Alphonse Franklin

My life was all fun and play at the young age of ten. I grew up in Chicago in a house of five kids. My father was a jazz lover by heart. My mother loved R&B.

I never thought about singing in my life, until one day my older brother came in the house with some new 45 records, while my father was at work. As soon as I heard the first song he played, I was hooked on that music. It was the year 1964. That was the first time I heard the Motown sound.

At that time in my life every song on the radio I heard was mellow. Then it happened — I heard a Miracles song, “Mickey’s Monkey.” When I heard Smokey’s voice, it had so much happy tones in it. I felt this was great. From then on I would buy every Miracles record that was made and learned every word to each song. On the Miracles album covers I would put my name over Smokey’s. At this time in my life Smokey & The Miracles was the only group I wanted to hear.

At the age of 14, I formed a singing group called Four Stories High. We were a tribute to The Miracles group. As I was getting older, people were saying that I looked like a young Smokey and sounded like him too.

In 1984 our group parted ways. I kept singing solo all over as “Alphonse Sings Smokey.” I met Smokey in Chicago in 2007 at a show of his. Took a photo together and gave him my card. In 2008 I got an email — it was The Miracles saying they needed a new lead singer.

You know this was my miracle. “Thank you Lord,” I said. God had prepared me all these years for this task.

I call myself “The Lost Miracle” because in that short time I filled in with the group I didn’t get a large fan base. My dream now is to sing together on stage with Smokey himself. I really believe in miracles — for dreams do come true.