Music
Bobby Smith
1936–2013 · singer
Principal lead singer of the Spinners from their founding at a Ferndale high school in 1954 until 2013.
- Born
Detroit, Michigan- Died
Orlando, Florida
aged 76- Birth name
- Robert Steel Smith
- Detroit years
- 1936–1970s
- Field
- Music
01 / The Detroit story
The Detroit story
Smith was 18 when he and schoolfriends formed the group that became the Spinners at Lincoln High School in Ferndale, just north of the Detroit line, in 1954. They signed with Harvey Fuqua and Gwen Gordy's Detroit label Tri-Phi in 1961, and Smith sang lead on their first hit, "That's What Girls Are Made For", often wrongly credited to Fuqua. When Motown absorbed Tri-Phi, he led most of their 1960s Motown singles, such as "I'll Always Love You" and "Truly Yours". After the group moved to Atlantic in 1972 it had its biggest success, and Smith shared leads with Philippé Wynne and Henry Fambrough on "I'll Be Around", "Could It Be I'm Falling in Love" and "Then Came You"; because their voices were similar, many of his leads are credited to Wynne. He sang with the group until his death in 2013 and is buried at Woodlawn Cemetery.
Highlights
- Co-founded the Spinners in 1954
- Lead vocal on "That's What Girls Are Made For" (1961)
- Lead on "I'll Be Around" and "Could It Be I'm Falling in Love"
- Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 2023 (posthumously) with the Spinners
02 / Their Detroit places
Their Detroit places 3
Where they lived, worked, performed and liked to hang out. Closed and demolished places stay here too, because they are part of the city's history.
Studied here · 1954
Lincoln High School
Status being checked
The Spinners were formed here in 1954 by schoolfriends.
Recorded here · 1963–1971
Motown Museum
The Spinners recorded their Motown singles here.
Buried here · 2013
Woodlawn Cemetery
His grave (per Wikidata).