191:
1151:
33:
296:
also sang lead on some of the
Spinners' songs.) The confusion between Smith and Wynne may be due to the similarities in their voices and the fact that they frequently shared lead vocals on many of those hits.
175:(also known as the Detroit Spinners or the Motown Spinners), throughout its history. He was the principal lead singer from its formation in 1954 when he was eighteen, until his death in 2013.
346:
in 2024, there are no original members of the group living today. As the last member, Fambrough continued to perform with the group until his retirement in April 2023.
1187:
288:
Despite the fact that Smith led on many of the group's biggest hits, many have erroneously credited most of the group's success to its other lead singer, the late
675:
262:
1056:
1455:
1440:
300:
In fact, Wynne was many times inaccurately credited for songs that Smith actually sang lead on, such as by the group's label, Atlantic
Records, on their
258:
187:
in
Ferndale, Michigan, just north of the Detroit border. The group had their first record deal when they signed with Tri-Phi Records in early 1961.
836:
433:
1435:
1180:
1200:
878:
1460:
1445:
979:
668:
238:
1420:
415:
526:
1173:
364:
1049:
822:
1450:
1154:
661:
1119:
1070:
1028:
1007:
945:
930:
815:
250:
829:
195:
172:
993:
899:
569:
1014:
631:
254:
1295:
972:
727:
335:
211:
1430:
986:
954:
234:
184:
913:
871:
588:
1279:
684:
1000:
643:
1021:
892:
885:
1196:
1105:
1091:
495:
480:
465:
450:
277:
1112:
1063:
327:
Smith battled lung cancer, and died of pneumonia and influenza on March 16, 2013, at the age of 76.
1250:
1136:
857:
1425:
794:
1098:
1084:
850:
527:"'This Was Our Time': The Spinners' Surviving Founder on Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction"
1285:
1165:
787:
761:
551:
1415:
1410:
593:
8:
319:, Wynne, John Edwards, etc.), Smith's lead voice had always been The Spinners' mainstay.
32:
1077:
1042:
843:
589:"The Spinners' Sole Surviving Founder Reacts to Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction"
627:
427:
1310:
756:
289:
1261:
906:
864:
801:
246:
241:" (1965); almost all of the group's pre-Motown material on Fuqua's Tri-Phi Records
161:
101:
1290:
717:
343:
293:
292:, who did not join The Spinners until well over a decade after they had formed. (
1300:
1256:
1236:
939:
722:
339:
266:
230:
223:
491:
476:
461:
446:
389:
1404:
1363:
1331:
1243:
1229:
751:
732:
331:
316:
215:
202:
Smith had been the group's lead singer since its inception, having sung lead
648:
1381:
1035:
308:
304:
242:
227:
219:
1266:
1222:
808:
598:
214:" (which has been inaccurately credited to the group's mentor and former
203:
1349:
207:
120:
644:
Bobbie Smith interview by Pete Lewis, 'Blues & Soul' February 2009
507:
190:
1388:
1356:
1271:
1215:
112:
273:
of these Bobby Smith-led songs were
Certified Gold by the R.I.A.A.
84:
393:
164:
152:(April 10, 1936 – March 16, 2013), professionally known as
80:
390:"The Spinners' Henry Fambrough talks to Tom about their history"
653:
168:
116:
1195:
307:
collection (an error corrected in the group's later triple
622:
Romanski, Patricia and Holly George-Warren (editors).
261:". In 1974, they scored their only #1 Pop hit with "
167:
notable as the principal lead singer of the classic
265:" (sung by Smith, in collaboration with superstar
624:The Rolling Stone Encyclopedia of Rock & Roll
365:"Bobbie Smith, Voice of the Spinners, Dies at 76"
1402:
649:Some comments from Bobbie Smith for Soul Express
416:"Bobby Smith, lead singer of The Spinners, dies"
259:They Just Can't Stop It the (Games People Play)
362:
1181:
669:
432:: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (
315:). Throughout a succession of lead singers (
330:With the deaths of fellow Spinners members
1456:21st-century African-American male singers
1441:20th-century African-American male singers
1188:
1174:
676:
662:
552:"Bobby Smith Of 'The Spinners' Dead At 76"
31:
570:"Spinners Singer Bobbie Smith Dies at 76"
222:). Smith also sang lead on most of their
524:
283:
189:
226:material during the 1960s, such as the
1403:
356:
280:in 2023 as a member of the Spinners.
276:He was posthumously inducted into the
183:The Spinners was formed circa 1954 at
1436:The Spinners (American group) members
1169:
1029:Together We Can Make Such Sweet Music
657:
586:
414:Press, Brian McCollum, Detroit Free.
830:Happiness Is Being with the Spinners
245:, and also on The Spinners' biggest
13:
1461:21st-century American male singers
1446:20th-century American male singers
525:Madarang, Charisma (May 4, 2023).
14:
1472:
1421:American rhythm and blues singers
637:
413:
363:Peter Keepnews (March 20, 2013).
1150:
1149:
837:Yesterday, Today, & Tomorrow
683:
626:. New York, NY: Fireside, 2005.
194:Bobby Smith (middle) as part of
1015:Could It Be I'm Falling in Love
955:The Spinners: Their Early Years
616:
580:
562:
544:
255:Could It Be I'm Falling in Love
178:
973:That's What Girls Are Made For
518:
500:
485:
470:
455:
440:
407:
382:
212:That's What Girls Are Made For
1:
1451:20th-century American singers
349:
1342:Award for Musical Excellence
1001:How Could I Let You Get Away
7:
1374:Award for Musical Influence
1022:One of a Kind (Love Affair)
587:Graff, Gary (May 3, 2023).
16:American singer (1936–2013)
10:
1477:
1197:Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
1092:Working My Way Back to You
278:Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
1373:
1341:
1321:
1207:
1145:
1129:
1113:Funny How Time Slips Away
964:
923:
779:
691:
134:
126:
108:
91:
67:
57:
47:
42:
30:
23:
1251:Rage Against the Machine
947:The Best of the Spinners
932:The Best of the Spinners
879:Can't Shake This Feeling
322:
249:hits. These included "
1431:Musicians from Detroit
1085:Are You Ready for Love
851:From Here to Eternally
769:Harold "Spike" Bonhart
218:lead singer, the late
206:on The Spinners first
199:
43:Background information
1324:(Ahmet Ertegun Award)
788:The Original Spinners
508:"Gold & Platinum"
313:The Chrome Collection
284:Miscredits on records
193:
980:I'll Always Love You
239:I'll Always Love You
185:Ferndale High School
1106:Yesterday Once More
772:Charlton Washington
160:, was an American
1078:The Rubberband Man
858:Dancin' and Lovin'
823:Pick of the Litter
706:Jessie Robert Peck
369:The New York Times
200:
150:Robert Steel Smith
53:Robert Steel Smith
1398:
1397:
1163:
1162:
1071:Games People Play
576:. March 18, 2013.
558:. March 18, 2013.
144:
143:
1468:
1262:Zack de la Rocha
1190:
1183:
1176:
1167:
1166:
1153:
1152:
1130:Related articles
907:Down to Business
816:New and Improved
766:Frank Washington
678:
671:
664:
655:
654:
610:
609:
607:
605:
584:
578:
577:
566:
560:
559:
548:
542:
541:
539:
537:
522:
516:
515:
504:
498:
489:
483:
474:
468:
459:
453:
444:
438:
437:
431:
423:
411:
405:
404:
402:
400:
386:
380:
379:
377:
375:
360:
247:Atlantic Records
137:
102:Orlando, Florida
98:
77:
75:
60:
50:
35:
21:
20:
1476:
1475:
1471:
1470:
1469:
1467:
1466:
1465:
1401:
1400:
1399:
1394:
1369:
1337:
1323:
1317:
1296:Billy Henderson
1291:Henry Fambrough
1203:
1194:
1164:
1159:
1141:
1125:
1050:I'm Coming Home
960:
919:
900:Lovin' Feelings
795:2nd Time Around
775:
728:Billy Henderson
718:Henry Fambrough
687:
682:
640:
619:
614:
613:
603:
601:
585:
581:
568:
567:
563:
550:
549:
545:
535:
533:
523:
519:
506:
505:
501:
490:
486:
475:
471:
460:
456:
445:
441:
425:
424:
412:
408:
398:
396:
388:
387:
383:
373:
371:
361:
357:
352:
344:Henry Fambrough
336:Billy Henderson
325:
294:Henry Fambrough
286:
181:
171:/Philly group,
156:, also spelled
147:
135:
100:
96:
79:
73:
71:
58:
48:
38:
26:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1474:
1464:
1463:
1458:
1453:
1448:
1443:
1438:
1433:
1428:
1426:Motown artists
1423:
1418:
1413:
1396:
1395:
1393:
1392:
1385:
1377:
1375:
1371:
1370:
1368:
1367:
1360:
1353:
1345:
1343:
1339:
1338:
1336:
1335:
1327:
1325:
1322:Non-performers
1319:
1318:
1316:
1315:
1314:
1313:
1311:Philippé Wynne
1308:
1303:
1301:Pervis Jackson
1298:
1293:
1288:
1276:
1275:
1274:
1269:
1264:
1259:
1257:Tim Commerford
1247:
1240:
1237:George Michael
1233:
1226:
1219:
1211:
1209:
1205:
1204:
1193:
1192:
1185:
1178:
1170:
1161:
1160:
1158:
1157:
1146:
1143:
1142:
1140:
1139:
1133:
1131:
1127:
1126:
1124:
1123:
1120:I'll Be Around
1116:
1109:
1102:
1095:
1088:
1081:
1074:
1067:
1060:
1053:
1046:
1039:
1032:
1025:
1018:
1011:
1008:I'll Be Around
1004:
997:
990:
983:
976:
968:
966:
962:
961:
959:
958:
951:
943:
940:Spinners Live!
936:
927:
925:
921:
920:
918:
917:
910:
903:
896:
889:
882:
875:
868:
861:
854:
847:
840:
833:
826:
819:
812:
805:
798:
791:
783:
781:
777:
776:
774:
773:
770:
767:
764:
759:
757:Philippé Wynne
754:
749:
746:
743:
738:
735:
730:
725:
723:Pervis Jackson
720:
714:
713:
708:
703:
698:
696:C.J. Jefferson
692:
689:
688:
681:
680:
673:
666:
658:
652:
651:
646:
639:
638:External links
636:
635:
634:
632:978-0743201209
618:
615:
612:
611:
579:
561:
543:
517:
499:
484:
469:
454:
439:
406:
381:
354:
353:
351:
348:
340:Pervis Jackson
324:
321:
290:Philippé Wynne
285:
282:
267:Dionne Warwick
251:I'll Be Around
237:" (1966) and "
180:
177:
146:Musical artist
145:
142:
141:
138:
132:
131:
128:
124:
123:
110:
106:
105:
99:(aged 76)
95:March 16, 2013
93:
89:
88:
78:April 10, 1936
69:
65:
64:
61:
55:
54:
51:
45:
44:
40:
39:
36:
28:
27:
24:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1473:
1462:
1459:
1457:
1454:
1452:
1449:
1447:
1444:
1442:
1439:
1437:
1434:
1432:
1429:
1427:
1424:
1422:
1419:
1417:
1414:
1412:
1409:
1408:
1406:
1391:
1390:
1386:
1384:
1383:
1379:
1378:
1376:
1372:
1366:
1365:
1364:Bernie Taupin
1361:
1359:
1358:
1354:
1352:
1351:
1347:
1346:
1344:
1340:
1334:
1333:
1332:Don Cornelius
1329:
1328:
1326:
1320:
1312:
1309:
1307:
1304:
1302:
1299:
1297:
1294:
1292:
1289:
1287:
1284:
1283:
1282:
1281:
1277:
1273:
1270:
1268:
1265:
1263:
1260:
1258:
1255:
1254:
1253:
1252:
1248:
1246:
1245:
1244:Willie Nelson
1241:
1239:
1238:
1234:
1232:
1231:
1230:Missy Elliott
1227:
1225:
1224:
1220:
1218:
1217:
1213:
1212:
1210:
1206:
1202:
1201:Class of 2023
1198:
1191:
1186:
1184:
1179:
1177:
1172:
1171:
1168:
1156:
1148:
1147:
1144:
1138:
1135:
1134:
1132:
1128:
1121:
1117:
1114:
1110:
1107:
1103:
1100:
1096:
1093:
1089:
1086:
1082:
1079:
1075:
1072:
1068:
1065:
1061:
1058:
1057:Then Came You
1054:
1051:
1047:
1044:
1040:
1037:
1033:
1030:
1026:
1023:
1019:
1016:
1012:
1009:
1005:
1002:
998:
995:
991:
988:
984:
981:
977:
974:
970:
969:
967:
963:
957:
956:
952:
950:
948:
944:
942:
941:
937:
935:
933:
929:
928:
926:
922:
916:
915:
914:At Their Best
911:
909:
908:
904:
902:
901:
897:
895:
894:
890:
888:
887:
883:
881:
880:
876:
874:
873:
872:Labor of Love
869:
867:
866:
865:Love Trippin'
862:
860:
859:
855:
853:
852:
848:
846:
845:
841:
839:
838:
834:
832:
831:
827:
825:
824:
820:
818:
817:
813:
811:
810:
806:
804:
803:
799:
797:
796:
792:
790:
789:
785:
784:
782:
780:Studio albums
778:
771:
768:
765:
763:
760:
758:
755:
753:
752:G. C. Cameron
750:
748:Edgar Edwards
747:
744:
742:
739:
737:James Edwards
736:
734:
733:C. P. Spencer
731:
729:
726:
724:
721:
719:
716:
715:
712:
709:
707:
704:
702:
701:Marvin Taylor
699:
697:
694:
693:
690:
686:
679:
674:
672:
667:
665:
660:
659:
656:
650:
647:
645:
642:
641:
633:
629:
625:
621:
620:
600:
596:
595:
590:
583:
575:
574:Billboard.com
571:
565:
557:
553:
547:
532:
531:Rolling Stone
528:
521:
513:
509:
503:
497:
493:
488:
482:
478:
473:
467:
463:
458:
452:
448:
443:
435:
429:
421:
417:
410:
395:
391:
385:
374:September 12,
370:
366:
359:
355:
347:
345:
342:in 2008, and
341:
337:
333:
332:C. P. Spencer
328:
320:
318:
317:G. C. Cameron
314:
310:
306:
303:
298:
295:
291:
281:
279:
274:
272:
268:
264:
263:Then Came You
260:
256:
252:
248:
244:
240:
236:
232:
229:
225:
221:
217:
213:
209:
205:
197:
192:
188:
186:
176:
174:
170:
166:
163:
159:
155:
151:
139:
133:
129:
125:
122:
118:
114:
111:
107:
103:
94:
90:
86:
82:
70:
66:
62:
59:Also known as
56:
52:
46:
41:
37:Smith in 1977
34:
29:
22:
19:
1387:
1382:DJ Kool Herc
1380:
1362:
1355:
1348:
1330:
1305:
1286:John Edwards
1280:The Spinners
1278:
1249:
1242:
1235:
1228:
1221:
1214:
1036:Ghetto Child
994:It's a Shame
953:
949:(1978 album)
946:
938:
934:(1973 album)
931:
924:Other albums
912:
905:
898:
891:
884:
877:
870:
863:
856:
849:
842:
835:
828:
821:
814:
807:
800:
793:
786:
762:John Edwards
745:George Dixon
740:
710:
705:
700:
695:
685:The Spinners
623:
617:Bibliography
602:. Retrieved
592:
582:
573:
564:
555:
546:
534:. Retrieved
530:
520:
511:
502:
487:
472:
457:
442:
420:Usatoday.com
419:
409:
397:. Retrieved
384:
372:. Retrieved
368:
358:
329:
326:
312:
305:double album
301:
299:
287:
275:
270:
220:Harvey Fuqua
201:
196:The Spinners
182:
179:The Spinners
173:The Spinners
157:
153:
149:
148:
136:Years active
97:(2013-03-16)
63:Bobbie Smith
18:
1416:2013 deaths
1411:1936 births
1306:Bobby Smith
1267:Tom Morello
1223:Sheryl Crow
1137:Discography
1043:Mighty Love
987:Truly Yours
809:Mighty Love
741:Bobby Smith
711:Ronnie Moss
599:Yahoo! News
556:Newsone.com
235:Truly Yours
154:Bobby Smith
25:Bobby Smith
1405:Categories
1350:Chaka Khan
1208:Performers
893:Cross Fire
886:Grand Slam
350:References
210:in 1961, "
208:hit record
127:Occupation
74:1936-04-10
49:Birth name
1389:Link Wray
1357:Al Kooper
1272:Brad Wilk
1216:Kate Bush
594:Billboard
536:August 3,
399:April 20,
338:in 2007,
334:in 2004,
302:Anthology
216:Moonglows
140:1954–2013
1155:Category
802:Spinners
604:June 20,
428:cite web
271:All four
228:charting
85:Michigan
965:Singles
496:YouTube
481:YouTube
466:YouTube
451:YouTube
394:YouTube
231:singles
198:in 1965
162:R&B
117:R&B
81:Detroit
630:
233:like "
224:Motown
204:vocals
169:Motown
165:singer
158:Bobbie
130:Singer
109:Genres
104:, U.S.
87:, U.S.
1099:Cupid
1064:Sadie
492:Video
477:Video
462:Video
447:Video
323:Death
311:set,
243:label
628:ISBN
606:2023
538:2023
512:RIAA
434:link
401:2020
376:2020
257:", "
253:", "
121:soul
92:Died
68:Born
494:on
479:on
464:on
449:on
269:).
113:Pop
1407::
1199:–
597:.
591:.
572:.
554:.
529:.
510:.
430:}}
426:{{
418:.
392:.
367:.
309:CD
119:,
115:,
83:,
1189:e
1182:t
1175:v
1122:"
1118:"
1115:"
1111:"
1108:"
1104:"
1101:"
1097:"
1094:"
1090:"
1087:"
1083:"
1080:"
1076:"
1073:"
1069:"
1066:"
1062:"
1059:"
1055:"
1052:"
1048:"
1045:"
1041:"
1038:"
1034:"
1031:"
1027:"
1024:"
1020:"
1017:"
1013:"
1010:"
1006:"
1003:"
999:"
996:"
992:"
989:"
985:"
982:"
978:"
975:"
971:"
844:8
677:e
670:t
663:v
608:.
540:.
514:.
436:)
422:.
403:.
378:.
76:)
72:(
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
.png)