“A Black History Tribute to Smokey Robinson,” written and directed by Washington Informer staff writer Dorothy Rowley, will be presented at 6 p.m., Saturday, March 2 at Broomfield Memorial Church in Richmond, Va.
The tribute follows Robinson’s career from his early years as a lovestruck teen to his winning the 2016 Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for a lifetime of contributions to popular music.
“Like so many of my friends from school and our neighborhoods who grew up in the 1960s and early ’70s, I’d always enjoyed listening to soft, silky and mesmerizing sounds Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, as well as other Motown-grown talent,” Rowley said. “So, this past summer while driving home from D.C., I was listening to one of Robinson’s staples on the radio when I got the notion to showcase his stellar career as a Black History Month project.”
Rowley, who said it took her about six weeks off and on to write the script, added that her goal was to take her peers down memory lane while introducing the iconic singer-songwriter to millennials just beginning to grasp the sound of old-school R&B.
The presentation was initially slated for the last weekend of February, but was moved to March 2 due to scheduling conflicts.
“Nevertheless, we got it done and everyone involved is super excited,” Rowley said.
There is no cost for admission.
This is a wonderful tribute.