The ‘50s, ‘60s and ‘70s music legend is scheduled to perform June 26. Ticket pre-sales begin at 10 a.m. March 6
DEL MAR, Calif. (Mar. 5, 2024) — The San Diego County Fair will give a soulful welcome to Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee — and double Hollywood Walk of Fame member — Smokey Robinson, who joins the Toyota Summer Concert Series on the Corona Grandstand Stage with a can’t-miss performance scheduled for Wednesday, June 26.
Robinson, who becomes the 12th headliner announced for the 2024 Fair grandstand concert lineup, has delighted generations of fans with decades worth of smooth, soulful hits. His participation in the 2024 San Diego County Fair underscores this year’s theme of “Let’s Go Retro” – a community celebration that mixes the best of what was with the best of what is today.
Robinson stands out as an acclaimed performer and an illustrious songwriter who has been a mainstay in American pop music since he emerged on the scene in the 1950s as The Miracles front man. Known for crooning his rhythm and blues, soul-filled ballads and pop favorites, the multi-talented R&B and soul singer – with his high tenor, velvety falsetto and lyrical mastery – founded The Miracles, which officially becameSmokey Robinson & The Miracles in 1965. Robinson was the chief songwriter and producer of the group’s 22 albums and smash Top 10 hits, such as “You’ve Really Got a Hold on Me,” “Mickey’s Monkey,” “I Second That Emotion,” “Baby Baby Don’t Cry” and the group’s only No. 1 hit during their Robinson years, “The Tears of a Clown.”
In addition to writing hits for The Miracles, Robinson wrote and produced top songs for other Motown greats, including The Temptations, Mary Wells, Brenda Holloway, Marvin Gaye, and others. He has accumulated more than 4,000 songs to his credit, in addition to his roles as record producer and former Motown record executive. In 1972, he began to focus his full attention on helping run Motown Records. Robinson retired from the business in 1988, when the company was sold.
In early 2023, Robinson wrote, recorded, and released his first record in over a decade, titled Gasms. The nine-song album is a studio gem filled with some songs written more than 20 years ago but still relevant today. The title, Gasms, was meant to initiate curiosity in the first music Robinson had published in a while. Both highly praised and controversial — with some risqué lyrics outside of the sweet rhythmic ballads for which he is most known — Robinson says he named the album to link listeners to “anything that makes you feel good.”
Tickets for the San Diego County Fair’s Toyota Summer Concert Series go on sale to the public at 10 a.m. Friday, March 8 online at sdfair.com. Fair insiders can grab the best seats in the house with pre-sale tickets available from 10 a.m. Wednesday, March 6 through 11:59 p.m. Thursday, March 7 by using the promo code GROOVY2024 online at sdfair.com.
TOYOTA SUMMER CONCERT SERIES:
All Grandstand tickets include same-day admission to the San Diego County Fair. Shows begin at 7:30 p.m. unless otherwise noted.
- Wednesday, June 12: Kolohe Kai; $55-$95
- Thursday, June 13: Old Dominion; $65-$125
- Friday, June 14: TLC; $45-$75
- Sunday, June 16: Pepe Aguilar; $60-$125
- Wednesday, June 19: Whiskey Myers; $55-$100
- Friday, June 21: Kings of Late Night: Jay Leno, Craig Ferguson and Arsenio Hall; $50-$75
- Wednesday, June 26: Smokey Robinson; $45-$75
- Thursday, June 27: Little Big Town; $55-$80
- Friday, June 28: Ludacris; $40-$70
- Sunday, June 30: Los Tucanes de Tijuana; $45-$80
- Wednesday, July 3: Yung Gravy with Tayler Holder; $40-$70
- Thursday, July 4: Fireworks Spectacular; $20-$25
- Sunday, July 7: Hombres G; $50-$85
About the San Diego County Fair
The San Diego County Fair is the largest annual event in the county with an attendance of nearly 1 million. The theme for the 2024 Fair is “Let’s Go Retro,” a nostalgic voyage back in time from the ’50s through the start of the new millennium. The 20-day Fair season will run June 12 through July 7, with closures on Mondays and Tuesdays. For more information, visit sdfair.com.
About the 22nd District Agricultural Association
The 22nd District Agricultural Association manages and operates the Del Mar Fairgrounds and is governed by a nine-member board appointed by the governor. Fairgrounds operations are primarily funded by revenues generated by hosting events, the largest being the annual San Diego County Fair. For more information, visit delmarfairgrounds.com.
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