Ronnie White; Co-Founder of Motown Group the Miracles

Ronnie White, 57, a founder of the Motown singing group the Miracles and co-author with Smokey Robinson of the hit song “My Girl.” The Miracles began as the Matadors, a group White formed in 1955 with Robinson, Peter Moore, Bobby Rogers and Claudette Rogers while they were in high school in Detroit. White sang baritone. They later changed their name to the Miracles and, from 1965 until 1972, were Smokey Robinson and the Miracles. Among the first groups producer Berry Gordy signed to his Motown record label, the Miracles also gave the company its first million-seller with the 1961 hit “Shop Around.” White co-wrote “My Girl,” which became a hit for the Temptations, with Robinson. White also wrote the lyrics for “You Beat Me to the Punch” and “Don’t Look Back.” The Miracles disbanded in 1978. In recent years, White had sold real estate. On Saturday in Detroit of leukemia.