Billy Griffin facts for kids

William L. Griffin (born August 15, 1950) is an American singer and songwriter. He is best known for replacing Smokey Robinson as the lead singer of the famous group The Miracles in 1972.

About Billy Griffin

Billy Griffin was born and grew up in West Baltimore, Maryland. He went to Garrison Junior High School and Forest Park High School. Billy loved music from a young age. He played the guitar and sang. He was part of a local band called The Last Dynasty.

Joining The Miracles

Billy Griffin was a big fan of Smokey Robinson, who was the lead singer of The Miracles. In 1972, during The Miracles' farewell tour with Smokey Robinson, Billy was introduced as the new lead singer. This was a huge moment for him!

After joining, Billy spent a year learning and practicing with Motown's Artist Development team. In 1973, he released his first song with The Miracles, "What Is a Heart Good For." He even performed it on a TV show called The Midnight Special.

Big Hits with The Miracles

Billy didn't just sing; he also helped write many of The Miracles' songs. He worked with original group member Pete Moore. Together, they wrote all the songs for the group's 1975 album, City of Angels. This album sold a lot of copies!

During Billy's time with the group, they had three big hit songs:

• "Do It Baby" in 1974.
• "Love Machine" in 1975, which was their most successful song. It sold 4.5 million copies around the world!
• "Don't Cha Love It," which was also a popular R&B song.

Solo Career and Songwriting

In 1976, The Miracles left Motown Records and signed with Columbia Records. After making two more albums, Billy and Pete Moore decided to stop performing. They wanted to focus on writing songs instead.

In 1982, Billy released his first solo album, Be with Me. A song from this album, "Hold Me Tighter in the Rain," became a top 20 hit in the UK. He released more solo albums, including Respect in 1983.

Billy also worked with many other famous artists. He wrote songs and sang background vocals for stars like Aretha Franklin, The O'Jays, and Take That. He even helped produce Take That's first album, which included hit songs like "Could It Be Magic".

In 2006, Billy released his most recent solo album, Like Water. Today, Billy Griffin is a co-owner of a music publishing company called Grimora Music. He owns it with his friend and former Miracles member, Pete Moore.

Achievements and Recognition

Billy Griffin and the other members of The Miracles were honored with a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on March 20, 2009. This is a special recognition for their contributions to music.

In 2012, The Miracles were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a group. This is a very high honor in music. The members who were inducted were Warren "Pete" Moore, Claudette Rogers Robinson, Bobby Rogers, Marvin Tarplin, and Ronald White.

Billy Griffin's Solo Music

Here are some of the albums and singles Billy Griffin released as a solo artist.

Albums

Singles