Accessibility links
Smokey Robinson Sings The Hits, With A Few Good Friends The singer's career has spanned decades, but his style has remained sweet and loving. Hear Robinson discuss his latest album, a collection of star-studded duets, with NPR's Linda Wertheimer.

Music Interviews

Smokey Robinson Sings The Hits, With A Few Good Friends

Heard on Weekend Edition Sunday

By 

NPR Staff

Smokey Robinson Sings The Hits, With A Few Good Friends

Listen · 9:55
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/340397170/341083664" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript
Enlarge this image

Smokey Robinson's new album of duets, Smokey & Friends, is out Aug. 19. Courtesy of the artist hide caption

toggle caption
Courtesy of the artist

Smokey Robinson's new album of duets, Smokey & Friends, is out Aug. 19.

Courtesy of the artist
Smokey Robinson: 'Every Night Those Songs Are New'

All Songs Considered

Smokey Robinson Guest DJ on 'All Songs Considered'

Smokey Robinson may know the formula to scripting the perfect love song. Over his 40-year career, he's has written thousands of songs — both for his own group The Miracles and for other legends of Motown, including Marvin Gaye, The Temptations and The Supremes.

For the new album Smokey and Friends, Robinson recruited a select group of musicians to help him sing some of his classic hits: Elton John, Sheryl Crow and Mary J. Blige, and many more. He spoke about it with NPR's Linda Wertheimer; hear their conversation at the audio link.