R.I.P.: Bobby Rogers Of the Miracles Was 73

Bobby Rogers

Bobby Rogers, one of the founding members of the Miracles, the Motown group that shot singer/songwriter Smokey Robinson into worldwide fame, died Sunday morning in his Southfield home after complications from diabetes, The Detorit News reports.

Rogers was 73.

Born Feb. 19, 1940, in Detroit, Rogers joined Northern High School student Bill "Smokey" Robinson's group, the Matadors, in the mid-1950s.

After his cousin Claudette 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 fi t 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, but the tall, bespectacled Rogers was the most graceful dancer in the group, and 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 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 he was too ill to attend the April ceremony.

Read More Now