7 Philip Glass 7

adapted from the Hindu scripture the Bhagavadgītā. The

opera The Voyage (1992) had mixed reviews, but the fact

that it had been commissioned by the New York Metro-

politan Opera (to commemorate the 500th anniversary

of Christopher Columbus’s arrival in the Americas) con-

firmed Glass’s growing acceptance by the classical music

establishment.

smokey robinson

and the Miracles Smokey Robinson

In addition to Smokey Robinson (b. Feb. 19, 1940, Detroit, Mich.,

U.S.), the principal members of the group were Warren Moore (b.

Nov. 19, 1939, Detroit, Mich., U.S.), Bobby Rogers (b. Feb. 19, 1940,

Detroit, Mich., U.S.), Ronnie White (b. April 5, 1939, Detroit, Mich.,

U.S.), and Claudette Rogers (b. 1942)

S

mokey Robinson and the Miracles were an American

vocal group that helped define the Motown sound of

the 1960s; the group was led by one of the most gifted, influ-

ential singer-songwriters in 20th-century popular music.

Whether writing for fellow artists Mary Wells, the Temp-

tations, or Marvin Gaye or performing with the Miracles,

singer-lyricist-arranger-producer Robinson created songs

that were supremely balanced between the joy and pain

of love. At once playful and passionate, Robinson’s grace-

ful lyrics led Bob Dylan to call him “America’s greatest

living poet.”

Coming of age in the doo-wop era and deeply influenced

by jazz vocalist Sarah Vaughan, Robinson formed the Five

Chimes with school friends in the mid-1950s. After some

personnel changes, the group, as the Matadors, auditioned

unsuccessfully for Jackie Wilson’s manager; however, they

greatly impressed Wilson’s songwriter Berry Gordy, who

soon became their manager and producer. Most important,

Gordy became Robinson’s mentor, harnessing his prodigious