R&B music has lost another legend. Co-founder and co-lead singer of the legendary R&B group, ‘The Spinners’, died Saturday, March 16, 2013 of complications from the flu and pneumonia, according to his family. It’s been reported that Smith was diagnosed with lung cancer last year.
According to USA Today, “The funeral will take place Monday in Detroit, where Smith will be interred, said the group's Jessie Peck.”
The Spinners were initially part of the Motown Records machine in the 1960’s, however; their huge success came in the 1970’s when they signed with Atlantic Records.
During the early years at Atlantic Records, Philippe Wynne, with the suggestion of his cousin G.C. Cameron who was previously a lead singer of ‘The Spinners’, joined the group. Smith and Wynne shared leads on several songs. However; it was hard to distinguish the difference between the two because they had similar voices. It was to the point where fans assumed that Wynne sang lead on every hit released by ‘The Spinners’ in the 1970’s.
Although Wynne sang lead on the hit song, “Rubberband Man” and on songs like “How Could I Let You Get Away”; Smith sang lead on “I’ll Be Around”, “Could It Be I’m Falling In Love” and the Dionne Warwick duet, “Then Came You”. For years, many assumed that these songs were led by Wynne.
Bobby Smith was born in Detroit, Michigan. According to USA Today, the last surviving original member of ‘The Spinners’, Henry Fambrough remembers, "Bobby was a regular, down-to-earth, good-natured person, the kind of guy who'd give you his shirt....”
He will be missed.
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