Music legend Smokey Robinson and SiriusXM have joined forces to launch Smokey’s Soul Town, a year-round channel curated by Robinson.
Airing on SiriusXM’s channel 74, Smokey’s Soul Town features classic soul, R&B, and Motown from the ’60s and ’70s, showcasing artists like Marvin Gaye, Aretha Franklin, The Supremes, Jackie Wilson, and The Temptations.
The channel premiered on Wednesday, Nov. 8, featuring exclusive commentary and insights from Robinson himself.
Robinson plans to continue his storytelling formula by sharing stories from his decades-spanning career, along with tales about songs, artists, and his own life experiences in relation to the curated songs that will be aired. These stories will be part of his recurring show, which will air every other week.
Smokey’s Soul Town is going to be even more special with the addition of John Mason as a host for the Smokey Robinson Town Hall recorded at the Motown Museum in Detroit. However, not many details have been revealed yet about what will happen during this segment.
Robinson is one of seven artists to be featured on the slate of new artist-curated channels on SiriusXM. He joins Dolly Parton, Shaggy, John Mayer, Kelly Clarkson, James Corden, and Ashley Flowers.
Smokey’s Soul Town channel and other similar artist channels have debuted ahead of SiriusXM’s app refresh on Dec. 14. As part of this update, the audio company has also refreshed its logo and brand platform, with the aim of attracting a new generation of SiriusXM listeners.
SiriusXM’s CEO Jennifer Witz says, “The introduction of the new SiriusXM streaming experience marks a pivotal moment in our history, one that kicks off a new era of innovation at our Company.”
Witz adds, “And this launch is just the beginning; we will continue to iterate and develop our product offerings throughout the next year and beyond as we strive to deliver our subscribers the best listening experience on the go, in the car, and wherever they choose to tune in. From can’t miss live moments to the perfect soundtrack for any occasion, with the new SiriusXM, we are putting our differentiators at the forefront and welcoming in a new generation of listeners, bringing them closer to what they love.”
For more information on Smokey’s Soul Town, visit SiriusXM’s official website.
In October, Robinson was a musical guest on NPR’s Tiny Desk Concert series, where he performed classics from his storied career and new music from his April release, Gasms.
The nine-track album, released independently, includes the singles “If We Don’t Have Each Other” and “How You Make Me Feel.”