from then on, i wanted to be frankie lyman and the teenagers, the spaniels, the flamingos.town came along. i used to write letters to smokey, to the publishing people. i got a job. they didn't kboep what it was. i -- know what it was. they just thought i was cute. now the songs are getting popular after all these yooers. i tried -- these years. i tried so hard to start. when we finally got to detroit and did a record called "i just want to testify." it became a hit. from then on, i wanted to be like motown. the parliament, funkadelic, bootsy, parliament. it's just a family -- and i'm still doing that to this day. that's the way i keep going. >> sour found of -- i love berry gordy. my dear friend of here in this chair not long ago. your sound is a little funkier than motown. >> i took everybody's thing and milked it together. bootsy brought his brother -- we had james brown in our band. we had motown in our band. jimi hendrix, we were in newark together as kids. all of us in the village and stuff. we had that history. eddie hazel playing maggot brain. i just mixed everything

i liked him, sam cook, frankie lyman and ray charles.. >> let's bring in the guys singing on your album. what was this experience like for you? >> a fantastic experience to work with a legend, the king of song writing. really great. >> i think the most exciting part was singing the song itself. the song "my girl" it is one of my favorite songs in the history of music. it's a little intimidating getting on the mic for the first time for the song. you respect the song so much. smokey wrote a great song when he wrote that. >> how has he inspired your careers? >> smokey's song writing has inspired me to be the best song writer i can be and knowing his history with motown and being an executive and being in business as well for myself. >> what's next? >> i've enjoyed this tremendously. i really had a wonderful time recording with these guys and getting to know them and meet them, it's just a wonderful experience. >> thanks guys for joining me. it's been an honor and a thrill. you can download and pick up "smokey and friends." >> it marks his