- He and Aretha Franklin grew up together. Has known her since he was seven years old.
- His favorite movie is Back to the Future.
- While known for being a perfectionist performer, he also insists that stagehands and other crew involved with live concerts are treated well. For example, Smokey's contracts stipulate that all crew members must be served a hot meal prior to the performance.
- Children, with his first wife Claudette Robinson, Tamla and Berry.
- Elected to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987.
- He and his singing group, The Miracles, were voted the 32nd Greatest Rock 'n' Roll Artists of all time by Rolling Stone.
- Inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1990.
- He was awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for Recording at 1500 North Vine Street in Hollywood, California.
- He had his first recording as The Miracles in 1958. It was a follow up to a No. 1 tune "Get A Job". It was titled "Got A Job", on the legendary "End" label. Unfortunately, it did not have the same success as its predecessor.
- He was awarded the U.S. National Medal of Arts in 2002 from the National Endowment of the Arts.
- Received an honorary Doctor of Music degree from Howard University (May 13, 2006).
- Awarded Kennedy Center Honors in 2006, with Dolly Parton, Steven Spielberg, Zubin Mehta, and Andrew Lloyd Webber.
- One of the personalities mentioned in the song Genius of Love by Tom Tom Club. The others mentioned were James Brown, Bob Marley, 'Hamilton Bohannon', George Clinton, Bootsy Collins, Kurtis Blow and Lowell 'Sly' Dunbar (as Sly and Robbie) and Robbie Shakespeare (as Sly and Robbie).
- Friends with Berry Gordy, Levi Stubbs, Marvin Gaye, Diana Ross, Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson, Curtis Mayfield, and Teena Marie, Rick James, and Leon Isaac Kennedy.
- Uncle of Eric West.
- Former neighbor and lifelong friend of Diana Ross. They met in 1948, when Robinson was only 8, and Ross was only 4, when they were living a block away from each other.
- Has a son Trey (b, 1984) from an outside relationship.
- Friends with Sam Cooke.
- Born the exact same day as fellow Miracle, Bobby Rogers.
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