19 Facts About The Miracles

Group that later became the Miracles was formed in 1955 by five teenage friends from Detroit, Michigan, under the name the Five Chimes.

In 1960, the Miracles reached the charts with "Way Over There", their second national hit, which Robinson wrote and based on the Isley Brothers' "Shout".

The Miracles have been awarded many top music industry honors over the years.

The Miracles hit the top ten still a third time the following year with the Holland-Dozier-Holland-written-and-produced song "Mickey's Monkey".

The Miracles' success paved the way for all future Motown stars, and, as Motown's first group, they would serve as the prototype for all other Motown groups to follow.

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The Miracles had become a national sensation, and their success catapulted them to the position of Motown's top-selling act, making them headliners at the nationwide Motortown Revue package touring shows, which showcased Motown artists, and that started around late 1962.

Unlike other Motown artists, whose songs were written for them by staff songwriters, the Miracles were one of the few Motown acts that composed their own songs, adding to the group's already impressive reputation.

From this point on, Claudette did not tour with the Miracles or appear in any official group photographs or on television, although she remained as a non-touring member of the Miracles, and continued to sing backup with the group in the studio until 1972.

The Miracles' performance was one of the show's highlights, called "athletically electrifying" by critics.

The Miracles chart hit singles that year included "That's What Love Is Made Of" and "I Like It Like That".

Also in 1965, the Miracles released their landmark Top 10 album, Going to a Go-Go, under the new group name of Smokey Robinson and the Miracles.

The Miracles sang the original theme to the 1967 20th Century Fox film of the same name.

The Miracles, who had long been written off by the music industry, had proven that they could have big hits without Robinson.

Around this same time, most of the original The Miracles including Smokey Robinson and Claudette Robinson as well as Pete Moore, Marv Tarplin, and Bobby Rogers reunited to perform a medley of their songs on the 1983 NBC television special, Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever.

In 1997, the Miracles were honored by the Rhythm and Blues Foundation with the Pioneer Award for their contributions to music.

Three years later, the Miracles were included in Rolling Stone's list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time at No 32, still holding to that position in a revised 2011 edition, making the Miracles the highest-ranking Motown group on the Rolling Stone listing.

In June 2006, the Miracles were voted into the Michigan Rock and Roll Legends Hall of Fame.

Success of the Miracles actually launched the Motown Records label, and, according to Motown Records founder, Berry Gordy, without the Miracles, the Motown Record Corporation would not have been possible.

The Miracles said they received many, many calls over the years from angry fans.