MOTOWN MIRACLE: BOBBY ROGERS

Motown lost one of it's brightest stars today, Bobby Rogers of the Miracles.  Bobby was the hot one in that band...He had moves that no other performer could match...What a dancer! He also worked with tons of other groups and was a beloved player at Motown. He was never an attention hound like many others...Take a look at his many contributions later in this story. RIP Bobby....

Bobby Rogers, one of the founding members of the Miracles, the Motown group that shot singer/songwriter Smokey Robinson into worldwide fame, died this morning after a long illness, his friend Jeanne Sorensen confirmed.

Rogers was 73.  More From The Detroit News:

Timeline 

1956 - Bobby Rogers, Claudette Rogers, Pete Moore, Ronnie White and William "Smokey" Robinson form The Miracles.

1958 - The Miracles release their first single "Got A Job."

1961 - The Miracles "Shop Around" gives Motown Records its first #1 gold record.

1965 - Claudette Robinson retires from live performances with the Miracles while continuing to record on all of The Miracles studio projects.

1965 - Motown changes group's name to Smokey Robinson & The Miracles.

1968 - The Miracles were honored to a Command Performance for Queen Elizabeth (London, England).

1972 - Smokey Robinson announces his retirement. William "Bill" Griffin begins with The Miracles.

Bobby Rogers (February 19, 1940 - March 3, 2013), born Robert E. Rogers, was an American soul singer and songwriter, notable as a member of Motown Records' first signed act and the first million-selling group The Miracles from 1956 until 2011. 

He was inducted along with the other members of the Miracles with the exception of Smokey Robinson in 2012 to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Rogers was the grandfather of R&B singer Brandi Williams from R&B girl group Blaque.

Rogers was the son of the late Robert and Lois Rogers. He was born on February 19, 1940, the same day and in the same Detroit hospital as fellow Miracles member Smokey Robinson, although the two would not meet until 15 years later.

On December 18, 1963, Rogers married Wanda Young, of Inkster, Michigan, the lead singer of the Motown group The Marvelettes. They had several children together and divorced in 1975 after twelve years of marriage. In 1981 Rogers married Joan Hughes on his birthday. 

The wedding ceremony was officiated by the late Cecil Franklin (older brother of Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin) at Detroit's historic New Bethel Baptist Church. Rogers and his wife Joan had four children (Bobbie, Gina, Kimberly and Robert III) all are now adults. Rogers resided between his primary residence in Plymouth, Michigan, a western suburb of Detroit, Michigan, and a Beverly Hills, California piedaterre with his wife Joan.

Rogers' cousin, Claudette Rogers, was also a member of the Miracles, and later married Smokey Robinson.

In addition to his work in The Miracles, Rogers was a part-time Motown songwriter; his most notable composition, authored with bandmate Smokey Robinson, was The Temptations' first hit single, "The Way You Do the Things You Do". Rogers also co-wrote The Temptations' 1965 hit "My Baby", Mary Wells' hit, "What Love Has Joined Together", The Contours' 1965 hit "First I Look at the Purse", (later covered by the J Geils Band), Marvin Gaye's 1966 Top 40 hit, "One More Heartache" and The Miracles' own 1964 Top 40 hit, "That's What Love Is Made Of", and their 1966 hit, "Going to a Go-Go".

He is also noted for doing co-lead vocals on The Miracles' 1962 Top 10 smash, "You've Really Got a Hold on Me", and singing lead on the group's 1964 song, "You're So Fine And Sweet".

Bobby was also reputed to be the group's best dancer, and was responsible for many of the Miracles' onstage routines,until the arrival of famed Motown choreographer Cholly Atkins.

In late 2006, Bobby re-united with original Miracles members Smokey Robinson and Pete Moore for the group's first-ever extended interview on the Motown DVD release, Smokey Robinson & The Miracles: The Definitive Performances.