Miracles' founding member Bobby Rogers dead at 73.

The Motown curse strikes again.

RIP

Bobby Rogers of the Miracles dies after long illness

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.

His story began, as so many musical Detroit stories do, in the north end. Born Feb. 19, 1940 in Detroit, Rogers joined Northern High School student Bill "Smokey" Robinson's group, the Matadors, in the mid-1950's.

After his cousin Claudette Rogers was brought into the group, its name was deemed too masculine and was changed to "The Miracles." With the addition of Claudette, the beautifully harmonic sound that Motown fans came to love was set. Bobby's silky tenor voice fit right in under Smokey's and Claudette's high voices, and was anchored by Ronnie White's baritone and Pete Moore's bass. He is particularly apparent singing second tenor under Robinson on "You Really Got a Hold on Me."

His singing would have been enough, and the tall, bespectacled Rogers was the most graceful dancer in the group, but he proved to be a deft hand at songwriting as well. With Robinson, he co-wrote many songs, notably "First I Look at the Purse," recorded by the Contours, "The Way You Do the Things You Do" by the Temptations, Marvin Gaye's "Ain't That Peculiar" and "One More Heartache," and the Miracles' smash "Going to A Go-Go."

After Robinson left the Miracles to go solo in 1972, Rogers kept the group going, and they scored a Smokey-less hit with "Love Machine" in 1975. In recent years, he was the only original member left, but illness forced him to retire from the road.

Rogers was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame along with the Miracles in 2012, but was too ill to attend the April ceremony.

Come back to detroitnews.com for more details.

swhitall@detroitnews.com

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Wow, it's been a bad past few weeks for Motown.

Rest In Peace

ahhh wow

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Rest In Peace Mr. Bobby Rogers

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Man MOTOWN has been really going through!!! RIH MR. Rogers...wasn't he also married to former Marvelette Wanda Young in the early years?

In Peace may he rest.

fred12 said:

Man MOTOWN has been really going through!!! RIH MR. Rogers...wasn't he also married to former Marvelette Wanda Young in the early years?