On Smokey, Marv Tarplin co-wrote three of the songs with Smokey. However, on the album is one of Smokey’s most beautiful tracks, Virgin Mary. Surprisingly, this album failed to build on the success of his debut album, reaching just number ninety-nine in the US Billboard 200 and twelve in US R&B Charts. The follow-up to Smokey was entitled Pure Smokey, released in March 1974. It was released as his debut single, reaching number forty-eight in the US Billboard 100 and thirty-one in the US R&B Charts. Smokey reached number seventy in the US Billboard 200 and number ten in the US R&B Charts.The album featured Sweet Harmony, which was a tribute to his former group The Miracles. His debut solo album was Smokey, released in June 1973. Having left the Miracles, and settled into his new role, he started working on the first of his solo albums. For some time, Smokey had planned to combine his role of Vice President of Motown Records with a low key solo career. With the Miracles, Smokey embarked on a six month farewell tour, at the end of which, he introduced his replacement Billy Griffin. Well, in July of 1972, that’s exactly what Smokey Robinson did. There can’t have been many recording artists who have left a hugely successful group to concentrate on their position as Vice President of a record company, and in doing so, embark on a somewhat low-key solo career.
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