In The News

Bobby Rogers of The Miracles passes away

Bobby Rogers of The Miracles passes away

BOBBY Rogers, who was one of the founding members of The Miracles, has passed away. He was 73.

Mr. Rogers and Smokey Robinson had formed the group in 1956 along with Ronnie White, Pete Moore and Claudette Rogers (a cousin of Bobby’s).

They were one of the first acts to be signed by Motown founder Berry Gordy for his Tamla Records and went on to be the company’s first million-selling group with Shop Around (see below). Other hits included You’ve Really Got A Hold On Me, The Tracks Of My Tears and The Tears Of A Clown.

Mr. Rogers and Smokey Robinson were very close friends. They had been born only hours apart in the same Detroit hospital and over the years were to collaborate on a number of song-writing projects — including some of the songs recorded by The Miracles. They also shared songwriting credits for The Way You Do The Things You Do, which was recorded by The Temptations, and First I Look At The Purse, which was a hit for The Contours.

The Miracles’ line-up and their name was to eventually change. It became known as Smokey Robinson & The Miracles. Claudette Rogers left the line-up after getting married to Robinson (they later divorced).

The group was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2012.

Mr. Rogers passed away at his home in Detroit. He had suffered ill health for several years. Tributes to him were led by Smokey Robinson, who said in a statement: “Another soldier in my life has fallen. Bobby Rogers was my brother and a really good friend. I am really going to miss him. I loved him very much.”

To hear Shop Around, click here.

To see The Miracles perform Love Machine, click here.

View previous In the News items: Tributes are paid to former businessman Sir George Quigley, Remains are returned to Donegal after 180 years, Classical pianist Van Cliburn passes away, Former Temptations singer Richard Street passes away, Former aircraft company chief Sir Philip Foreman passes away, Tributes are paid to the designer of the Daleks, Award winning animator Bob Godfrey passes away, Kevin Ayers of sixties band Soft Machine passes away, Beatles pay tribute to early collaborator Tony Sheridan, Gameshow host Derek Batey passes away, Tributes are paid to the actor Richard Briers, American country singer Mindy McCready is dead at 37, Tributes are paid to screenwriter Alan Sharp, Film special effects expert Petro Vlahos passes away, Government agency updates service for bereaved relatives, Dave Clark Five member Rick Huxley passes away, Tributes are paid to table tennis player who helped make history, Tributes are paid to movie makeup artist Stuart Freeborn, Onedin Line star Peter Gilmore passes away, Actor Robin Sachs passes away, Remains found beneath carpark are those of King Richard III, Funeral of veteran sports journalist Malcolm Brodie takes place, Tributes are paid to former New York mayor Ed Koch, Artist and writer Ceija Stojka passes away, Wildlife filmmaker Eamon de Buitlear passes away, Journalist and historian Stanley Karnow passes away, Funeral takes place of Una Finnegan, Funeral takes place of veteran campaigner Inez McCormack, Film director and restaurant critic Michael Winner passes away, American civil rights pioneer James Hood passes away, Tributes are paid to actress Sophiya Haque, Actor Conrad Bain passes away, Tributes are paid to teacher saved by Oskar Schindler, Crossword setter uses puzzle to reveal he is dying, Broadcaster and historian Robert Kee passes away, Tributes are paid to former fast food executive Fred Turner, Oldest man in Britain Reg Dean passes away, Listen with Mother presenter Daphne Oxenford passes away, Former British prisoner of war passes away, Singer Patti Page passes away, Actor Harry Carey Jnr passes away, Tributes are paid to soul singer Fontella Bass, Former England cricket captain Tony Greig passes away, Gulf War general Norman Schwarzkopf passes away, Tributes are paid to the creator of Thunderbirds, Record holding woman dies aged 115, Tributes are paid to former newsreader Kenneth Kendall, Inventor of the barcode passes away, Indian musician Ravi Shankar passes away, Tributes are paid to the inspirational engineer Alex Moulton or Astronomer and broadcaster Sir Patrick Moore passes away

 

If you have a relative or a friend who has passed away and feel they should be mentioned in our In the News section, then please email us.