A Quiet Storm

The third solo album by American soul singer, songwriter, and producer Smokey Robinson, A Quiet Storm is considered one of the most highly-acclaimed soul albums of the 1970s. It spawned three hit singles, including Robinson's first disco hit "Baby That's Backatcha", which rose to number 7 on the Billboard Disco chart (Top 10 R&B). The album re-established Robinson's reputation as a songwriter and producer and solidified his solo success after leaving The Miracles (guitarist Mary Tarplin from that group participates on this album). AllMusic reviewer Craig Lytle gave the album a rating of four and a half out of five stars, stating that "The genius of Robinson is immeasurable. As many of his prior songs had shaped R&B and pop music, this album would have a similar effect. Although it only managed to seal the Top 25, it has since made a greater impact on the music charts and music industry. Briefly, radio mogul Cathy Hughes, owner of Radio One, was the general manager at Howard University radio WHUR during the early '70s when she created the format `the quiet storm.' She used Smokey Robinson's composition as the theme song. Before long, it caught on around the country and evolved into a new market." A Quiet Storm has been named one of the greatest Motown albums of all time in a 1999 edition of Q magazine.