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Touch the Sky is a 1983 album by American singer Smokey Robinson. It was produced and arranged by Robinson with Reginald "Sonny" Burke, and recorded and mixed at Golden Sound Studios, Inc., Hollywood, California. The album was released on the Motown sub-label Tamla.

Touch the Sky
Studio album by Smokey Robinson
Released	1983
Recorded	1982–1983 at Golden Sound Studios (Hollywood, California)
Genre	R&B, soul
Label	Motown
Producer	Smokey Robinson and Reginald "Sonny" Burke
Smokey Robinson chronology
Yes It's You Lady (1982) Touch the Sky (1983) Essar (1984)

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	link

Reception

The album peaked at #50 on Billboard pop charts, and at #8 on R&B charts.

There were two singles released from this album. "I've Made Love to You A Thousand Times" peaked at #101 Billboard and #8 R&B charts, "Touch The Sky" at #110 Billboard and #68 R&B charts.

William Ruhlmann rated the album with 2 out of 5 stars on AllMusic.[1] Robert Christgau rated the album as B+, giving a special recommendation to "cheating-song fans".[2]

Track listing

Side A

1. "Touch the Sky" (William "Smokey" Robinson) - 5:45
2. "Gimme What You Want" (Marvin Tarplin, William "Smokey" Robinson) - 4:00
3. "Even Tho'" (Forest Hairston) - 3:47
4. "Gone Again" (William "Smokey" Robinson) - 3:40

Side B

1. "All My Life's a Lie" (William "Smokey" Robinson) - 3:58
2. "Sad Time" (Scott D. Getlin, Stephen D. Tavani) - 4:21
3. "Dynamite" (Berry Gordy, William "Smokey" Robinson) - 4:37
4. "I've Made Love to You A Thousand Times" (Marvin Tarplin, William "Smokey" Robinson) - 5:38

Personnel

Fellow Miracles members Claudette Robinson, then Smokey's wife, joins for background vocals on the title track, Marv Tarplin is featured on rhythm guitar and songwriting. Also featured are Robinson regulars Fred Smith and Michael Jacobsen (since A Quiet Storm – 1975), and Sonny Burke (since Smokey's Family Robinson – 1976). On "Dynamite" Robinson shares songwriting-credits with Berry Gordy, founder of Motown records (besides everything else).

• Smokey Robinson - lead vocals
• Brenda L. Eager, Claudette Robinson, Ivory Davis, James Sledge, James Gadson, Leon Ware, Patricia Henley, Smokey Robinson - backing vocals
• Reginald "Sonny" Burke - keyboards, synthesizers
• Michael Boddicker, Paul Fox - synthesizer programming
• Marvin Tarplin, Charles J. Fearing, David T. Walker, Paul Jackson, Jr. - guitar
• Scott Edwards, Nathan East, James Jamerson, Jr. - bass
• James Gadson, Reginald "Sonny" Burke - drums
• Paulinho da Costa - percussion
• Ernie Watts - flute, saxophone
• Fred Smith - flute
• Charles Berghofer, David Schwartz, Gareth Nuttycombe, Michael Jacobsen - strings
• Harry Bluestone - concertmaster
• George Annis - music contractor

Production

• Produced and Arranged by William "Smokey" Robinson, Jr. and Reginald "Sonny" Burke.
• Recording Engineer – Paul Ring
• Technical Engineer – Robert Biles
• Assistant Engineer – Gary Jaye
• Mixing – Gary Jaye, Paul Ring, William "Smokey" Robinson, Jr., and Reginald "Sonny" Burke.
• Mastered by Wally Traugott at Capitol Records, Hollywood, California.
• Album Coordinator – Randy Dunlap
• Art Direction – Johnny Lee and Terry Taylor
• Cover Photography – David Alexander and Sheri Hyatt
• Photomontage – Sarah Sakakibara
• Cover Design – Alana Coghlan

References

External links

• Touch the Sky on Discogs

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