It may be impossible to overstate William "Smokey" Robinson, Jr.'s contribution to pop music. For once, the term "living legend" sells the guy short. No less an artist than Bob Dylan listed Robinson among his favorite poets. It's not merely that his hits represent a significant chunk of the American songbook, nor is it the songs he wrote for others, including "Get Ready," "The Way You Do the Things You Do" and "My Girl." It's that such productions as "Tears of a Clown" and "The Tracks of My Tears" set the standard for the decade to follow, the greatest in the history of radio. Talk about longevity: he released his first single in 1957 - and his latest album, Smokey & Friends, hit #12 on the Billboard album chart six months ago. Oh, and along the way, he beat a damn crack addiction! In the words of ABC's 1987 hit "When Smokey Sings," his music embodies "elegance in eloquence...miracles made real." Ooh, baby, baby.

SMOKEY ROBINSON, 8:30 p.m., Emerald Queen Casino, 2024 E. 29th St., Tacoma, $60-$120, 253.594.7777