Kathie Lee & Hoda: Smokey Robinson Motown the Musical Review
Bob Dylan once called Smokey Robinson the greatest poet to ever live and he may have been right. Robinson has recorded over 4,000 songs, been singing for 50 years and he still plays around 200 shows every single year. The legendary singer stopped by the fourth hour of the Today Show to talk about Motown the Musical.
The play opened to rave reviews last Sunday night, breaking a lot of box office records as well as being sold out until November, and Smokey Robinson said he could not believe it. Watching the show that night was wonderful he said. He got to watch flashbacks of his own life performed by an outstanding cast. He said it really made him think back on everything he has done with his life.
Kathie Lee and Hoda talked with Smokey Robinson about his feelings on Motown the Musical and why he wants other people to sing his songs as well. (s_bukley / Shutterstock.com)
Robinson said his favorite part of the musical was hearing other people sing his songs. He wrote many of the songs he recorded because he wanted other people to sing them as well.
Kathie Lee & Hoda: Smokey Robinson and Berry Gordy
While many of the original members of Motown went on to pursue different careers outside of Motown, Smokey was one of the few who stayed by Berry Gordy’s side the entire time, from the first Motown meeting to now. Smokey said he did it because he loved Gordy and because Gordy is his best friend. Kathie Lee pointed out everyone in Motown has said the same thing and then they leave, but Smokey said that’s because they are family. Families get in fights but they always turn back to each other when the times get rough.
Smokey Robinson: Staying In Shape, Playing 200 Gigs a Year
Smokey Robinson still plays a lot of shows each year but you would never be able to tell if you looked at him. He said growing old is simply about taking care of yourself but sometimes you can’t avoid feeling your age.
“When you are 20 you go to bed with a hurt arm and when you wake up it is fine,” Smokey said. “When you are 40 you go to bed with an arm that feels fine and when you wake up, it hurts.”
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