Motown icon, Smokey Robinson, has officially responded—through his attorney—to the disturbing allegations that recently made headlines. As we previously reported, four women who formerly worked in the Robinson household have filed a lawsuit accusing the legendary singer of multiple instances of s*xual as*ault and misconduct. They are suing both Smokey and his wife, Frances Gladney Robinson, for at least $50 million in damages.

The plaintiffs—identified only as Jane Does—allege that during the course of their employment from as early as 2007 through recent years, Smokey s*xually violated them while they worked as housekeepers. The women claim the alleged assaults would often happen when Frances was not home, with Smokey calling them into private areas of the house, where they say he forced himself on them. Some of the accusations include forced oral s*x, r*pe, and being penetrated against their will. Two women say he ejaculated inside of them without protection.

The lawsuit also claims that Smokey’s wife, Frances, though not accused of any physical assaults, was aware of her husband’s behavior and failed to intervene. The women further allege that Frances contributed to a hostile work environment by using racially offensive language, assigning them excessive tasks, and denying them adequate meal and rest breaks.

Smokey’s Lawyer Speaks Out

As the legal battle heats up, Robinson’s attorney, Christopher Frost, is speaking out forcefully in defense of the 85-year-old entertainer.

“As this case progresses, the evidence (the crucial element that guides us) will show that this is simply an ugly method of trying to extract money from an 85-year-old American icon — $50 million, to be exact,” Frost told TMZ.

He didn’t hold back when addressing how the plaintiffs’ legal team has handled the matter publicly.

“Through this process we have seen the bizarre theatrics of yesterday’s news conference, as the plaintiffs’ attorneys outlined vile, false allegations against Mr. and Mrs. Robinson, trying to enlist the public as an unwitting participant in the media circus they are trying to create,” Frost stated.

He went on to say that Smokey Robinson will personally respond soon and that they intend to file a motion to dismiss the lawsuit. Frost also pointed to what he says are major flaws in the accusations.

“We will address numerous aspects of the complaint that defy credulity as well as issues relating to purported timelines, inconsistencies, and relationships between the plaintiffs and others,” he added.

Smokey Robinson’s camp is urging the public to stay neutral while the facts are being sorted out.

“We ask anyone following this case to reserve judgment as the evidence comes to light and all the actual facts of the case unfold,” Frost concluded.

Stay tuned to ILOSM as we continue following this story.

The post Smokey Robinson’s Lawyer Blasts Smokey’s S*x As*ault Accusers: ‘It’s A Shakedown’ appeared first on I Love Old School Music.

Major Allegations Surface Against the Motown Legend

Motown icon Smokey Robinson is facing some serious allegations that have sent shockwaves through the entertainment world. On Tuesday, May 6, four women filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles accusing the 84-year-old music legend of repeated s*xual assault and r*pe during the years they were employed in his home.

According to court documents via TMZ, the four women—listed as Jane Does—say they all worked as housekeepers for Smokey and his wife, Frances Gladney Robinson, over a span of years, starting as early as 2007. While their time working for the Robinsons overlapped, each woman alleges that Smokey s*xually violated them on multiple occasions.

Accusers Claim a Pattern of Abuse

One disturbing detail the accusers agree on: they say Smokey would often wait until his wife Frances was away from the house before calling them into his bedroom or other private areas. Once there, the women claim he would force himself on them. The lawsuit alleges that Robinson sometimes even laid down a towel first, in an attempt to avoid soiling the bed linens, before s*xually assaulting them.

The women accuse Smokey of a range of abusive behavior, including forcibly penetrating them with his fingers, performing oral s*x on them against their will, forcing them to perform oral s*x on him, and r*ping them. Two of the accusers say he ejaculated inside them without protection. They also claim that throughout these assaults, they repeatedly told him no, but were ignored.

Legal Action and Accusers’ Claims About Smokey’s Wife

The lawsuit lists charges of s*xual battery, assault, false imprisonment, and gender violence. The women are seeking a minimum of $50 million in damages.

Smokey’s wife, Frances—his partner of 23 years—is also named in the suit. While the women are not accusing her of participating in any of the alleged s*xual assaults, they claim she was aware of her husband’s past misconduct and did nothing to stop it. They also accuse her of contributing to a toxic work environment by using racially offensive language, assigning them overly demanding tasks, and depriving them of proper rest and meal breaks.

No Public Response Yet

As of now, neither Smokey nor Frances Robinson has responded publicly to the accusations.

Where Does The Truth Lie? Only Time Will Tell

Smokey’s been in the music game for almost 70 years, and up to this point, as far as we know…he has not had any public claims like these made against him, which may or may not be a testament to how he’s conducted himself behind the scenes throughout that time. HOWEVER, although many of us Smokey-fans may be disappointed to see these types of allegations involve one of our favorite icons, if Smokey did in fact do what his accusers claim, they deserve the right to speak up about it. In the end, hopefully truth prevails—regardless of how good or bad that truth may be. Only time will tell. We’ll keep y’all posted on this.

The post Smokey Robinson Sued And Accused Of S*xual As*ault By Multiple Former Employees appeared first on I Love Old School Music.

The post Meet The Son Many Never Knew Smokey Robinson Had, With His Celebrity-Ex appeared first on I Love Old School Music.

A family spokesperson revealed that Fakir died Monday of heart failure, with his wife, family, and loved ones by his side.

In a statement via The Associated Press, Motown founder, Berry Gordy, said Fakir helped embody the Four Tops’ “showmanship, class and artistry,” and that “Duke was first tenor — smooth, suave, and always sharp,” Gordy said. “For 70 years, he kept the Four Tops’ remarkable legacy intact.”

On Instagram Motown’s, Smokey Robinson, paid touching tribute to Duke, who he refers to as his brother. “My brother I really hate to have to say goodbye but you’ve been called home by The Father to once again join Lawrence, Obey, and Levi and make more of the heavenly music you guys made while here,” Smokey wrote. “I’m gonna miss you my brother. Have the most wonderful eternity.Your Brother, Smokey.”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Smokey Robinson (@smokeyrobinson)

According to AP, Duke was a life-long Detroit resident ‘who stayed home even after Gordy moved the label to Los Angeles in early 1970s, Fakir was of Ethiopian and Bangladeshi descent and grew up in a rough neighborhood where rival Black and white gangs fought often. He had early dreams of being a professional athlete, but was also a talented singer whose tenor brought him attention as a performer in his church choir. He was in his teens when he befriended Stubbs, and the two first sang with Benson and Payton at a birthday party thrown by a local “girl” group whom Fakir remembered as “high-class, very fine young ladies.”’

As the last surviving original member of The Four Tops, Duke once confessed that a piece of him died with each passing of his former group members, Levi Stubbs, Lawrence Payton and Renaldo “Obie” Benson:

“As each one of them (the original members) passed a little bit of me left with them,” Fakir stated to UK Music Reviews in 2021. “When Levi left us, I found myself in a quandary as to what I was going to do from that moment on but after a while I realized that the name together with the legacy that they had left us simply had to carry on, and judging by the audience reaction it soon became pretty evident that I did the right thing and I really do feel good about that.”

The Four Tops’ legacy speaks for itself, with inductions into the Rock Hall of Fame, Grammy Hall of Fame, a Grammy lifetime achievement award, and the many hits that helped shape music, they may all be gone now, but will never be forgotten. Thank you for the beautiful music and memories, and may Abdul “Duke” Fakir, as well as his brothers-in-music, Levi, Lawrence, and Obie rest in eternal peace.

The post Four Tops’ Last Original Member Duke Fakir Dies, Smokey Robinson & Berry Gordy Pay Homage appeared first on I Love Old School Music.

Smokey Robinson and his ex-wife Claudette spent many years together. For those who don’t know, Smokey and Claudette began their relationship during the glory years of Motown Records. Smokey worked as an in-house producer and songwriter, while also singing lead alongside Claudette in their 5-member group, The Miracles.

The two were married for 27 years and although they had some great times together, they also went through some very trying times during their marriage. Sadly, they endured seven miscarriages due to Claudette’s grueling tour schedule. But fortunately, despite the tragedies, she was able to give birth to two children. Most of their fans will probably be surprised to see their son though, because for the longest time, many never knew Smokey and Claudette even had a son.

Meet Smokey’s And Claudette’s Son, Berry

Of course, most fans probably know about Smokey and Claudette’s daughter, Tamla, who was named after Tamla Records- the original name of Motown Records- because she was in the public eye a bit more. But, they also have a son they named after the famous Motown pioneer.

Berry William Borope Robinson was named after none other than Smokey’s best friend and Motown Records founder, Berry Gordy. Check out more recent pics of Berry with his Pops; his sis,’ Tamla; and his beautiful mother below…

Throughout the years there were many cool photos of Smokey and Claudette with their kids back in the day. They looked like the picture perfect family at the time. But unfortunately, things weren’t always all good between Smokey, Claudette, and their children…

Smokey Revealed What He Did To Cause The Divorce

So, what could have possibly led to a massive divorce after 27 years of what appeared to be a happy marriage? Well apparently, Smokey admitted in his book that he’d had an affair. However, that’s not all. He’d gotten his mistress pregnant with his second son and after that, Claudette had it up to HERE and was like ‘Peace out Smokey!’ Smokey’s son, Trey Robinson, was born in 1984 shortly before Smokey’s 1985 divorce battle with Claudette.

Although Smokey expressed extreme remorse and made no excuses for his actions, he also did not turn his back on his third child. He took care of his responsibilities and despite the divorce, and Smokey still has a relationship with ALL three of his children to this day. He’s also remarried.

Wow…Smokey’s Ex-Wife Got Millions!

Smokey made headlines after his bombshell secret was made public. ‘Mr. Tears of a Clown’ had betrayed his then-wife and that led to divorce, but Claudette definitely didn’t walk away empty-handed. In fact, Claudette managed to win half the rights to all of the songs Smokey wrote from November 1958 to May 1985. Those rights equaled half of his whopping $275 million estate.

After 27 years of marriage, and records like “Shop Around,” “Ooh Baby Baby,” “Tracks Of My Tears,” solo classics “Cruisin’, “Being With You,” “Sweet Harmony” and the Temptations’ “My Girl” now partially belong to Claudette, due to legal technicalities. Even after 30+ years apart, Smokey was still paying for the divorce.

By 2014, the two once again battled each other in court over the decades-old hits Smokey had written during their marriage, which he’d just regained the music rights for under the 1976 Copyright Act. Thankfully, they were able to reach and out-of-court settlement…presumably Claudette walked away with many more millions. And all’s well, that ends well.

The post Like Father, Like Son…Meet The Son Many Never Knew Smokey Robinson Had appeared first on I Love Old School Music.

Smokey Robinson and his ex-wife Claudette spent many years together. For those who don’t know, Smokey and Claudette began their relationship during the glory years of Motown Records. Smokey worked as an in-house producer and songwriter, while also singing lead alongside Claudette in their 5-member group, The Miracles.

The two were married for 27 years and although they had some great times together, they also went through some very trying times during their marriage. Sadly, they endured seven miscarriages due to Claudette’s grueling tour schedule. But fortunately, despite the tragedies, she was able to give birth to two children. Most of their fans will probably be surprised to see their son though, because for the longest time, many never knew Smokey and Claudette even had a son.

Meet Smokey’s And Claudette’s Son, Berry

Of course, most fans probably know about Smokey and Claudette’s daughter, Tamla, who was named after Tamla Records- the original name of Motown Records- because she was in the public eye a bit more. But, they also have a son they named after the famous Motown pioneer.

Berry William Borope Robinson was named after none other than Smokey’s best friend and Motown Records founder, Berry Gordy. Check out more recent pics of Berry with his Pops; his sis,’ Tamla; and his beautiful mother below…

Throughout the years there were many cool photos of Smokey and Claudette with their kids back in the day. They looked like the picture perfect family at the time. But unfortunately, things weren’t always all good between Smokey, Claudette, and their children…

Smokey Revealed What He Did To Cause The Divorce

So, what could have possibly led to a massive divorce after 27 years of what appeared to be a happy marriage? Well apparently, Smokey admitted in his book that he’d had an affair. However, that’s not all. He’d gotten his mistress pregnant with his second son and after that, Claudette had it up to HERE and was like ‘Peace out Smokey!’ Smokey’s son, Trey Robinson, was born in 1984 shortly before Smokey’s 1985 divorce battle with Claudette.

Although Smokey expressed extreme remorse and made no excuses for his actions, he also did not turn his back on his third child. He took care of his responsibilities and despite the divorce, and Smokey still has a relationship with ALL three of his children to this day. He’s also remarried.

Wow…Smokey’s Ex-Wife Got Millions!

Smokey made headlines after his bombshell secret was made public. ‘Mr. Tears of a Clown’ had betrayed his then-wife and that led to divorce, but Claudette definitely didn’t walk away empty-handed. In fact, Claudette managed to win half the rights to all of the songs Smokey wrote from November 1958 to May 1985. Those rights equaled half of his whopping $275 million estate.

After 27 years of marriage, and records like “Shop Around,” “Ooh Baby Baby,” “Tracks Of My Tears,” solo classics “Cruisin’, “Being With You,” “Sweet Harmony” and the Temptations’ “My Girl” now partially belong to Claudette, due to legal technicalities. Even after 30+ years apart, Smokey was still paying for the divorce.

By 2014, the two once again battled each other in court over the decades-old hits Smokey had written during their marriage, which he’d just regained the music rights for under the 1976 Copyright Act. Thankfully, they were able to reach and out-of-court settlement…presumably Claudette walked away with many more millions. And all’s well, that ends well.

The post Meet The Son Many Never Knew Smokey Robinson & His Motown Singer Ex Had appeared first on I Love Old School Music.

Smokey Robinson had a hidden addiction that didn’t surface until the age of 41. When he fell, he fell hard. Typically we hear of addictions like this starting at a younger age, when peer pressures are more prevalent, but Smokey explained how his hidden addiction started so late…

Smokey Explains His Prior Years-Long Addiction

“I think it happened to me so late because of the fact that I was …” He exhales. “I was always, and I still am, open to somebody in my camp saying, “No, that’s not right, or what do you think you’re doing?’ I have those kind of people around me. Berry Gordy being the main one of them. I appreciate that as a person and I’m very happy that that’s’ there.

But when you divorce yourself from these types of people in your life, then you have a tendency to be able to run amok, when you surround yourself with yes people. And that’s what most people who go amok do – they surround themselves with yes people. Anything you do is fine ’cause you’re you and you’re popular. And that’s dangerous.

He continued:

“I thought that it couldn’t happen to me. That’s the cunning of drugs. I could never become addicted! ‘I love sports, and I run, and I take care of myself. I can overcome this.’ Because when I was younger I used to smoke a whole lot of weed. But weed was always manageable for me. I could have some killer weed and put it away for a year and not touch it! It never had the handle on me. I had the handle on it.

“But when I started dibbling and dabbling on the cocaine, that was a whole other animal. And I never thought I could become an addict. But I did.” He ignored his friends.

Although Smokey was heavily addicted to cocaine, he had a thing against heavy alcohol drinking because when growing up, he said he watched his Dad and his other family members, some of whom were prostitutes and junkies, all become addicted to alcohol and have horrific results in life:

“If I have some sushi, I’ll have Saki. But I never drank. First of all, I never liked the taste of it. And I grew up in my neighborhood, seeing everyone, everything. Alcoholics, junkies, prostitutes, what have you. And many of them were in my family, OK?

And the alcoholics were the most pitiful of them all. They’d be standing there talking to the wall. Cussing the wall out – there was nobody there! Peeing on themselves. They were pitiful.

Then alcohol had an adverse effect on me because [of] my dad … [He] was “Clark Kent” Sunday to Friday – just mild-mannered, sweetie-pie! Friday, he’d get paid, him and his friends – who were buddy-buddy all week long, they were brothers, they loved each other – they’d be drunk, fighting each other. It was just an adverse kind of drug for me, alcohol.

Friends Leon Isaac Kennedy & Berry Gordy To The Rescue

Smokey said actor, Leon Isaac Kennedy— (best known for his films Penitentiary and Body and Soul; and for being married to Jayne Kennedy)– did something for him that he’ll always be grateful for:

“I have two best friends, Leon Isaac Kennedy and Berry Gordy. God sent Leon to come get me and say, ‘Hey man, what are you doing to yourself?’ So Leon came and got me and took me to a prayer service.

The night I went I hadn’t done any drugs beforehand because I knew I was going to a prayer service. However, I was still a junkie. [He rubs his hands on his knees anxiously as though he’s still amazed at what transpired that night.]

During the service, the pastor prayed for him:

“And she told me that God had told her I was coming. And she told me all the things that were happening to me, physically and emotionally and mentally – which I shared with no on one earth! No one knew. She told me every one of ’em that night. She said God had showed her what was going on.

And I walked in that church an addict, and I came out free. May of 1986. Never looked back.”

Smokey began speaking at gang meetings and juvenile detention centers, giving them this message:

“When you turn it over to God, you have turned it over…and you don’t have to worry about it anymore after that.”

Source: Jet Magazine; TheTelegraph

Today Smokey has turned over a new leaf and continues to live a healthy lifestyle. He hasn’t eaten red meat since 1972 and he does yoga regularly.

Major props to Smokey for kicking his drug habit cold turkey like that. He’s a great example of if we want to do something bad enough, it’s possible to acquire the will, the drive, and the mindset to conquer any uphill hurdle placed before us, regardless of how late in life we may start that journey. The skill to know how to conquer it, will come through our persistent determination to make it happen.

-ILoveOldSchoolMusic, Old School news with a new point of view

The post Smokey Robinson Details Hidden Addiction He Couldn’t Stop Until Two Iconic Friends Saved Him appeared first on I Love Old School Music.

Smokey Robinson had a hidden addiction that didn’t surface until the age of 41. When he fell, he fell hard. Typically we hear of addictions like this starting at a younger age, when peer pressures are more prevalent, but Smokey explained how his hidden addiction started so late…

Smokey Explains His Prior Years-Long Addiction

“I think it happened to me so late because of the fact that I was …” He exhales. “I was always, and I still am, open to somebody in my camp saying, “No, that’s not right, or what do you think you’re doing?’ I have those kind of people around me. Berry Gordy being the main one of them. I appreciate that as a person and I’m very happy that that’s’ there.

But when you divorce yourself from these types of people in your life, then you have a tendency to be able to run amok, when you surround yourself with yes people. And that’s what most people who go amok do – they surround themselves with yes people. Anything you do is fine ’cause you’re you and you’re popular. And that’s dangerous.

He continued:

“I thought that it couldn’t happen to me. That’s the cunning of drugs. I could never become addicted! ‘I love sports, and I run, and I take care of myself. I can overcome this.’ Because when I was younger I used to smoke a whole lot of weed. But weed was always manageable for me. I could have some killer weed and put it away for a year and not touch it! It never had the handle on me. I had the handle on it.

“But when I started dibbling and dabbling on the cocaine, that was a whole other animal. And I never thought I could become an addict. But I did.” He ignored his friends.

Although Smokey was heavily addicted to cocaine, he had a thing against heavy alcohol drinking because when growing up, he said he watched his Dad and his other family members, some of whom were prostitutes and junkies, all become addicted to alcohol and have horrific results in life:

“If I have some sushi, I’ll have Saki. But I never drank. First of all, I never liked the taste of it. And I grew up in my neighborhood, seeing everyone, everything. Alcoholics, junkies, prostitutes, what have you. And many of them were in my family, OK?

And the alcoholics were the most pitiful of them all. They’d be standing there talking to the wall. Cussing the wall out – there was nobody there! Peeing on themselves. They were pitiful.

Then alcohol had an adverse effect on me because [of] my dad … [He] was “Clark Kent” Sunday to Friday – just mild-mannered, sweetie-pie! Friday, he’d get paid, him and his friends – who were buddy-buddy all week long, they were brothers, they loved each other – they’d be drunk, fighting each other. It was just an adverse kind of drug for me, alcohol.

Friends Leon Isaac Kennedy & Berry Gordy To The Rescue

Smokey said actor, Leon Isaac Kennedy— (best known for his films Penitentiary and Body and Soul; and for being married to Jayne Kennedy)– did something for him that he’ll always be grateful for:

“I have two best friends, Leon Isaac Kennedy and Berry Gordy. God sent Leon to come get me and say, ‘Hey man, what are you doing to yourself?’ So Leon came and got me and took me to a prayer service.

The night I went I hadn’t done any drugs beforehand because I knew I was going to a prayer service. However, I was still a junkie. [He rubs his hands on his knees anxiously as though he’s still amazed at what transpired that night.]

During the service, the pastor prayed for him:

“And she told me that God had told her I was coming. And she told me all the things that were happening to me, physically and emotionally and mentally – which I shared with no on one earth! No one knew. She told me every one of ’em that night. She said God had showed her what was going on.

And I walked in that church an addict, and I came out free. May of 1986. Never looked back.”

Smokey began speaking at gang meetings and juvenile detention centers, giving them this message:

“When you turn it over to God, you have turned it over…and you don’t have to worry about it anymore after that.”

Source: Jet Magazine; TheTelegraph

Today Smokey has turned over a new leaf and continues to live a healthy lifestyle. He hasn’t eaten red meat since 1972 and he does yoga regularly.

Major props to Smokey for kicking his drug habit cold turkey like that. He’s a great example of if we want to do something bad enough, it’s possible to acquire the will, the drive, and the mindset to conquer any uphill hurdle placed before us, regardless of how late in life we may start that journey. The skill to know how to conquer it, will come through our persistent determination to make it happen.

-ILoveOldSchoolMusic, Old School news with a new point of view

The post Confession: Smokey Details Hidden Addiction He Couldn’t Stop Until Two Iconic Friends Saved Him appeared first on I Love Old School Music.

Although his grandkids may not necessarily appear to be African American at first glance, their grandfather makes that known about himself every chance he gets…especially in more recent years, where the prim and proper mode that artists were widely expected to have back in the day, has been erased, now allowing them to freely express who they really are however they see fit.

Scroll down to see who these twins call Pop-pop…well, we really don’t know exactly what name they call him, but Pop-pop just sounds cool…in a Grandpops kinda way. Anyways, check out who he is below and see if your guess was on point…

THEIR GRANDFATHER IS A TRUE MOTOWN MUSIC HISTORY ICON!!!

Embed from Getty Images

‘Mr. Tears of A Clown’ a.k.a. Smokey Robinson is the proud grandfather of his twin grandbabies! Now can you see the resemblance?

We do not know the twins names, so we’ll simply dub them the ‘Robinson twins’ for the duration of this article. They are the children of Smokey’s son, whom many never knew he had…

CHECK OUT SMOKEY ROBINSON’S SON HANGING WITH HIS ROBINSON TWIN KIDS

In case you missed our previous article on him, then meet Smokey’s son, Berry William Borope Robinson. Not much is known about Berry other than the fact that he’s the 53-year-old son of Smokey and his soul singer ex-wife, Claudette Robinson (of The Platters). Berry is named after his godfather/Smokey’s best friend, Berry Gordy- the iconic Motown Records music mogul.

Berry shared these pics of himself, his son, and his daughter…no guessing here…

Smokey And Ex-Wife/Soul Singer, Claudette Robinson, With Their Son

Berry’s legendary soul music mother/Smokey’s ex-wife, Claudette is still just as gorgeous as she ever was…

Watch Smokey Get Real About His Blackness

By the way, in case you’re wondering why we were referring to Smokey as being very one of the realest, it’s because he’s been very vocal about his pride in his African American heritage these days and the plight that comes along with that in America. For your entertainment pleasure, we’ve included a video clip of him expressing himself on Def Poetry Jams. Just a heads up: Smokey drops a few ‘choice words’ within his delivery, so if you’re at work tap that volume (down) button…

https://youtu.be/iIkNsj6cDGc?t=24s

The post These Twins’ Black Grandfather Is One Of The Realest Music Icons Ever…Their Grandmom’s A Legend appeared first on I Love Old School Music.

Smokey Robinson and his ex-wife Claudette spent many years together. For those who don’t know, Smokey and Claudette began their relationship during the glory years of Motown Records. Smokey worked as an in-house producer and songwriter, while also singing lead alongside Claudette in their 5-member group, The Miracles.

The two were married for 27 years and although they had some great times together, they also went through some very trying times during their marriage. Sadly, they endured seven miscarriages due to Claudette’s grueling tour schedule. But fortunately, despite the tragedies, she was able to give birth to two children. Most of their fans will probably be surprised to see their son though, because for the longest time, many never knew Smokey and Claudette even had a son.

Meet Smokey’s And Claudette’s Son, Berry

Of course, most fans probably know about Smokey and Claudette’s daughter, Tamla, who was named after Tamla Records- the original name of Motown Records- because she was in the public eye a bit more. But, they also have a son they named after the famous Motown pioneer.

Berry William Borope Robinson was named after none other than Smokey’s best friend and Motown Records founder, Berry Gordy. Check out more recent pics of Berry with his Pops; his sis,’ Tamla; and his beautiful mother below…

Throughout the years there were many cool photos of Smokey and Claudette with their kids back in the day. They looked like the picture perfect family at the time. But unfortunately, things weren’t always all good between Smokey, Claudette, and their children…

Smokey Revealed What He Did To Cause The Divorce

So, what could have possibly led to a massive divorce after 27 years of what appeared to be a happy marriage? Well apparently, Smokey admitted in his book that he’d had an affair. However, that’s not all. He’d gotten his mistress pregnant with his second son and after that, Claudette had it up to HERE and was like ‘Peace out Smokey!’ Smokey’s son, Trey Robinson, was born in 1984 shortly before Smokey’s 1985 divorce battle with Claudette.

Although Smokey expressed extreme remorse and made no excuses for his actions, he also did not turn his back on his third child. He took care of his responsibilities and despite the divorce, and Smokey still has a relationship with ALL three of his children to this day. He’s also remarried.

Wow…Smokey’s Ex-Wife Got Millions!

Smokey made headlines after his bombshell secret was made public. ‘Mr. Tears of a Clown’ had betrayed his then-wife and that led to divorce, but Claudette definitely didn’t walk away empty-handed. In fact, Claudette managed to win half the rights to all of the songs Smokey wrote from November 1958 to May 1985. Those rights equaled half of his whopping $275 million estate.

After 27 years of marriage, and records like “Shop Around,” “Ooh Baby Baby,” “Tracks Of My Tears,” solo classics “Cruisin’, “Being With You,” “Sweet Harmony” and the Temptations’ “My Girl” now partially belong to Claudette, due to legal technicalities. Even after 30+ years apart, Smokey was still paying for the divorce.

By 2014, the two once again battled each other in court over the decades-old hits Smokey had written during their marriage, which he’d just regained the music rights for under the 1976 Copyright Act. Thankfully, they were able to reach and out-of-court settlement…presumably Claudette walked away with many more millions. And all’s well, that ends well.

The post Like Father, Like Son…Introducing The Son Many Never Knew Smokey Robinson Had appeared first on I Love Old School Music.