In 1972 in order to focus on his family life and executive role at Motown Smokey Robinson took a year off from his performing career but insisted that retirement “didn’t work” for him.
Given his passion for music and admitting that nothing gives him the same thrill he gets from being on stage, the now 84-year old music icon told People magazine:
“I tried retiring one time and it didn’t work for me, man.” “I’m living my impossible childhood dream. I’m doing what I love, and it’s a blessing…” “[The thrill I get] is the fact that I’m still doing it…I try retiring and nothing matches it for me. Nothing gives me that same thing as being on stage and being with people and having a good time.”
Feeling lucky to have grown up surrounded by music, the former Miracles frontman stated:
“I love music, and I always have, before I even knew that I was ever going to have a career. Fortunately for me, I grew up in a home where there was always music. I grew up in a music home.” “I had two older sisters and my mom, and they were always playing music — blues, gospel, jazz, classical, everything. I grew up with a great dose of music, and I’ve always loved music. Music is very, very, very essential through my life and in my life. So yeah, man, I’m a music lover!”
Adding that knowing his partying limits have contributed to his longevity, Robinson stated “When you’re in show business, people think that that’s all you do: you’re in show business and your party and that’s it, and that’s your whole life is partying.” “Invariably, somebody would come backstage when I was doing it after the shows and say, ‘OK, Smokey, now where’s the party?’ I would tell them, ‘I just had the party! I just had the party for two hours.” “That was a party to me. I was having a great time, so I just had the party. Now, I’m going back to my hotel room and watch some TV and fall asleep.'”
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Author: Saul Goodman
Photo: Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America