Billy Griffin - Respect (Expanded Edition) (2015/2025) [Official Digital Download 24/96]

William L. Griffin (born August 15, 1950) is an American singer and songwriter. He replaced Smokey Robinson as the lead singer of the Miracles in 1972.
Griffin was born and raised in West Baltimore, Maryland. He attended Garrison Junior High School and Forest Park High School. He, like his brother Donald Griffin (1955–2015), (who later replaced Marv Tarplin in the Miracles), was a guitarist, as well as a singer, and sang with a local Baltimore group called the Last Dynasty. Damon Harris, who later went on to fame as a member of the Temptations, was a high school friend and group member in another local group, the Young Tempts (later renamed as the Young Vandals). Griffin idolized Miracles lead singer Smokey Robinson, while Harris idolized Temptation Eddie Kendricks. Both of them wound up as replacements for their idols in their respective groups.

Griffin and three friends formed the group Last Dynasty and won a talent program on NBC Television.

During the Miracles' nationwide 1972 Farewell Tour with Smokey Robinson, Griffin was introduced by Robinson as his replacement in the Miracles as lead singer. After a year of woodshedding with Motown's famous Artist Development Dept., Griffin released his first single with the Miracles, "What Is a Heart Good For", from their first post-Robinson album, Renaissance in 1973. Griffin sang this song on his first national television appearance as a Miracle with the remaining group members of the Miracles, Bobby Rogers, Ronnie White, and Pete Moore on another NBC music program, The Midnight Special, in 1973, hosted by Robinson. The single was withdrawn and replaced with a ballad, "Don't Let It End (Till You Let It Begin)", which was a mild hit. After a second single, "Give Me Just Another Day", was released later that year, Under the management of Martin Pichinson, the Miracles released "Do It Baby" in 1974, which peaked at #4 on the Billboard R&B charts and became the group's first bona-fide hit with Griffin.

TRACKLIST

01. Billy Griffin - Respect
02. Billy Griffin - Don't Stop Lovin' Me
03. Billy Griffin - Serious
04. Billy Griffin - Save Your Love for Me
05. Billy Griffin - Don't Ask Me to Be Friends
06. Billy Griffin - So Many Ways
07. Billy Griffin - Hit Me with the Beat
08. Billy Griffin - Dreaming
09. Billy Griffin - Respect (12" Version)
10. Billy Griffin - Save Your Love for Me (7" Version)
11. Billy Griffin - So Many Ways (7" Version)
12. Billy Griffin - Serious (7" Version)



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