Stokes first rose to prominence in the early 1970s working with
Clarence Avant on his
Sussex Records label, when writing for and producing acts such as
Bill Withers,
Creative Source, The Soul Searchers, Faith, Hope & Charity, and
Dennis Coffey. When Sussex folded in June 1975, Stokes moved over to Roadshow Records. More success came writing and producing
Enchantment's first three
albums, along with writing songs for
Brass Construction,
BT Express,
Shirley Caesar (1978), and then Nature's Divine on Infinity Records (1979). In the early 1980s, Stokes took over as
A&R at
A&M Records where he signed
Janet Jackson. Stokes has continued to songwrite and produce, working with L.T.D "Kickin' Back"(1981), Active Force (1983), Enchantment (1983), Magic Lady (1988), Sherrick (1987), Patti LaBelle (1991),
Morris Day (1992),
Smokey Robinson,
Gladys Knight, and
Jesse Powell. The journalist Paul Grein, who writes for
Billboard, also for
The Los Angeles Times,
The Hollywood Reporter, Yahoo, Stereogum, The Grammy Awards, Hits, and
The Tolucan Times quoted Michael Stokes working alongside
Herb Alpert, as he said in his own words the "millifluous" 1981 album
Magic Man. This quotation is in the inlay details of
A&M Classics Volume 20 CD by Herb Alpert (1987), that celebrated the A&M label's 25th anniversary. ==References==