode of [[CMT Crossroads]] alongside country singer [[Cam (singer)|Cam]].{{citation needed|date=October 2021}}

In April 2017, Robinson visited Fremont-Lopez Elementary School in Stockton, California, where he served as a designated arts mentor under Turnaround Arts.<ref>{{cite web| url=https://www.recordnet.com/picture-gallery/news/local/2018/05/12/music-icon-smokey-robinson-makes/712427007/| title=Music icon Smokey Robinson makes repeat visit to Stockton school| date=May 11, 2018| website=[[The Record (Stockton, California)|Recordnet]]| access-date=February 3, 2023| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230203234429/https://www.recordnet.com/picture-gallery/news/local/2018/05/12/music-icon-smokey-robinson-makes/712427007/| archive-date=February 3, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web| url=https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/stockton/music-legend-smokey-robinson-visits-stockton-elementary-school/103-428157561| title=Music legend Smokey Robinson visits Stockton elementary school| last=Rivera| first=Kurt| date=April 3, 2017| website=[[KXTV|ABC 10]]| access-date=February 3, 2023}}</ref>

On July 31, 2018, Robinson appeared on the Fox network's show ''[[Beat Shazam]]'' as a special guest.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://blog.feelingthevibe.com/news/smokey-robinson-is-special-guest-on-beat-shazam-hosted-by-jamie-foxx-tonight-on-fox/| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180801064233/http://blog.feelingthevibe.com/news/smokey-robinson-is-special-guest-on-beat-shazam-hosted-by-jamie-foxx-tonight-on-fox/| url-status=dead| archive-date=August 1, 2018| title=Smokey Robinson is Special Guest on 'Beat Shazam' Hosted by Jamie Foxx Tonight on FOX| website=Feeling the Vibe Magazine| language=en-US| date=July 31, 2018| access-date=June 15, 2023}}</ref>

Robinson appeared on the song "Make It Better" from [[Anderson Paak]]'s 2019 album ''[[Ventura (Anderson Paak album)|Ventura]]''.

In 2023, Robinson announced that he would release his first album in almost a decade in April 2023. The nine-track album will be called ''[[Gasms]]'', and will feature entirely new music. The first single from the album, called "If We Don't Have Each Other", was already available on streaming services by January 2023.<ref>{{cite news| date=January 27, 2023| title=Smokey Robinson, 'King of Motown,' to release new solo album| url=https://apnews.com/article/smokey-robinson-new-album-9eed570fa523b73e0af00ab0f398bcb6| access-date=January 29, 2023| website=AP News| language=en}}</ref>