Warren “Pete” Moore, vocalist and songwriter with the seminal Smokey Robinson-fronted Motown outfit the Miracles, has died.

Moore was a childhood friend of Robinson. They grew up in Detroit and, as teenagers, co-founded a vocal group that would later become the Miracles. The band had 26 Top 40 hits in the US, including You’ve Really Got a Hold on Me and Shop Around. In 1970, they had a No 1 hit in the UK and US with The Tears of a Clown.

The Miracles were one of the earliest successes for Berry Gordy’s Motown records. In a statement confirming his death, Gordy described Moore as a “quiet spirit with a wonderful bass voice behind Smokey Robinson’s soft, distinctive lead vocals”.

Moore co-wrote many of the Miracles’ hits, among them The Tracks of My Tears and Love Machine. Alongside Robinson he also penned songs for the Temptations and Marvin Gaye, including 1965’s Ain’t That Peculiar.

In 2012, Moore, along with the other members of the Miracles, were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame via special committee, overturning the previous decision, made in 1987, to only include Robinson. In 2009, the band were given a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Robinson paid tribute to his bandmate, writing on Twitter: “Pete Moore was my brother since I was 11 years old. I’m really going to miss him.” Moore died in Las Vegas on his 78th birthday.