The Temptations are an American vocal group from
Detroit
Detroit ( , ; , ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is also the largest U.S. city on the United States–Canada border, and the seat of government of Wayne County. The City of Detroit had a population of 639,111 at th ...
, Michigan, who released a series of successful singles and albums with
Motown Records during the 1960s and 1970s. The group's work with producer
Norman Whitfield
Norman Jesse Whitfield (May 12, 1940 – September 16, 2008) was an American songwriter and producer, who worked with Berry Gordy's Motown labels during the 1960s. allmusic Biography/ref> He has been credited as one of the creators of the Mo ...
, beginning with the Top 10 hit
single
Single may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media
* Single (music), a song release
Songs
* "Single" (Natasha Bedingfield song), 2004
* "Single" (New Kids on the Block and Ne-Yo song), 2008
* "Single" (William Wei song), 2016
* "Single", by ...
"
Cloud Nine" in October 1968, pioneered
psychedelic soul
Psychedelic soul (originally called black rock or conflated with psychedelic funk) is a music genre that emerged in the late 1960s and saw Black soul musicians embrace elements of psychedelic rock, including its production techniques, instrument ...
, and was significant in the evolution of
R&B and
soul music
Soul music is a popular music genre that originated in the African American community throughout the United States in the late 1950s and early 1960s. It has its roots in African-American gospel music and rhythm and blues. Soul music became po ...
. The band members are known for their choreography, distinct harmonies, and dress style. Having sold tens of millions of albums, the Temptations are among the most successful groups in
popular music
Popular music is music with wide appeal that is typically distributed to large audiences through the music industry. These forms and styles can be enjoyed and performed by people with little or no musical training.Popular Music. (2015). ''Fun ...
.
Featuring five male vocalists and dancers (save for brief periods with fewer or more members), the group formed in 1960 in
Detroit
Detroit ( , ; , ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is also the largest U.S. city on the United States–Canada border, and the seat of government of Wayne County. The City of Detroit had a population of 639,111 at th ...
under the name ''the Elgins''. The founding members came from two rival Detroit vocal groups:
Otis Williams
Otis Williams (born Otis Miles Jr.; October 30, 1941) is an American baritone singer.Ribowsky, Mark (2010). ''Ain't Too Proud to Beg: The Troubled Lives and Endearing Soul of the Temptations''. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons. pp. 7–9 He is o ...
, Elbridge "Al" Bryant, and
Melvin Franklin
David Melvin English (October 12, 1942 – February 23, 1995) better known by the stage name Melvin Franklin, or his nickname "Blue", was an American bass singer. Franklin was best known for his role as a founding member of Motown singing ...
of Otis Williams & the Distants, and
Eddie Kendricks
Edward James Kendrick (December 17, 1939 – October 5, 1992), better known as Eddie Kendricks, was an American singer and songwriter. Noted for his distinctive falsetto singing style, Kendricks co-founded the Motown singing group the Temptatio ...
and
Paul Williams of the Primes. In 1964, Bryant was replaced by
David Ruffin
David Eli Ruffin (born Davis Eli Ruffin;Ribowsky, p. 88 January 18, 1941 – June 1, 1991) was an American soul singer and musician most famous for his work as one of the lead singers of the Temptations (1964–68) during the group's "Clas ...
, who was the lead vocalist on a number of the group's biggest hits, including "
My Girl" (1964), "
Ain't Too Proud to Beg" (1966), and "
I Wish It Would Rain
"I Wish It Would Rain" is a 1967 song recorded by the Temptations for the Motown label (under the "Gordy" imprint) and produced by Norman Whitfield.
Release
Issued with the Melvin Franklin-led "I Truly, Truly Believe" as its B-side, "I Wish ...
" (1967). Ruffin was replaced in 1968 by
Dennis Edwards
Dennis Edwards Jr. (February 3, 1943 – February 1, 2018) was an American soul and R&B singer who was best known as the frontman in The Temptations, on Motown Records. Edwards joined the Temptations in 1968, replacing David Ruffin and sang ...
, with whom the group continued to record hit records such as "Cloud Nine" (1968), "
I Can't Get Next to You
"I Can't Get Next to You" is a 1969 No. 1 single recorded by the Temptations and written by Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong for the Gordy ( Motown) label. The song was a No. 1 single on the ''Billboard'' Top Pop Singles chart for two weeks ...
" (1969), and "
Ball of Confusion (That's What the World Is Today)
"Ball of Confusion (That's What the World Is Today)" is a 1970 hit single for The Temptations. It was released on the Gordy (Motown) label, and written by Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong.
The song was used to anchor The Temptations' 1970 ' ...
" (1970). The group's lineup has changed frequently since the departures of Kendricks and Paul Williams from the act in 1971. Later members of the group have included singers such as
Richard Street
Richard Allen Street (October 5, 1942 – February 27, 2013) was an American soul and R&B singer, most notable as a member of Motown vocal group The Temptations from 1971 to 1993. Born and raised in Detroit, Michigan, Street was the first memb ...
,
Damon Harris
Otis Robert "Damon" Harris Jr. (July 17, 1950 – February 18, 2013) was an American soul and R&B singer, most notable as a member of The Temptations from 1971 to 1975. Twenty years old when he joined the group, Harris was the youngest member ...
, Ron Tyson, and
Ali-Ollie Woodson
Ali-Ollie Woodson (born Ollie Creggett; September 12, 1951 – May 30, 2010) was an American R&B singer, musician, songwriter, keyboardist, drummer, and occasional actor best known for his twelve years with the Temptations alongside Otis William ...
, with whom the group scored a late-period hit in 1984 with "
Treat Her Like a Lady" and in 1987 with the theme song for the children's movement program ''Kids in Motion.''
Over the course of their career, the Temptations released four
''Billboard'' Hot 100 number-one singles and fourteen
R&B number-one singles. Their music has earned three
Grammy Award
The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pres ...
s. The Temptations were the first Motown recording act to win a Grammy Award – for "Cloud Nine" in 1969 – and in 2013 received the
Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. Six of the Temptations (Edwards, Franklin, Kendricks, Ruffin, Otis Williams and Paul Williams) were
inducted into the
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (RRHOF), sometimes simply referred to as the Rock Hall, is a museum
A museum ( ; plural museums or, rarely, musea) is a building or institution that cares for and displays a collection of artifacts and othe ...
in 1989. Three classic Temptations songs, "My Girl", "
Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me)
"Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me)" is a song by American soul group The Temptations, written by Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong. Released on the Gordy (Motown) label, and produced by Norman Whitfield, it features on the group's 1 ...
", and "
Papa Was a Rollin' Stone
"Papa Was a Rollin' Stone" is a song originally performed by Motown recording act The Undisputed Truth in 1972, though it became much better known after a Grammy-award winning cover by The Temptations was issued later the same year. This la ...
", are among
. The Temptations were ranked at number 68 on ''
Rolling Stone
''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first kno ...
'' magazine's list of the 100 Greatest Artists of all time. The also known to be the first Motown artist to Grammy Award and to get a Lifetime Achievement Award in the year of 2014.
, the Temptations continue to perform with founder
Otis Williams
Otis Williams (born Otis Miles Jr.; October 30, 1941) is an American baritone singer.Ribowsky, Mark (2010). ''Ain't Too Proud to Beg: The Troubled Lives and Endearing Soul of the Temptations''. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons. pp. 7–9 He is o ...
in the lineup (Williams owns the rights to the Temptations name).
History
Origins
Eddie Kendricks and Paul Williams started singing together in church as children. By their teenage years, they formed a doo-wop quartet in 1955 with
Kell Osborne
Kell Osborne (March 12, 1939 – January 29, 2012) was an American singer best known as a member of The Primes, a group which would later be known as The Temptations.
Early years
Kell Osborne was born in Birmingham, Alabama on March 12, 1939, h ...
and Wiley Waller, naming themselves the Cavaliers.
After Waller left the group in 1957, the remaining trio left Birmingham to break into the music business. The group settled in Detroit where they changed their name to the Primes under the direction of Milton Jenkins. The Primes soon became well known around the Detroit area for their meticulous performances.
[Williams and Romanowski (1988), pp. 26–30.] Jenkins later created a sister group, the Primettes, later known as
the Supremes
The Supremes were an American girl group and a premier act of Motown Records during the 1960s. Founded as the Primettes in Detroit, Michigan, in 1959, the Supremes were the most commercially successful of Motown's acts and the most successful ...
. Kendricks was already seen as a "matinee idol" in the Detroit area, while Williams was well received for his baritone vocals.
Meanwhile, concurrently,
Texas
Texas (, ; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2 ...
teenager Otis Williams moved to Detroit as a youngster to be with his mother. By 1958, Williams was the leader of a vocal group named Otis Williams and the Siberians. The group included Elbridge "Al" Bryant, James "Pee-Wee" Crawford, Vernard Plain and Arthur Walton. The group recorded a song, "Pecos Kid" for a label run by radio deejay Senator Bristol Bryant.
[Ribowsky (2010), p. 232.] Shortly after its release, the group changed its name to The El Domingoes. Subsequently,
Montgomery native Melvin Franklin replaced Arthur Walton as bass vocalist and Detroit-born
Richard Street
Richard Allen Street (October 5, 1942 – February 27, 2013) was an American soul and R&B singer, most notable as a member of Motown vocal group The Temptations from 1971 to 1993. Born and raised in Detroit, Michigan, Street was the first memb ...
(claimed by Melvin Franklin to be his cousin)
[Ribowsky (2010), pp. 93–94.] replaced Vernard Plain as lead singer. Signing with
Johnnie Mae Matthews
Johnnie Mae Matthews (December 31, 1922 – January 6, 2002) was an American blues and R&B singer, songwriter, and record producer from Bessemer, Alabama. Known as the "Godmother of Detroit Soul" and as the first African American female to own ...
' Northern Records, the group had their name changed again to the Distants.
The group recorded two Northern singles including "Come On" (1959) and "Alright" (1960).
[Williams and Romanowski (1988), pp. 32–38.] Between these releases, Albert "Mooch" Harrell replaced Pee-Wee Crawford. "Come On" became a local hit, and the Warwick Records label picked the record up for national distribution.
Following the release of "Alright", Matthews appointed Williams the group leader, and the group's name was changed to Otis Williams & The Distants. During this period, both the Primes and Distants were influenced by other vocal groups including
the Miracles
The Miracles (also known as Smokey Robinson and the Miracles from 1965 to 1972) were an American vocal group that was the first successful recording act for Berry Gordy's Motown Records, and one of the most important and most influential group ...
. Other inspirations included the
Cadillacs
The Cadillac Motor Car Division () is a division of the American automobile manufacturer General Motors (GM) that designs and builds luxury vehicles. Its major markets are the United States, Canada, and China. Cadillac models are distributed in ...
,
Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers
The Teenagers are an American music group, most noted for being one of rock music's earliest successes, presented to international audiences by DJ Alan Freed. The group, which made its most popular recordings with young Frankie Lymon as lead ...
,
the Drifters
The Drifters are several American doo-wop and R&B/Soul music, soul vocal groups. They were originally formed as a backing group for Clyde McPhatter, formerly the lead tenor of Billy Ward and his Dominoes in 1953. The second group of Drifters, f ...
, and
the Isley Brothers
The Isley Brothers ( ) are an American musical group originally from Cincinnati, Ohio, that began as a vocal trio consisting of brothers O'Kelly Isley Jr., Rudolph Isley and Ronald Isley in the 1950s. With a career spanning over seven decade ...
. Though "Come On" was a local hit in the Detroit area, the Distants never saw much record sales, and "Alright" was not as successful. After receiving an offer from
Berry Gordy
Berry Gordy III (born November 28, 1929), known professionally as Berry Gordy Jr., is a retired American record executive, record producer, songwriter, film producer and television producer. He is best known as the founder of the Motown record l ...
to sign with
Motown Records, the Distants got out of their contract with Northern Records. However, Mooch Harrell and Richard Street shortly departed from the group and the remaining members lost use of the Distants name. Richard Street later formed another Distants group who recorded for the Thelma label in the early 1960s.
Early years
![The Temptations (early 1960s original lineup)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/03/The_Temptations_%28early_1960s_original_lineup%29.jpg)
Members of the Distants were acquainted with the Primes, as both groups participated in the same talent shows and performed at the same public venues. Friendly rivals, the Primes were considered to be the more polished and vocally stronger group of the two. However, the Primes disbanded in 1960 after Kell Osborne moved to California. Eddie Kendricks and Paul Williams returned to Alabama following the band's dissolution. While visiting relatives in Detroit, Kendricks called Otis Williams, who desperately needed two more members for an audition for Gordy's label and offered Kendricks a lead singer place in his new group, which would also include fellow former Distants members Franklin and Bryant. Kendricks agreed on the condition he bring Paul Williams with him. Otis Williams happily agreed, and Kendricks and Paul Williams moved back to Detroit to join the new group.
The original name for the new lineup of Otis Williams, Melvin Franklin, Elbridge "Al" Bryant, Eddie Kendricks, and Paul Williams was the Elgins. Under that name, the group auditioned for Motown in March 1961. Already impressed with some of the members after hearing session work, Berry Gordy agreed to sign the group to the Motown imprint, Miracle. However, before signing, Gordy discovered another group was using the name of Elgins. The group began tossing about ideas for a new name on the steps of the
Hitsville U.S.A. studio. On a suggestion from Miracle Records employee Billy Mitchell, songwriter
Mickey Stevenson
Mickey is a given name and nickname, almost always masculine and often a short form (hypocorism) of Michael, and occasionally a surname. Notable people and characters with the name include:
People Given name or nickname Men
* Mickey Andrews (bor ...
, and group members Otis Williams and Paul Williams, the Temptations became the group's new moniker. The "Elgins" name re-surfaced at Motown in 1965, when Gordy renamed a quartet called the Downbeats as
the Elgins
The Elgins were an American vocal group on the Motown label, active from the late 1950s to 1967. Their most successful record was " Heaven Must Have Sent You", written and produced by the Holland–Dozier–Holland team, which was a hit in the U ...
.
The Temptations' first two singles, "
Oh Mother of Mine
"Oh, Mother of Mine" is a 1961 song that was released as a Miracle label single by Motown singing group The Temptations. It was the group's debut single for Motown, after signing with them in January of that year.The Complete Motown Singles Vol. ...
" and "
Check Yourself
"Check Yourself" is a 1961 song that was released as a Miracle label single by Motown singing group The Temptations; and written by Motown president Berry Gordy, and group members Otis Williams, Melvin Franklin and Elbridge Bryant, and produced ...
", with Paul Williams on lead, were released on Miracle before Gordy closed the label down and reassigned the band to his latest imprint, Gordy Records. On the Gordy imprint, Eddie Kendricks sang lead on the Temptations' first charted single, "
(You're My) Dream Come True
"(You're My) Dream Come True" (also known as "Dream Come True") is a 1962 single by The Temptations. The single is notable for being both The Temptations' first ''nationally'' charting single and the first release on Motown Records' Gordy Records ...
", which peaked at number 22 on the R&B chart in 1962. Later that year, the Temptations began touring as part of the
Motortown Revue
The Motortown Revue was the name given to the package concert tours of Motown artists in the 1960s. Early tours featured Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, Mary Wells, The Marvelettes, Barrett Strong, and The Contours as headlining acts, and gave then ...
. The group issued eight recordings between 1961 and 1963 without much success.
Paul Williams and Eddie Kendricks split the leads during this early period, with Al Bryant, Otis Williams, and Melvin Franklin occasionally singing lead, as they did on a song titled "Isn't She Pretty". For a brief time, the group almost had their name changed to the Pirates, and recorded the songs "Mind Over Matter" and "I'll Love You Till I Die" under that name. Eventually the label and the group decided against it. One hit song, "
Do You Love Me
"Do You Love Me" is a rhythm and blues song recorded by the Contours in 1962. Written and produced by Motown Records owner Berry Gordy Jr., it appeared twice on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart, reaching numbers three in 1962 and eleven in 198 ...
", was originally to be recorded by the Temptations. When he couldn't get a hold of the group, Gordy produced a version for
the Contours
The Contours is one of the early American soul singing groups signed to Motown Records. The group is best known for its classic chart-topping 1962 hit, "Do You Love Me", which sold over 1 million copies and became a major hit again in 1988.
His ...
. In 1963, the Temptations began working with
Smokey Robinson as producer and writer. Robinson's first work with the group was the Paul Williams-led "
I Want a Love I Can See
"I Want a Love I Can See" is a 1963 single by The Temptations for the Gordy (Motown) label. The single was the group's first A-side to be written and produced by Miracles lead singer Smokey Robinson. Robinson had previously written the B-side "Slo ...
". While the song failed to chart, it did eventually become a popular live performance spot for the group and particularly for Paul Williams in general. Some called the group "the Hitless Temptations" due to their lack of hits.
During this time,
David Ruffin
David Eli Ruffin (born Davis Eli Ruffin;Ribowsky, p. 88 January 18, 1941 – June 1, 1991) was an American soul singer and musician most famous for his work as one of the lead singers of the Temptations (1964–68) during the group's "Clas ...
began following the group around as he aspired to join them. During a local Detroit performance, Ruffin joined the group onstage and impressed the group with his vocal talent and dancing skills. Following that same time, Al Bryant had grown frustrated with the group's lack of success and became restless and uncooperative, preferring the mundane routine of his day job as a milkman over the rigors of rehearsal and performing. After a second altercation onstage at a
Christmas
Christmas is an annual festival commemorating Nativity of Jesus, the birth of Jesus, Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a religious and cultural celebration among billions of people Observance of Christmas by country, around t ...
performance, following an incident where he struck Paul with a beer bottle during a heated quarrel at an earlier gig in the middle of the year, Bryant was summarily fired from the group. As a result,
David Ruffin
David Eli Ruffin (born Davis Eli Ruffin;Ribowsky, p. 88 January 18, 1941 – June 1, 1991) was an American soul singer and musician most famous for his work as one of the lead singers of the Temptations (1964–68) during the group's "Clas ...
was brought in as his replacement in January 1964. Though Ruffin's brother
Jimmy was also considered for the slot, David was selected following his performance with them in 1963.
Bryant continued to perform in a number of other local groups and died at the age of 36 in
Flagler County, Florida
Flagler County is a county located in the northeastern portion of the U.S. state of Florida. As of the 2020 census, the population was 115,378. Its county seat is Bunnell. Created in 1917 from portions of Saint Johns and Volusia Counties, ...
, of
liver cirrhosis
Cirrhosis, also known as liver cirrhosis or hepatic cirrhosis, and end-stage liver disease, is the impaired liver function caused by the formation of scar tissue known as fibrosis due to damage caused by liver disease. Damage causes tissue repai ...
on October 26, 1975.
"Classic Five" Era
The Temptations then consisted of Otis Williams, Melvin Franklin, Paul Williams, Eddie Kendricks, and David Ruffin; the success that followed the group resulted in what would, in later years, be frequently referred to as the "Classic Five" lineup. In
January 1964, Smokey Robinson and Miracles bandmate
Bobby Rogers
Robert Edward Rogers (February 19, 1940 – March 3, 2013) was an American musician and tenor singer, best known as a member of Motown vocal group the Miracles from 1956 until his death. He was inducted, in 2012, as a member of the Miracles to t ...
co-wrote and produced "
The Way You Do the Things You Do
"The Way You Do the Things You Do" is a 1964 hit single by the Temptations for the Gordy (Motown) label. Written by Miracles members Smokey Robinson and Bobby Rogers, the single was the Temptations' first charting single on the ''Billboard'' Ho ...
" with Eddie Kendricks on lead and the single became the Temptations' first Top 20 hit that April.
Shortly afterward, "The Way You Do The Things You Do" and several pre-David Ruffin singles were compiled into the group's first album, ''
Meet the Temptations
''Meet the Temptations'' is the debut studio album by the Temptations for the Gordy (Motown) label released in 1964. It includes most of the group's early singles, excluding only the first, "Oh Mother of Mine", and its b-side, "Romance Without F ...
'', released in early 1964. The next two Temptations singles in 1964, "
Girl (Why You Wanna Make Me Blue)
"Girl (Why You Wanna Make Me Blue)" is a 1964 hit single by The Temptations for the Gordy (Motown) label. It was the group's first A-side release to be produced by Norman Whitfield, who co-wrote the song with Edward Holland, Jr. of the Holland-Do ...
" along with "
I'll Be in Trouble
"I'll Be in Trouble" is a 1964 hit single by The Temptations for the Gordy (Motown) label and written by Miracles lead singer Smokey Robinson.
Background
This single was the follow-up to "The Way You Do the Things You Do", with falsetto Eddie Ke ...
" and its
B-side
The A-side and B-side are the two sides of phonograph records and cassettes; these terms have often been printed on the labels of two-sided music recordings. The A-side usually features a recording that its artist, producer, or record compan ...
"
The Girl's Alright with Me
"The Girl's Alright with Me" is a 1964 song recorded by The Temptations for the Gordy ( Motown) label. The B-side to their Top 40 hit "I'll Be in Trouble", the song was also able to chart on its own, peaking at number 102 on Billboard Pop Charts. ...
", all featured Kendricks on lead (although Franklin sang one line in "I'll Be in Trouble"). However, producer Smokey Robinson saw potential in the "mellow yet gruff" voice of David Ruffin, and thought that if he could write the perfect song for his lead, then the group could have a Top 10 hit.
[Blair, Elizabeth (June 4, 2000)]
"Weekend Edition: 'My Girl'"
NPR.org; retrieved May 17, 2009.
While traveling as part of Motown's
Motortown Revue
The Motortown Revue was the name given to the package concert tours of Motown artists in the 1960s. Early tours featured Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, Mary Wells, The Marvelettes, Barrett Strong, and The Contours as headlining acts, and gave then ...
later that year, Robinson and fellow Miracles member
Ronnie White
Ronald Anthony White (April 5, 1939 – August 26, 1995), usually referred to as Ronnie White, was an American singer, best known as the co-founder of The Miracles and its only consistent original member. White was also known for bringing Stevi ...
wrote "
My Girl", which the Temptations recorded in the fall of 1964 with Ruffin singing his first lead vocal for the group. Released as a single on December 21, 1964, the song became the Temptations' first number-one pop hit in
March 1965. Over 50 years and multiple chart topping songs later, it is still their signature song to this day.
After the success of "My Girl", Ruffin sang lead on the next three singles: "
It's Growing
"It's Growing" is a 1965 hit single by The Temptations for the Gordy (Motown) label. Written by Miracles members Smokey Robinson and Pete Moore and produced by Robinson, the song was a top 20 pop single on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 in the United ...
", "
Since I Lost My Baby", and "
My Baby", which all made it to the Top 20 in 1965. The
B-side
The A-side and B-side are the two sides of phonograph records and cassettes; these terms have often been printed on the labels of two-sided music recordings. The A-side usually features a recording that its artist, producer, or record compan ...
to "My Baby", "
Don’t Look Back", featured a stirring lead from Paul Williams, and was a
sleeper hit
In the entertainment industry, a sleeper hit is a film, television series, music release, video game, or some other entertainment product that was initially unsuccessful on release but became a success later on. A sleeper hit may have little prom ...
on the R&B charts and a standard for vocal group playlists.
Norman Whitfield had requested the opportunity to write for the group and in 1966, Berry Gordy promised him that if Robinson's "
Get Ready", with Eddie Kendricks on lead, failed to chart in the Top 20, Whitfield would be allowed to produce the next song. "Get Ready" subsequently missed its mark, and Gordy issued the Whitfield-produced "
Ain't Too Proud to Beg", with David Ruffin on lead, as the next single. "Ain't Too Proud to Beg" outperformed "Get Ready" on the ''Billboard'' charts, and Whitfield became the Temptations' new main producer. He began pulling the group away from the
ballad
A ballad is a form of verse, often a narrative set to music. Ballads derive from the medieval French ''chanson balladée'' or ''ballade'', which were originally "dance songs". Ballads were particularly characteristic of the popular poetry and ...
-based productions espoused by Robinson, toward a harder-edged and
brass
Brass is an alloy of copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn), in proportions which can be varied to achieve different mechanical, electrical, and chemical properties. It is a substitutional alloy: atoms of the two constituents may replace each other wit ...
-heavy soul sound reminiscent of
James Brown
James Joseph Brown (May 3, 1933 – December 25, 2006) was an American singer, dancer, musician, record producer and bandleader. The central progenitor of funk music and a major figure of 20th century music, he is often referred to by the honor ...
.
Nearly all singles Whitfield produced prior to 1968 featured David Ruffin on lead, including the R&B number-one/pop Top 10 hits "
Beauty Is Only Skin Deep
"Beauty Is Only Skin Deep" is a 1966 song, written by Norman Whitfield and Edward Holland, Jr., and produced by Whitfield. Norman Whitfield recorded the song's instrumental track. Two years later, Whitfield got together with Eddie Holland to h ...
", "
(I Know) I'm Losing You"
and the early 1967 hit "
(Loneliness Made Me Realize) It's You That I Need". Other important singles from this period include "
All I Need", produced by
Frank Wilson, a Whitfield protégé, and the "
You're My Everything", on which Kendricks and Ruffin share lead. Studio albums during the "Classic Five" period apart from ''Meet the Temptations'' include ''
The Temptations Sing Smokey'' (1965), ''
The Temptin' Temptations
''The Temptin' Temptations'' is the third studio album by The Temptations for the Gordy ( Motown) label released in 1965. The album includes several of the group's hits from 1965, and also includes a handful of singles that were not included on ...
'' (1965), ''
Gettin' Ready'' (1966), ''
The Temptations with a Lot o' Soul
''The Temptations with a Lot o' Soul'' is the fifth studio album by The Temptations for the Gordy ( Motown) label released in 1967. Featuring four hit singles, ''With a Lot o' Soul'' is the most successful Temptations album from their "classic ...
'' (1967), and ''
The Temptations Wish It Would Rain
''The Temptations Wish It Would Rain'' is a studio album by the Temptations, released in 1968 via Gordy Records. It was the final release from the group's "Classic-5" era, during which David Ruffin, Eddie Kendricks, Paul Williams, Melvin Fran ...
'' (1968).
During this period, the various songwriting partners of Norman Whitfield included
Roger Penzabene
Rodger Penzabene (1945 – December 31, 1967) was an American songwriter for the Motown label. Among his most notable compositions as a lyricist are "Take Me in Your Arms and Love Me" by Gladys Knight & the Pips; " The End of Our Road" by G ...
,
Edward Holland, Jr.
Edward Holland Jr. (born October 30, 1939) is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer.
Holland was born in Detroit, Michigan, United States. Although he was an early Motown artist who recorded minor hit singles such as "Jamie", ...
, and Temptations road show manager and guitarist
Cornelius Grant
Cornelius Grant (born April 27, 1943) is an American guitarist, composer, and band leader. He served as the musical director, guitar player, and live show arranger for Motown vocal group The Temptations from 1964 until 1982.
Early life
Grant was ...
. Subsequently,
Barrett Strong
Barrett Strong (born February 5, 1941) is an American singer and songwriter. Strong was the first artist to record a hit for Motown, although he is best known for his work as a songwriter, particularly in association with producer Norman Whitfi ...
, who sang the very first hit at Motown in 1959, "
Money (That's What I Want)
"Money (That's What I Want)" is a rhythm and blues song written by Tamla founder Berry Gordy and Janie Bradford, which was the first hit record for Gordy's Motown enterprise. Barrett Strong recorded it in 1959 as a single for the Tamla label, ...
", began working with Whitfield and Penzabene on Temptations material after Eddie Holland left Motown with the rest of the
Holland-Dozier-Holland songwriting/production team in 1967. Two of the Whitfield-Strong-Penzabene collaborations, "
I Wish It Would Rain
"I Wish It Would Rain" is a 1967 song recorded by the Temptations for the Motown label (under the "Gordy" imprint) and produced by Norman Whitfield.
Release
Issued with the Melvin Franklin-led "I Truly, Truly Believe" as its B-side, "I Wish ...
" and "
I Could Never Love Another (After Loving You)
"I Could Never Love Another (After Loving You)" is a single recorded by the Temptations and released on Motown Records' Gordy label during the spring of 1968. The song is the last with lyrics by Rodger Penzabene, and as the final Temptations sin ...
", became hits in early 1968 after the
suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Mental disorders (including depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, personality disorders, anxiety disorders), physical disorders (such as chronic fatigue syndrome), and s ...
of Roger Penzabene in December 1967. Subsequently, Barrett Strong became the sole collaborator of Norman Whitfield.
From early 1964 to mid 1968, the Temptations went from unknown hopefuls to international stars and as a result, appeared frequently on television shows such as ''
American Bandstand,'' ''
The Ed Sullivan Show
''The Ed Sullivan Show'' is an American television variety show that ran on CBS from June 20, 1948, to March 28, 1971, and was hosted by New York entertainment columnist Ed Sullivan. It was replaced in September 1971 by the '' CBS Sunday Night M ...
,'' and ''
The Hollywood Palace
''The Hollywood Palace'' was an hour-long American television variety show that was broadcast weekly Saturday nights (except September 1967 to January 1968, when it was seen Monday nights) on ABC from January 4, 1964, to February 7, 1970. Titl ...
.'' At the same time, the group began to achieve a crossover success, catering to middle America with a pop standards album (''
The Temptations in a Mellow Mood
''The Temptations in a Mellow Mood'' is a studio album by the Temptations, released in 1967 by Gordy Records. Composed primarily of pop standards such as " Ol' Man River" and "For Once in My Life" (later a major hit for Motown labelmate Stevie ...
'', 1967), the success of which resulted in performances at the famous
Copacabana in
New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
along with dates at other similar supper clubs. Outside of music, the Temptations were made honorary members of
Phi Beta Sigma fraternity.
David Ruffin's departure and Dennis Edwards' arrival
By 1967, David Ruffin had begun demanding special treatment as lead singer, riding to and from gigs in a private
mink-lined
limousine
A limousine ( or ), or limo () for short, is a large, chauffeur-driven luxury vehicle with a partition between the driver compartment and the passenger compartment.
A very long wheelbase luxury sedan (with more than four doors) driven by a pr ...
with his then-girlfriend, Motown singer
Tammi Terrell
Tammi Terrell (born Thomasina Winifred Montgomery; April 29, 1945 – March 16, 1970) was an American singer-songwriter, widely known as a star singer for Motown Records during the 1960s, notably for a series of duets with singer Marvin Gaye.
...
, instead of the group limousine used by the other four Temptations. The other members slowly became irritated and annoyed with Ruffin's behavior. Following Motown's decision to rechristen
the Supremes
The Supremes were an American girl group and a premier act of Motown Records during the 1960s. Founded as the Primettes in Detroit, Michigan, in 1959, the Supremes were the most commercially successful of Motown's acts and the most successful ...
as ''Diana Ross & the Supremes'' and
Martha & the Vandellas
Martha and the Vandellas (known from 1967 to 1972 as Martha Reeves & The Vandellas) were an American vocal girl group formed in Detroit in 1957. The group achieved fame in the 1960s with Motown.
An act founded by friends Annette Beard, Rosalind ...
as ''Martha Reeves & the Vandellas,'' Ruffin felt entitled to the same treatment and demanded that his group be renamed as well, to ''David Ruffin & the Temptations''. Ruffin was also causing friction with Berry Gordy by demanding an accounting of the group's earnings;
Motown partially acquiesced by allowing the Temptations to retain an outside accounting firm, but the firm did not have full access to the books from the Temptations' manager, International Talent Management, Inc. – a subsidiary of Motown.
[Ribowsky (2010), pp. 122–124, 174–177.]
Some of this behavior was attributed to the fact that by this time Ruffin had begun using
cocaine
Cocaine (from , from , ultimately from Quechuan languages, Quechua: ''kúka'') is a central nervous system (CNS) stimulant mainly recreational drug use, used recreationally for its euphoria, euphoric effects. It is primarily obtained from t ...
regularly, building further tension within the group and causing him to miss a number of group meetings, rehearsals, and concerts. There was a consensus among the rest of the group that Ruffin needed to be replaced. When Ruffin missed a June 1968 engagement at a Cleveland supper club in order to attend a show by his new girlfriend, Barbara Gail Martin (daughter of Dean Martin), the group decided that he had crossed the line. The other four Temptations drew up legal documentation, officially firing Ruffin on June 27, 1968. The next day,
Dennis Edwards
Dennis Edwards Jr. (February 3, 1943 – February 1, 2018) was an American soul and R&B singer who was best known as the frontman in The Temptations, on Motown Records. Edwards joined the Temptations in 1968, replacing David Ruffin and sang ...
, a singer formerly of the Contours that Eddie Kendricks and Otis Williams already had pegged as a potential Ruffin replacement,
was hired to take Ruffin's place.
Edwards and Ruffin were good friends, and at first, Ruffin went along with the changing of the guard and encouraged Edwards. However, at Edwards' official debut with the Temptations in
Valley Forge, Pennsylvania
The Village of Valley Forge is an unincorporated settlement located on the west side of Valley Forge National Historical Park at the confluence of Valley Creek and the Schuylkill River in Pennsylvania. The remaining village is in Schuylkill Tow ...
, on July 7, Ruffin came to the show and jumped onstage, taking the microphone from Edwards, singing lead on "Ain't Too Proud to Beg", and disappearing as quickly as he had appeared.
[Ribowsky (2010), pp. 184–187.] Ruffin repeated this stunt several times throughout the group's July tour run. Despite the group hiring extra security to keep Ruffin out, he continued to find ways to sneak into the venue and jump onstage when the group performed one of the songs he had once sung lead on.
In a story recounted several times by Dennis Edwards,
(rebutted by Otis Williams and Temptations road manager Don Foster),
after several of these stunts, the positive audience reactions and a remorseful Ruffin's pleas to be let back into the act convinced the other Temptations to do so. Otis Williams informed the then still-new Edwards that the group would lay him off and rehire Ruffin while in
Gaithersburg, Maryland
Gaithersburg ( ), officially the City of Gaithersburg, is a city in Montgomery County, Maryland, United States. At the time of the 2020 U.S. Census, Gaithersburg had a population of 69,657, making it the ninth-largest location in the state. Gai ...
. However, when Ruffin failed to show up on time the next night for his "return" engagement, the group kept Edwards on and ceased to entertain the prospect of rehiring Ruffin.
[Ribowsky (2010), pp. 187–88.]
After Gaithersburg, Ruffin stopped attempting to disrupt the Temptations' concerts and instead turned his attention to the Motown offices back in Detroit. He sued Motown in October 1968, seeking a release from the label, but Motown countersued to keep the singer from leaving and the case was eventually settled out of court.
[Ribowsky (2010), pp. 199–200.] The settlement required Ruffin to remain with Motown as a solo artist to finish out his contract.
Edwards' first album with the Temptations was ''
Live at the Copa'', recorded at the group's return to the Copacabana nightclub. The Temptations debuted the first of a number of collaborations with Diana Ross & the Supremes in 1968. The results included two studio albums: 1968's ''
Diana Ross & the Supremes Join The Temptations
''Diana Ross & the Supremes Join the Temptations'' is, as the title implies, a collaborative album combining Motown's two best selling groups, Diana Ross & the Supremes and the Temptations. Issued by Motown in late 1968 to coincide with the broa ...
'', which featured Edwards's first studio recordings with the group and the number-two hit single "
I'm Gonna Make You Love Me
"I'm Gonna Make You Love Me" is a soul song most popularly released as a joint single performed by Diana Ross & the Supremes and The Temptations for the Motown label. This version peaked for two weeks at No. 2 on the Hot 100 in the United States, ...
" and "
Together
''ToGetHer'' (, aka Superstar Express) is a 2009 Taiwanese drama starring Jiro Wang of Fahrenheit, Rainie Yang and George Hu. It was produced by Comic International Productions ( 可米國際影視事業股份有限公司) and directed by Linzi ...
". There was also a joint tour and two
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American English-language commercial broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a division of Comcast, its headquarters are l ...
television specials, ''
TCB'' (aired December 9, 1968) and ''
G.I.T. on Broadway
''G.I.T. on Broadway'', also known as ''Diana Ross and The Supremes and The Temptations on Broadway'', is a 1969 television special produced by Motown Productions and George Schlatter- Ed Friendly Productions. The special, a follow-up to 1968's ...
'' (aired November 12, 1969).
Psychedelic soul
![The Temptations on the Ed Sullivan Show](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2f/The_Temptations_on_the_Ed_Sullivan_Show.JPG)
The addition of Dennis Edwards to the Temptations coincided with the adoption of a new sound for the group by producer Norman Whitfield, and in the fall of 1968, Whitfield began producing
psychedelic-based material for the Temptations, derived primarily from the sound of
funk
Funk is a music genre that originated in African American communities in the mid-1960s when musicians created a rhythmic, danceable new form of music through a mixture of various music genres that were popular among African Americans in the m ...
bands
Sly & the Family Stone
Sly and the Family Stone was an American band from San Francisco. Active from 1966 to 1983, it was pivotal in the development of funk, soul, rock, and psychedelic music. Its core line-up was led by singer-songwriter, record producer, and multi- ...
and
Funkadelic
Funkadelic was an American funk rock band formed in Plainfield, New Jersey in 1968 and active until 1982. The band and its sister act Parliament, both led by George Clinton, pioneered the funk music culture of the 1970s.John, Bush. Funkade ...
. This new style, which debuted with the Top 10 hit single "
Cloud Nine"
[ in October 1968, was a marked departure from the David Ruffin-era ballads. The instrumentation was ]funk
Funk is a music genre that originated in African American communities in the mid-1960s when musicians created a rhythmic, danceable new form of music through a mixture of various music genres that were popular among African Americans in the m ...
ier, the beat was hard-driving, and all five Temptations traded lead vocals, similar to Sly & the Family Stone. "Cloud Nine", the centerpiece of the group's landmark '' Cloud Nine'' LP, was a Top 10 hit and won Motown its first Grammy Award
The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pres ...
, for Best R&B Vocal Group Performance of 1969.
The blending of the Motown sound and psychedelic rock sound resulted in a new subgenre of music called psychedelic soul
Psychedelic soul (originally called black rock or conflated with psychedelic funk) is a music genre that emerged in the late 1960s and saw Black soul musicians embrace elements of psychedelic rock, including its production techniques, instrument ...
, also evident in the work of Diana Ross and the Supremes (" Reflections", " Love Child"), Marvin Gaye's version of "I Heard It Through the Grapevine
"I Heard It Through the Grapevine" is a song written by Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong for Motown Records in 1966. The first recording of the song to be released was produced by Whitfield for Gladys Knight & the Pips and released as a ...
", and music of the 5th Dimension
The 5th Dimension is an American popular music vocal group, whose repertoire includes pop, R&B, soul, jazz, light opera, and Broadway.
Formed as the Versatiles in late 1965, the group changed its name to "the 5th Dimension" by 1966. Betwe ...
, the Undisputed Truth
The Undisputed Truth was an American Motown recording act, assembled by record producer Norman Whitfield as a means for being able to experiment with his psychedelic soul production techniques. Joe "Pep" Harris served as main lead singer, with ...
, and the Friends of Distinction
The Friends of Distinction were an American vocal group founded by Harry Elston and Floyd Butler, best known for their late 1960s hits, "Grazing in the Grass", "Love or Let Me Be Lonely", and " Going in Circles".
Career
The Friends of Distincti ...
. More Temptations psychedelic soul singles followed in 1969 and 1970—among them "Runaway Child, Running Wild
"Runaway Child, Running Wild" (shown as "Run Away Child, Running Wild" on the label of the original single) is a 1969 hit single for the Gordy ( Motown) label, performed by The Temptations and produced by Norman Whitfield. The single was both the ...
" (a number-one R&B hit), "I Can't Get Next to You
"I Can't Get Next to You" is a 1969 No. 1 single recorded by the Temptations and written by Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong for the Gordy ( Motown) label. The song was a No. 1 single on the ''Billboard'' Top Pop Singles chart for two weeks ...
" (a number-one pop hit), "Psychedelic Shack
''Psychedelic Shack'' is the twelfth studio album by The Temptations for the Gordy (Motown) label released in 1970. Completely written by Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong and produced by Whitfield, ''Psychedelic Shack'' almost completely aband ...
", and "Ball of Confusion (That's What the World Is Today)
"Ball of Confusion (That's What the World Is Today)" is a 1970 hit single for The Temptations. It was released on the Gordy (Motown) label, and written by Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong.
The song was used to anchor The Temptations' 1970 ' ...
", but the formula began to wear thin when "Ungena Za Ulimwengu (Unite the World)", only went to number 33 Pop in the fall of 1970. The group's other important albums from this period included ''Puzzle People
''Puzzle People'' is the eleventh studio album released by American soul quintet The Temptations for the Gordy (Motown) label in 1969. Produced entirely by Norman Whitfield, ''Puzzle People'' expanded on the psychedelic soul sound of the Temptatio ...
'' (1969) and ''Psychedelic Shack
''Psychedelic Shack'' is the twelfth studio album by The Temptations for the Gordy (Motown) label released in 1970. Completely written by Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong and produced by Whitfield, ''Psychedelic Shack'' almost completely aband ...
'' (1970). ''Psychedelic Shack'' includes the original version of "War
War is an intense armed conflict between states, governments, societies, or paramilitary groups such as mercenaries, insurgents, and militias. It is generally characterized by extreme violence, destruction, and mortality, using regular o ...
", later made famous by Edwin Starr
Charles Edwin Hatcher (January 21, 1942 – April 2, 2003), known by his stage name Edwin Starr, was an American singer and songwriter. Starr was famous for his Norman Whitfield-produced Motown singles of the 1970s, most notably the number-one ...
.
Eddie Kendricks and Paul Williams
Paul Williams, who suffered from sickle-cell disease
Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a group of blood disorders typically inherited from a person's parents. The most common type is known as sickle cell anaemia. It results in an abnormality in the oxygen-carrying protein haemoglobin found in red blo ...
, fell into depression because of the stress of touring and personal issues. By the late 1960s, he had developed a serious case of alcoholism
Alcoholism is, broadly, any drinking of alcohol (drug), alcohol that results in significant Mental health, mental or physical health problems. Because there is disagreement on the definition of the word ''alcoholism'', it is not a recognize ...
. Having never previously consumed anything stronger than milk, he began to drink quite heavily, and it was hard to take, according to Otis Williams.[Ribowsky (2010), pp. 165, 212, 217–222.] As his physical and mental health began to decline sharply, it made performing increasingly difficult. Williams began traveling with oxygen tanks, and the other four Temptations made valiant efforts to raid and drain his alcohol stashes.
In late 1969, Richard Street
Richard Allen Street (October 5, 1942 – February 27, 2013) was an American soul and R&B singer, most notable as a member of Motown vocal group The Temptations from 1971 to 1993. Born and raised in Detroit, Michigan, Street was the first memb ...
, lead singer of Motown act the Monitors
Monitor or monitor may refer to:
Places
* Monitor, Alberta
* Monitor, Indiana, town in the United States
* Monitor, Kentucky
* Monitor, Oregon, unincorporated community in the United States
* Monitor, Washington
* Monitor, Logan County, West Vir ...
and a former Distant, was hired by Otis Williams to tour with the group as a backup replacement for Williams. For most shows, save for his solo numbers, Williams danced and lip-sync
Lip sync or lip synch (pronounced , the same as the word ''sink'', short for lip synchronization) is a technical term for matching a speaking or singing person's lip movements with sung or spoken vocals.
Audio for lip syncing is generated th ...
ed on stage to parts sung live by Street into an offstage mic behind a curtain. At other shows, and during most of the second half of 1970, Street substituted for Williams on stage when he was too sick to go on.[Interview with Richard Street, R&B Showcase Magazine Retrieved fro]
on May 13, 2010.
Eddie Kendricks became detached from the group after David Ruffin's firing and as the health of Paul Williams continued to fail. He regularly picked fights with Otis Williams and Melvin Franklin, which often became violent, and in addition, he preferred the ballad material from the earlier days and was uncomfortable with the psychedelic soul material the group was now performing. Kendricks rekindled his friendship with Ruffin, who persuaded him to go solo. He no longer felt he had a say in Otis Williams's handling of the group and was also convinced Motown's handling of the Temptations' finances was cheating the group out of money.[Ribowsky (2010), pp. 213–216, 219–221.] Kendricks, being the only member to continue an alliance with Ruffin, also repeatedly suggested that Ruffin should be allowed back into the group, despite the other members' strong objections.
Kendricks lobbied strongly in 1970 to have the Temptations go on "strike" – no performances, no recordings – until Berry Gordy and the Motown staff were willing to go over all group finances with independent accountants. Otis Williams and Franklin strongly opposed this idea, and regular group infighting between Kendricks, Otis Williams, and Franklin grew from this disagreement. After a November 1970 Copacabana engagement, a final confrontation between the three caused Kendricks to walk out in-between shows and not return. Both Kendricks and Williams then agreed that Kendricks would be leaving the group. Kendricks later stated that he actually considered leaving as early as 1965, but remained with the Temptations and unsuccessfully attempted to get permission to record a solo album without leaving the group.
Before Kendricks officially left the Temptations, he and Paul Williams recorded the lead vocals for "Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me)
"Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me)" is a song by American soul group The Temptations, written by Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong. Released on the Gordy (Motown) label, and produced by Norman Whitfield, it features on the group's 1 ...
", a ballad that became Kendricks' final single with the group. Included on the '' Sky's the Limit (The Temptations album), Sky's the Limit'' LP along with the original album version of "Smiling Faces Sometimes
"Smiling Faces Sometimes" is a soul song written by Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong for the Motown label. It was originally recorded by the Temptations in 1971. Producer Norman Whitfield had the song re-recorded by the Undisputed Truth the sa ...
", "Just My Imagination" was released as a single in January 1971, and the song began steadily climbing the US pop singles chart, peaking at number 1 two months later. By the time "Just My Imagination" topped the charts, Kendricks had negotiated his release from the group and signed a solo deal with Motown's Tamla label.
The Temptations originally hired Ricky Owens
The Vibrations were an American soul vocal group from Los Angeles, California, active from the mid-1950s to 1976. Most notable among the group's hit singles were " My Girl Sloopy" (1964) and "Love in Them There Hills" (1968). The quintet's membe ...
, from the Los Angeles
Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...
-based vocal group the Vibrations
The Vibrations were an American soul vocal group from Los Angeles, California, active from the mid-1950s to 1976. Most notable among the group's hit singles were " My Girl Sloopy" (1964) and "Love in Them There Hills" (1968). The quintet's membe ...
, to replace Kendricks. However, Owens only played two dates with the group before he was fired for forgetting the words to his solo numbers due to nervousness. For several weeks of the spring of 1971, the Temptations were without a fifth member. Owens meanwhile returned to the Vibrations and died in Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...
, on December 6, 1996, at the age of 57.
Whitfield took the remaining Temptations quartet and re-recorded "It's Summer", the B-side to "Ball of Confusion (That's What the World Is Today)
"Ball of Confusion (That's What the World Is Today)" is a 1970 hit single for The Temptations. It was released on the Gordy (Motown) label, and written by Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong.
The song was used to anchor The Temptations' 1970 ' ...
", as a replacement single. "Smiling Faces Sometimes" was released as a single for the Undisputed Truth
The Undisputed Truth was an American Motown recording act, assembled by record producer Norman Whitfield as a means for being able to experiment with his psychedelic soul production techniques. Joe "Pep" Harris served as main lead singer, with ...
instead, becoming a Top 5 hit on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 in 1971. Meanwhile, "It's Summer" peaked at number 51 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, making it the first Temptations single to miss the Top 40 since "Farewell My Love
"Farewell My Love" is a 1963 single by The Temptations for the Gordy ( Motown) label. It was the last single that was written and produced by Motown president Berry Gordy for well over a decade, and the last released during the period of the ...
" eight years earlier.
After his doctor declared a few weeks later that he was unable to continue performing due to medical reasons, Paul Williams quit the Temptations in May. Richard Street officially took Williams's place, although Williams continued to be paid his customary one-fifth of group revenue (Street was paid on salary for the first eighteen months of his tenure), and worked when he could with the group as an adviser and choreographer. After Williams had recovered enough to record again, he recorded two sides in 1973 for a debut solo single. However, on August 17, 1973, Williams died in Detroit at the age of 34 from a gunshot wound, his death ruled a suicide by the Wayne County coroner.
Early 1970s/funk years
In May 1971, the Temptations finally found a permanent replacement for the first tenor position in twenty-year-old Baltimore
Baltimore ( , locally: or ) is the List of municipalities in Maryland, most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland, fourth most populous city in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, and List of United States cities by popula ...
native Damon Harris
Otis Robert "Damon" Harris Jr. (July 17, 1950 – February 18, 2013) was an American soul and R&B singer, most notable as a member of The Temptations from 1971 to 1975. Twenty years old when he joined the group, Harris was the youngest member ...
. Otis Williams, Edwards, Franklin, Street, and Harris continued recording and performing, and Norman Whitfield continued producing hits for them. There were Top 40 hits such as "Superstar (Remember How You Got Where You Are)
"Superstar (Remember How You Got Where You Are)" is a 1971 hit single for the Gordy ( Motown) label, recorded by The Temptations and produced by Norman Whitfield. Something of an early ancestor to the "diss songs" prevalent in hip hop music towar ...
" (1971), a message from the Temptations to David Ruffin and Eddie Kendricks, and "Take a Look Around" (1972). During this period, the group toured with Quiet Elegance as their back-up singers. Quiet Elegance featured Lois Reeves
Sandra Delores Reeves (born April 12, 1948), better known as Lois Reeves, is an American singer, most notable for being the younger sister of Motown legend Martha Reeves, for having replaced popular Martha and the Vandellas member Betty Kel ...
, the sister of Martha Reeves
Martha Rose Reeves (born July 18, 1941) is an American R&B and pop singer. She is the lead singer of the Motown girl group Martha and the Vandellas which scored over a dozen hit singles, including " Come and Get These Memories", " Nowhere to R ...
, alongside Frankie Gearing and Millie Vaney-Scott.
Late 1972 saw the release of "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone
"Papa Was a Rollin' Stone" is a song originally performed by Motown recording act The Undisputed Truth in 1972, though it became much better known after a Grammy-award winning cover by The Temptations was issued later the same year. This la ...
", a magnum opus
A masterpiece, ''magnum opus'' (), or ''chef-d’œuvre'' (; ; ) in modern use is a creation that has been given much critical praise, especially one that is considered the greatest work of a person's career or a work of outstanding creativity, ...
written by Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong and produced by Whitfield. Originally a three-minute record written and produced for The Undisputed Truth
The Undisputed Truth was an American Motown recording act, assembled by record producer Norman Whitfield as a means for being able to experiment with his psychedelic soul production techniques. Joe "Pep" Harris served as main lead singer, with ...
, Whitfield took the somber tune and created a sprawling, dramatic twelve-minute version for the Temptations—a forerunner of the extended single, soon to become popular in clubs and discothèques. An edited seven-minute version was released as a single and became one of the longest hit singles in music history: it hit number 1 on the pop charts and number 5 on the R&B charts. In 1973, "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone" won the Temptations their second Grammy for Best R&B Performance by a Group. Whitfield and arranger/conductor Paul Riser won the award for Best R&B Instrumental Performance The Grammy Award
The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by ma ...
for the instrumental version on the B-side, and Whitfield and Barrett Strong won the songwriting Grammy for Best R&B Song
The Grammy Award for Best R&B Song (sometimes known as the R&B Songwriter's Award) has been awarded since 1969. From 1969 to 2000, it was known as the Grammy Award for Best Rhythm and Blues Song. Beyoncé has won it a record four times, while Bab ...
.
After "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone", Whitfield stopped working with Barrett Strong, and began writing the Temptations' material on his own. The success of "Papa" led Whitfield to create more elongated, operatic pieces, including the Top 10 hit " Masterpiece" (1973) and several of the tracks on the resulting '' Masterpiece'' album. Tensions developed between Whitfield and the group, who found Whitfield arrogant and difficult to work with. Citing his habitual tardiness, his emphasis of the instrumental tracks at the expense of their vocals on many of his productions, and the declining singles and albums sales as other sources of conflict, the group sought to change producers.[Williams and Romanowski (2002), pp. 161–166.] Otis Williams complained about Whitfield's actions and the Temptations' stagnant sales to Berry Gordy; as a result, the group was reassigned to Jeffrey Bowen
Jeffrey Bowen is an American songwriter and record producer, notable for his work at both Motown Records and Holland-Dozier-Holland's Invictus and Hot Wax labels. He is best known for his work with the Detroit male vocal groups Chairmen of the ...
, co-producer of the 1967 '' In a Mellow Mood'' album.
The final Norman Whitfield-produced Temptations album, ''1990
File:1990 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The 1990 FIFA World Cup is played in Italy; The Human Genome Project is launched; Voyager I takes the famous Pale Blue Dot image- speaking on the fragility of Humankind, humanity on Earth, Astroph ...
'', was released in December 1973, and included the Top 30 single " Let Your Hair Down". Shortly afterwards, Whitfield left Motown, and in 1975 established Whitfield Records
Whitfield Records was a record label, founded in 1975 by former Motown producer and songwriter Norman Whitfield and active until 1982. Whitfield Records was distributed throughout its entire existence by Warner Bros. Records.
Selected Discograph ...
, taking the Undisputed Truth and Willie Hutch
William McKinley Hutchison (December 6, 1944 – September 19, 2005), better known as Willie Hutch, was an American singer, songwriter as well as a record producer and recording artist for the Motown record label during the 1970s and 1980s.
Biog ...
with him, along with Rose Royce
Rose Royce is an American soul and R&B group. They are best known for several hit singles during the 1970s including "Car Wash", " I Wanna Get Next to You", " I'm Going Down", "Wishing on a Star", and " Love Don't Live Here Anymore".
Career
...
---who performed an instrumental track for "Let Your Hair Down" before recording their 1976 smash "Car Wash
A car wash, carwash, or auto wash is a facility used to clean the exterior, and in some cases the interior of motor vehicles. Car washes can be self-service, full-service (with attendants who wash the vehicle), or fully automated (possi ...
".
Adult Contemporary
Bowen's first LP with the Temptations was January 1975's '' A Song for You'', which included a cover of the titular Leon Russell tune (popularized with soul audiences by Donny Hathaway), along with the pop Top 40/R&B number-one hits " Happy People" (featuring the Commodores
Commodores are an American funk and soul band, which were at their peak in the late 1970s through the mid 1980s. The members of the group met as mostly freshmen at Tuskegee Institute (now Tuskegee University) in 1968, and signed with Motown in ...
as the instrumentalists) and "Shakey Ground
"Shakey Ground" is a 1975 R&B single by The Temptations. It was co-written by Funkadelic guitarist Eddie Hazel, who plays lead guitar on the song.
Background
Original Funkadelic bassist Billy "Bass" Nelson also plays on the song.
Personnel
* ...
" (featuring instrumentation by Parliament-Funkadelic
Parliament-Funkadelic (abbreviated as P-Funk) is an American music collective of rotating musicians headed by George Clinton, primarily consisting of the funk bands Parliament and Funkadelic, both active since the 1960s. Their distinctive ...
's Eddie Hazel
Edward Earl Hazel (April 10, 1950 – December 23, 1992) was an American guitarist and singer in early funk music who played lead guitar with Parliament-Funkadelic. Hazel was a posthumous inductee to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, inducted in 19 ...
along with Billy Bass Nelson
William "Billy Bass" Nelson (born January 28, 1951) is a U.S. musician, who was the original bassist for Funkadelic. He is a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, inducted in 1997 with fifteen other members of Parliament-Funkadelic.
Career ...
). " Glasshouse", the group's final Top 40 Pop hit was also included. Damon Harris was fired from the group during the recording of ''A Song for You'', as his behavior and work ethic were deemed unprofessional, and his replacement was Washington, D.C.
)
, image_skyline =
, image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...
native Glenn Leonard
Glenn Carl Leonard (born June 11, 1947 in Washington, D.C.) is an American R&B and soul singer best remembered for serving as the first tenor/secondary lead singer of the Motown quintet The Temptations from 1975 to 1983, and for the last 15 y ...
, formerly of the Unifics
The Unifics were an American soul group from Washington, D.C.
History
In 1966 a group of students at Washington D.C.'s Howard University formed the group Al & the Vikings. Consisting of singer/songwriter Al Johnson, Michel Ward, Greg Cook and ...
.
A number of producers, including Bowen, Brian Holland
Brian Holland (born February 15, 1941) is an American songwriter and record producer, best known as a member of Holland–Dozier–Holland, the songwriting and production team that was responsible for much of the Motown sound, and numerous h ...
, James Anthony Carmichael
James Anthony Carmichael (born September 14, 1941) is an American Grammy-winning musician, arranger, and record producer. At first he started off in Los Angeles as an arranger and producer for Motown acts like The Temptations and the Jackson 5. ...
, and even the Temptations themselves tried producing hits for the next three LPs, ''House Party
A house party is a type of party where people gather at the residence of the party's host.
Organization
A house party might be organized several months or just a few hours in advance. News of a party may be spread by personal invitations, ...
'' (November 1975), ''Wings of Love
''Wings of Love'' is a 1976 album by The Temptations for the Gordy ( Motown) label.
Background
Producer Jeffrey Bowen preferred Dennis Edwards to the rest of the group, and wanted to produce an Edwards solo album instead of a group album. As a ...
'' ( March 1976), and '' The Temptations Do the Temptations'' (August 1976). None of these recordings were as commercially successful as ''A Song for You'' however, and none of their associated singles entered the Billboard charts.
As time progressed, Bowen pushed Dennis Edwards further to the front of the group. This was evident on ''Wings of Love'', where several tracks featured Edwards' vocal more prominently than the other Temptations' backing vocals.[Williams and Romanowski (2002), p. 177.] Otis Williams felt that this was hurting the group, accused Motown of inattention, and cited this as the reason for the group's declining sales and popularity. After ''The Temptations Do the Temptations'' was recorded in 1976, Edwards was fired from the group, and with new lead Louis Price
Louis Bernhardt Price (born March 29, 1953) is an American R&B, soul singer, and actor notable for being the lead singer of the first post-Dennis Edwards led version of The Temptations from 1977 to 1980.
Price lived in Chicago as a child and att ...
on board, they left Motown for Atlantic Records
Atlantic Recording Corporation (simply known as Atlantic Records) is an American record label founded in October 1947 by Ahmet Ertegun and Herb Abramson. Over its first 20 years of operation, Atlantic earned a reputation as one of the most i ...
.
Success continued to elude the group at Atlantic, however. Their two releases on Atlantic – '' Hear to Tempt You'' (1977), and ''Bare Back
The Temptations are an American vocal group from Detroit, Michigan, who released a series of successful singles and albums with Motown Records during the 1960s and 1970s. The group's work with producer Norman Whitfield, beginning with the Top ...
'' (1978), along with their associated singles, had failed to perform any better at Atlantic than their last handful of singles had at Motown. As a result, in 1979, Atlantic released the group from its contract, and shortly afterwards, the Temptations met once again with Smokey Robinson and Berry Gordy, who re-signed the group to Motown in 1980.[Williams and Romanowski (2002), pp. 193–197.]
Return to Motown and ''Reunion''
Upon the return to Motown several lineup changes occurred. Louis Price departed from the group and joined the Drifters. Dennis Edwards—who had made an unsuccessful attempt at developing a solo career during his three-year exit from the group—returned to the lineup. Berry Gordy co-wrote and produced "Power", the Temptations' first single under the new contract. "Power", from the album of the same name, hit number 11 on the R&B charts but failed to chart in the Top 40. Two years of under-performing singles and albums followed, including an eponymous album with Philadelphia
Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...
-based producer Thom Bell
Thomas Randolph Bell (January 27th, 1943 – December 22, 2022) was an American singer, songwriter, record producer, arranger, pianist, and composer known as one of the creators of Philadelphia soul in the 1970s. He found success as a producer ...
, until Motown began planning a Temptations reunion tour in 1982.
Eddie Kendricks and David Ruffin agreed to rejoin the group for the new album, aptly titled ''Reunion
Reunion may refer to:
* Class reunion
* Family reunion
Reunion, Réunion, Re-union, Reunions or The Reunion may also refer to:
Places
* Réunion, a French overseas department and island in the Indian Ocean
* Reunion, Commerce City, Colorado, U ...
'', and its subsequent promotional tour. Rick James
James Ambrose Johnson Jr. (February 1, 1948 – August 6, 2004), better known by his stage name Rick James, was an American singer-songwriter, musician and record producer. Born and raised in Buffalo, New York, James began his musical career in ...
, the Motown funk
Funk is a music genre that originated in African American communities in the mid-1960s when musicians created a rhythmic, danceable new form of music through a mixture of various music genres that were popular among African Americans in the m ...
star who had previously used the Temptations as backup vocalists on his 1981 hit "Super Freak
"Super Freak" is a 1981 single produced and performed by American singer Rick James. The song, co-written by James and Alonzo Miller, was first released on James' fifth album, '' Street Songs'' (1981) and became one of James' signature songs. "F ...
" and whom Franklin claimed as his nephew, wrote, produced, and guested on the ''Reunion'' album's lead single, "Standing on the Top
"Standing on the Top" is a funk song recorded by the Motown group The Temptations, written and produced by (and featuring) musician Rick James.
Background
The Temptations, after a brief spell at Atlantic Records in the late 1970s, re-signed with ...
". The single went to number-six on the R&B charts and featured Ruffin, Kendricks and Edwards trading back and forth on lead.
While the ensuing ''Reunion'' tour with all seven Temptations (Ruffin, Kendricks, Otis Williams, Franklin, Edwards, Richard Street, and Glenn Leonard) was financially successful, it ended up being a stressful venture: Kendricks' voice had weakened after decades of chain smoking
Chain smoking is the practice of smoking several cigarettes in succession, sometimes using the ember of a finished cigarette to light the next. The term chain smoker often also refers to a person who smokes relatively constantly, though not nece ...
, Ruffin (still addicted to drugs) missed a number of the performances due to being incapacitated, and current group members Dennis Edwards and Glenn Leonard were causing problems. At the conclusion of the ''Reunion'' tour, Ruffin and Kendricks were dismissed, and they began touring and performing together as a duo.
One more album, '' Surface Thrills'', released in 1983, featured a sharp departure in the group's sound by incorporating elements of then-current rock. Following its release, Glenn Leonard was let go and replaced by Ron Tyson, who was with the Philadelphia groups the Ethics and Love Committee. Tyson had been a staff songwriter at Atlantic during the Temptations' tenure at that label, and co-wrote several songs on the album ''Hear to Tempt You''.
From the 1980s to the 1990s
By this time, the Temptations' releases were no longer performing well on the pop charts, though some singles still made the R&B Top 20. "Love on My Mind Tonight", a single from ''Surface Thrills'', charted at number 17.
The lineup of Franklin, Williams, Street, Tyson, and Edwards proved to be short-lived. The five performed on ''Motown 25
''Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever'' is a 1983 television special, produced by Suzanne de Passe for Motown Records, to commemorate Motown's 25th year (Motown was founded in January 1959). The program was taped before a live audience at th ...
'' and released the direct to video
Direct-to-video or straight-to-video refers to the release of a film, TV series, short or special to the public immediately on home video formats rather than an initial theatrical release or television premiere. This distribution strategy was p ...
''The Temptations: Live in Concert'' (filmed at Harrah's Atlantic City
Harrah's Resort Atlantic City is a casino hotel in the marina district of Atlantic City, New Jersey, owned by Vici Properties and operated by Caesars Entertainment. Harrah's is one of the largest hotels in New Jersey.
The casino is one of three ...
). The album ''Back to Basics'', released later in 1983, was the first album featuring Ron Tyson on lead. "Sail Away", produced by a returning Norman Whitfield and featuring Ron Tyson's first lead vocal, peaked at number 13 on the US R&B chart.
In addition, a then-relatively unknown singer/musician, Ali-Ollie Woodson
Ali-Ollie Woodson (born Ollie Creggett; September 12, 1951 – May 30, 2010) was an American R&B singer, musician, songwriter, keyboardist, drummer, and occasional actor best known for his twelve years with the Temptations alongside Otis William ...
was featured on one track, "Stop the World Right Here (I Wanna Get Off)". Woodson was a Detroit native who had been a potential candidate to replace Dennis Edwards back in 1977. Meanwhile, Edwards (who also had his share of lead vocals on the ''Back to Basics'' album) was again fired in 1984, for missing rehearsals or showing up hungover. He then attempted a second solo career, scoring a hit with the 1984 single "Don't Look Any Further
"Don't Look Any Further" is a 1984 song by American singer Dennis Edwards featuring Siedah Garrett, and is written by Franne Golde, Dennis Lambert and Duane Hitchings. It is taken from the singer's debut album by the same name and peaked at No. ...
", a duet with Siedah Garrett
Deborah Christine "Siedah" Garrett (born June 24, 1960) is an American singer and songwriter who has written songs and performed backing vocals for many recording artists in the music industry, such as Michael Jackson, the Pointer Sisters, Brand N ...
.
At this point, Woodson officially joined the group, taking Edwards' place. Woodson's first lead on a single was 1984's " Treat Her Like a Lady", co-written by himself and Otis Williams, and co-produced by former Earth, Wind & Fire
Earth, Wind & Fire (EW&F or EWF) is an American band whose music spans the genres of jazz, R&B, soul, funk, disco, pop, big band, Latin, and Afro pop. They are among the best-selling bands of all time, with sales of over 90 million reco ...
members Al McKay
AL, Al, Ål or al may stand for:
Arts and entertainment Fictional characters
* Al (''Aladdin'') or Aladdin, the main character in Disney's ''Aladdin'' media
* Al (''EastEnders''), a minor character in the British soap opera
* Al (''Fullmetal ...
and Ralph Johnson. The single became their biggest success on R&B radio since 1975, reaching number-two on the R&B charts, and just missing the Pop Top 40 at number 48. The group enjoyed further successes with 1985's "Do You Really Love Your Baby", a number 14 R&B hit co-written by soul star Luther Vandross, and 1986's "Lady Soul", the group's third Top 10 R&B hit of the decade.
Ali Woodson remained with the Temptations until 1987, when he was fired for consistent lateness. He was replaced by the again-returning Dennis Edwards. The group recorded one album during Edwards's third tenure, '' Together Again'', released in late 1987. The following year, Otis Williams published his autobiography, ''Temptations'', co-written with Patricia Romanowski, chronicling the careers of the group from the Primes/Distants days and focusing on the lives of Williams and Melvin Franklin. (An updated version of the book was published in 2002.) Together, they worked on the theme song to the children's educational musical movement series, ''Kids in Motion'' created by Greg & Steve.
Edwards was fired from the group for the third and final time in late 1988, with Woodson re-joining the lineup. In 1989, The Temptations released the album ''Special'', which included the soulful singles "Special" and "Soul to Soul". On January 18, 1989, the Temptations were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (RRHOF), sometimes simply referred to as the Rock Hall, is a museum
A museum ( ; plural museums or, rarely, musea) is a building or institution that cares for and displays a collection of artifacts and othe ...
. The event honored Edwards, Franklin, Otis Williams, David Ruffin, Eddie Kendricks (now performing as "Eddie Kendrick"), and, posthumously, Paul Williams. Most of the Temptations, present and former, showed no ill feelings towards one another, although Otis Williams reported that Kendricks refused to speak to him during the ceremony. The Temptations ended their induction ceremony with a performance of Paul Williams' signature song, ''Don't Look Back'', dedicated to his memory.
After reuniting at the induction ceremony, and much to the chagrin of Otis Williams and Motown, Edwards, Ruffin, and Kendrick made plans to tour and record as ''Ruffin, Kendricks and Edwards, Former Leads of The Temptations''. The tour was in fact carried out, but production on the album was canceled when 50-year-old David Ruffin died in Philadelphia after a cocaine overdose on June 1, 1991. Kendricks was diagnosed with lung cancer
Lung cancer, also known as lung carcinoma (since about 98–99% of all lung cancers are carcinomas), is a malignant lung tumor characterized by uncontrolled cell growth in tissue (biology), tissues of the lung. Lung carcinomas derive from tran ...
soon after; he continued to perform until his death on October 5, 1992, in his native Birmingham.
1990s
Richard Street missed a performance in 1992 after undergoing emergency surgery to remove kidney stones. Otis Williams, completely unaware of Street's surgery, called him angrily about his absence. Street felt Williams was unsympathetic, and as a result, he left the group in 1993 after twenty-two years. His replacement was St. Louis
St. Louis () is the second-largest city in Missouri, United States. It sits near the confluence of the Mississippi and the Missouri Rivers. In 2020, the city proper had a population of 301,578, while the bi-state metropolitan area, which e ...
native Theo Peoples
Theo Peoples (born Theoplis Peoples, III on January 24, 1961 in St. Louis, Missouri) is an American R&B and soul singer.
Biography
His first recordings with the Temptations were released in the box set ''Emperors of Soul'' (1994) where he sang ...
.
By the early 1990s, bass Melvin Franklin began missing performances due to failing health and Ray Davis, former bass man of Parliament-Funkadelic
Parliament-Funkadelic (abbreviated as P-Funk) is an American music collective of rotating musicians headed by George Clinton, primarily consisting of the funk bands Parliament and Funkadelic, both active since the 1960s. Their distinctive ...
, began touring as a fill-in during 1993. Franklin died after suffering a brain seizure
An epileptic seizure, informally known as a seizure, is a period of symptoms due to abnormally excessive or synchronous neuronal activity in the brain. Outward effects vary from uncontrolled shaking movements involving much of the body with lo ...
at the age of 52 on February 23, 1995, and Davis was named his official replacement. The group subsequently finished production on '' For Lovers Only'', an album of pop standards featuring two tracks recorded with Melvin Franklin prior to his death.
However, this lineup did not last, as Davis was diagnosed with lung cancer
Lung cancer, also known as lung carcinoma (since about 98–99% of all lung cancers are carcinomas), is a malignant lung tumor characterized by uncontrolled cell growth in tissue (biology), tissues of the lung. Lung carcinomas derive from tran ...
and left shortly after completing the album. Davis died in New Brunswick, New Jersey of respiratory problems and complications of lung cancer on the evening of Tuesday July 5, 2005.
The group continued as a quartet for a short time before recruiting bass Harry McGilberry
Harry McGilberry (January 19, 1950 – April 3, 2006) was an American Rhythm and blues, R&B and soul music, soul singer and latter-day Bass guitar, bass singer for The Temptations between 1995 and 2003.
Born Harry McGilberry Jr. in Philadelph ...
, a former member of the Futures. ''For Lovers Only'' was also the last contribution for lead Ali-Ollie Woodson; he was released from the group shortly after McGilberry's hiring due to health problems: he suffered two bouts of throat cancer in a short time. He was replaced by new member Terry Weeks
Terry Wayne Weeks (born December 23, 1963) is an American R&B and soul singer who is currently one of the lead singers of the legendary Motown quintet The Temptations.http://www.thetemptations.com/ Temptations Official Website
Early life
Weeks ...
, who had served as his sub.
The Temptations' new lineup, consisting of Otis Williams, Ron Tyson, Theo Peoples, and newcomers Harry McGilberry and Terry Weeks, toured throughout 1997, and was featured in the halftime show of Super Bowl XXXII in early 1998, which celebrated the 40th anniversary of Motown. Later that year, the Temptations released '' Phoenix Rising'', vocally arranged by 1980s producer Narada Michael Walden, Isaias Gamboa, Claytoven Richardson, Theo Peoples, Tony Lindsey and Skyler Jett
Commodores are an American funk and soul band, which were at their peak in the late 1970s through the mid 1980s. The members of the group met as mostly freshmen at Tuskegee Institute (now Tuskegee University) in 1968, and signed with Motown in ...
, which became their first million-selling album in more than 20 years. The album was anchored by "Stay," a single featuring Theo Peoples on lead and including a sample
Sample or samples may refer to:
Base meaning
* Sample (statistics), a subset of a population – complete data set
* Sample (signal), a digital discrete sample of a continuous analog signal
* Sample (material), a specimen or small quantity of s ...
from "My Girl", which became a number-one hit on the urban adult contemporary charts. It was released to extremely positive reviews.
Peoples was fired from the group before the release of ''Phoenix Rising'' because of issues with drug addiction, and was replaced by Barrington "Bo" Henderson
Barrington Scott "Bo" Henderson (born June 10, 1956, in Washington, Pennsylvania) is an American R&B singer.
Biography
Barrington's mother, Joyce St. Amie, was an electric jazz singer. Barrington grew up in the music industry, travelling wit ...
. Henderson lip-synched to Peoples's vocals in the "Stay" music video, and the completed album features lead vocals on different tracks by both Henderson and Peoples.
TV miniseries
Also in 1998, three months after the release of ''Phoenix Rising'' earlier in the year, de Passe Entertainment
de Passe Entertainment was an American film and television production company run by entertainment executive Suzanne de Passe. The company was founded by Berry Gordy Jr., in 1968, as Motown Productions, the film and television arm of Gordy's ...
(run by former Motown vice-president Suzanne de Passe) and Hallmark Entertainment
Halcyon Studios, LLC., formerly known as Sonar Entertainment, RHI Entertainment, Hallmark Entertainment, Qintex Entertainment, HRI Group and Robert Halmi Inc., is an American entertainment company specializing in the production and distribution ...
produced ''The Temptations
The Temptations are an American vocal group from Detroit, Michigan, who released a series of successful singles and albums with Motown Records during the 1960s and 1970s. The group's work with producer Norman Whitfield, beginning with the Top ...
'', a four-hour television miniseries
A miniseries or mini-series is a television series that tells a story in a predetermined, limited number of episodes. "Limited series" is another more recent US term which is sometimes used interchangeably. , the popularity of miniseries format h ...
based on Otis Williams' ''Temptations'' autobiography. The miniseries was broadcast in two parts on NBC
The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American English-language commercial broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a division of Comcast, its headquarters are l ...
on November 1 and November 2, 1998, with the first part covering the group's history from 1958 to 1968, and the second part the years from 1968 to 1995. The miniseries was a ratings success and was nominated for five Emmy Awards
The Emmy Awards, or Emmys, are an extensive range of awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international television industry. A number of annual Emmy Award ceremonies are held throughout the calendar year, each with the ...
, with Allan Arkush
Allan Arkush (born April 30, 1948) is an American director and producer of films, television and videos. He is a collaborator of Joe Dante.
Early life
Arkush grew up in Fort Lee, New Jersey. He graduated in 1966 from Fort Lee High School. His ...
winning for Best Direction;[Williams and Romanowski, pp. 236–239.] it was subsequently rerun on the VH-1
VH1 (originally an initialism of Video Hits One) is an American basic cable television network based in New York City and owned by Paramount Global. It was created by Warner-Amex Satellite Entertainment, at the time a division of Warner Communi ...
cable television network and released to VHS and DVD
The DVD (common abbreviation for Digital Video Disc or Digital Versatile Disc) is a digital optical disc data storage format. It was invented and developed in 1995 and first released on November 1, 1996, in Japan. The medium can store any kind ...
.
Otis Williams' former wife Josephine Miles, Melvin Franklin's mother Rose Franklin, David Ruffin's family, and Johnnie Mae Matthews
Johnnie Mae Matthews (December 31, 1922 – January 6, 2002) was an American blues and R&B singer, songwriter, and record producer from Bessemer, Alabama. Known as the "Godmother of Detroit Soul" and as the first African American female to own ...
filed lawsuits against Williams, Motown, de Passe and de Passe Entertainment, Hallmark, and NBC for a number of charges, including defamation.
The lawsuits were consolidated, and the judges ruled in favor of the defendants, and the ruling was upheld when the plaintiffs appealed in 2001. Williams later claimed that, although his book was used as the source material for the film, he did not have a great deal of control over how the material was presented.
From 2000 to present
The Temptations were inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame
The Vocal Group Hall of Fame (VGHF) is an American-based hall of fame that honors vocal groups throughout the world in every genre of music. Headquartered in the Columbia Theatre in Sharon, Pennsylvania, it includes a theater and a museum.
It was ...
in 1999. In 2001, their 2000 album '' Ear-Resistible'' won the group its third Grammy, this one for Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance. Bo Henderson was fired from the group in 2003, prompting a wrongful termination lawsuit.
His replacement was former Spinners lead G. C. Cameron
George Curtis Cameron is an American soul and R&B singer who is currently married to singer Linda Dixon Cameron a.k.a. “Lady L.”. Perhaps best known as the lead singer of The Spinners on their 1970 hit " It's a Shame" and for his 1975 hit ...
. The lineup of Cameron, Otis Williams, Ron Tyson, Harry McGilberry, and Terry Weeks recorded for a short time before McGilberry was dismissed; his replacement was former Spaniels
A spaniel is a type of gun dog. Spaniels were especially bred to flush game out of denser brush. By the late 17th century, spaniels had been specialized into water and land breeds. The extinct English Water Spaniel was used to retrieve water ...
member Joe Herndon
Walter Gregory "Joe" Herndon (born January 5, 1949) is an American R&B and soul singer, former bass singer of a version of doo-wop group The Spaniels and former bass singer for The Temptations (2003–15).
Biography
Herndon was born in Washing ...
. McGilberry died on April 3, 2006, at the age of 56.
The group's final Motown album, ''Legacy
In law, a legacy is something held and transferred to someone as their inheritance, as by will and testament. Personal effects, family property, marriage property or collective property gained by will of real property.
Legacy or legacies may refer ...
'', was released in 2004. Later that year, the Temptations asked to be released from their Motown contract, and moved to another Universal
Universal is the adjective for universe.
Universal may also refer to:
Companies
* NBCUniversal, a media and entertainment company
** Universal Animation Studios, an American Animation studio, and a subsidiary of NBCUniversal
** Universal TV, a ...
label, New Door Records. Their sole album with this lineup, ''Reflections'', was released on January 31, 2006, and contains covers of several popular Motown songs, including Diana Ross & the Supremes' " Reflections", the Miracles' "Ooo Baby Baby
"Ooo Baby Baby" is a song written by Smokey Robinson and Pete Moore. It is a classic 1965 hit single by The Miracles for the Tamla (Motown) label.
The song has inspired numerous other cover versions by other artists over the years, including c ...
", Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell's "Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing
"Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing" is a 1968 single released by American R&B/soul duo Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell, on the Tamla label in 1968. The B-side of the single is "Little Ole Boy, Little Ole Girl" from the duo's ''United'' LP. The ...
", and the Jackson 5
The Jackson 5 (sometimes stylized as the Jackson 5ive, also known as the Jacksons) are an American pop band composed of members of the Jackson family. The group was founded in 1964 in Gary, Indiana, and for most o ...
's " I'll Be There". Dennis Edwards
Dennis Edwards Jr. (February 3, 1943 – February 1, 2018) was an American soul and R&B singer who was best known as the frontman in The Temptations, on Motown Records. Edwards joined the Temptations in 1968, replacing David Ruffin and sang ...
, Ali-Ollie Woodson
Ali-Ollie Woodson (born Ollie Creggett; September 12, 1951 – May 30, 2010) was an American R&B singer, musician, songwriter, keyboardist, drummer, and occasional actor best known for his twelve years with the Temptations alongside Otis William ...
and David Sea (deep soul singer from Alabama, not David Ruffin) formed The Temptations tribute group "The Temptations Revue featuring Dennis Edwards".
G.C. Cameron left the group in June 2007 to focus on his solo career. He was replaced by Bruce Williamson, who first affiliated with the group a year earlier. The new lineup recorded another album of soul covers, ''Back to Front'', released in October 2007. Former member Ali-Ollie Woodson died on May 30, 2010, after a long battle with leukemia.
On May 4, 2010, the group released their '' Still Here'' album. The first single from ''Still Here'', "First Kiss", was criticized for having instances of using Auto-Tune
Auto-Tune (or autotune) is an audio processor introduced in 1996 by American company Antares Audio Technologies. Auto-Tune uses a proprietary device to measure and alter pitch in vocal and instrumental music recording and performances.
Auto-Tu ...
technology.
The Temptations received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award on February 9, 2013. Otis Williams, Dennis Edwards, and the children of David Ruffin, Eddie Kendricks, Paul Williams, and Melvin Franklin attended the ceremony to accept the six Grammys given to the group for the occasion.
Former member Damon Harris died on February 18, 2013, from prostate cancer at a Baltimore
Baltimore ( , locally: or ) is the List of municipalities in Maryland, most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland, fourth most populous city in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, and List of United States cities by popula ...
hospital. Nine days later, former member Richard Street died of pulmonary embolism
Pulmonary embolism (PE) is a blockage of an pulmonary artery, artery in the lungs by a substance that has moved from elsewhere in the body through the bloodstream (embolism). Symptoms of a PE may include dyspnea, shortness of breath, chest pain p ...
in Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas (; Spanish for "The Meadows"), often known simply as Vegas, is the 25th-most populous city in the United States, the most populous city in the state of Nevada, and the county seat of Clark County. The city anchors the Las Vegas ...
. At the time of his death, Street was in the process of writing a book regarding his time with the Temptations entitled ''Ball of Confusion: My Life as a Temptin' Temptation''. Completed by his co-author, Gary Flanigan, the book was published in 2014; it is the second autobiography regarding the group.
In late 2015 both Bruce Williamson and Joe Herndon
Walter Gregory "Joe" Herndon (born January 5, 1949) is an American R&B and soul singer, former bass singer of a version of doo-wop group The Spaniels and former bass singer for The Temptations (2003–15).
Biography
Herndon was born in Washing ...
announced their departures from the group. Williamson's replacement, Larry Braggs, was lead singer of Tower of Power
Tower of Power is an American R&B and funk based band and horn section, originating in Oakland, California, that has been performing since 1968. There have been a number of lead vocalists, the best-known being Lenny Williams, who fronted the b ...
from 2000 to 2013. Herndon's replacement is Willie Green, who had previously toured with former Temptations Richard Street and Ali-Ollie Woodson. Dennis Edwards died on February 1, 2018, two days before his 75th birthday. He had been battling with meningitis before his death.
On May 4, 2018, the Temptations released ''All the Time'', their first album since 2010's ''Still Here'', as well as their first for Universal's UMe Direct imprint.
Former member G. C. Cameron
George Curtis Cameron is an American soul and R&B singer who is currently married to singer Linda Dixon Cameron a.k.a. “Lady L.”. Perhaps best known as the lead singer of The Spinners on their 1970 hit " It's a Shame" and for his 1975 hit ...
substituted for an absent Larry Braggs in shows in August 2019. By October 2019 Braggs was no longer a member of the group. They then temporarily toured as a quartet until June 19, 2020, when it was announced that Mario Corbino was the new member of the group replacing Larry Braggs.
On September 6, 2020, former Temptations member Bruce Williamson died at age 49 from COVID-19.
In the Fall of 2021, The Temptations released two singles, "Is It Gonna Be Yes Or No", featuring Smokey Robinson, and "When We Were Kings", as part of their upcoming album, ''Temptations 60''. The album is scheduled to be released in January 2022. In December 2021, Otis Williams introduced Tony Grant as the newest member of The Temptations at a concert in Orlando, Florida. Grant, who formerly sang with the R&B group, Az Yet
Az Yet is an American R&B group from Philadelphia, best known for their songs " Last Night" and the cover "Hard to Say I'm Sorry" originally performed by Chicago.
Formation
Formed in 1989 initially as a duo with Shawn Rivera and Dion Allen, th ...
, and starred in several Tyler Perry
Tyler Perry (born Emmitt Perry Jr., September 13, 1969) is an American actor, comedian, filmmaker, and playwright. He is the creator and performer of the Madea character, a tough elderly woman. Perry's films vary in style from orthodox filmmak ...
stage plays, replaced Mario Corbino.
The band announced in June 2022 that Jawan M.Jackson was joining on bass, replacing Willie Green.
Sound
Motown Sound (1961–68)
Following their first Motown hit, the group altered their style several times over the ensuing years, adapting to the popular styles of the day while retaining their signature visual and vocal styles. The earliest Temptations recordings backed by Motown's stalwart studio band, the Funk Brothers
The Funk Brothers were a group of Detroit-based session musicians who performed the backing to most Motown recordings from 1959 until the company moved to Los Angeles in 1972.
Its members are considered among the most successful groups of stud ...
, reflect the influence of producers Berry Gordy and Smokey Robinson, and featured a cohesive blend of black rhythm and blues along with elements of white pop music
Pop music is a genre of popular music that originated in its modern form during the mid-1950s in the United States and the United Kingdom. The terms ''popular music'' and ''pop music'' are often used interchangeably, although the former describe ...
that later came to be known as the ''Motown Sound''. Recordings made prior to 1966, such as "My Girl", were built around songs with simple, direct lyrics supported by an R&B rhythm section with orchestral strings and horns added for pop appeal. During this period, each recording usually featured only one lead singer, usually David Ruffin or Eddie Kendricks, although Paul Williams, Melvin Franklin, and Otis Williams each had solo numbers of their own at various times during this period.
In 1966, Norman Whitfield changed the group's dynamic, moving them away from the previous one lead singer model and adding elements derived from the rougher soul of artists such as James Brown
James Joseph Brown (May 3, 1933 – December 25, 2006) was an American singer, dancer, musician, record producer and bandleader. The central progenitor of funk music and a major figure of 20th century music, he is often referred to by the honor ...
, Wilson Pickett
Wilson Pickett (March 18, 1941 – January 19, 2006) was an American singer and songwriter.
A major figure in the development of soul music, Pickett recorded over 50 songs which made the US R&B charts, many of which crossed over to the ''Bill ...
, and the performers at Stax Records
Stax Records is an American record company, originally based in Memphis, Tennessee. Founded in 1957 as Satellite Records, the label changed its name to Stax Records in 1961. It also shared its operations with sister label Volt Records.
Stax was ...
. Whitfield and his lyricists crafted Temptations songs with shifts of dynamics, syncopated horn stab In music, a stab is a single staccato note or chord (music), chord that adds dramatic punctuation to a composition. Stabs are usually provided by horns (real or synthesized), thus the term horn stab, or an orchestral sampling (music), sample and usu ...
s, and more intricate harmony arrangements which spotlighted each singer's unique vocal range. Onstage, this change was reflected in the group's use of a custom-made four-headed microphone stand, invented by David Ruffin.
Psychedelic and cinematic soul (1968–73)
When Ruffin was replaced by Dennis Edwards, and Sly and the Family Stone became popular, Whitfield again restructured the Temptations' sound, this time driving the group almost completely into a "psychedelic soul"-type sound. However, ballads in the traditional style of the group were still being recorded as B-sides and album fillers, with the lone exception being "Just My Imagination".
Tracks such as the album version of "Run Away Child, Running Wild" from ''Cloud Nine'', "Take a Stroll Thru Your Mind" from ''Psychedelic Shack'', and "Smiling Faces Sometimes
"Smiling Faces Sometimes" is a soul song written by Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong for the Motown label. It was originally recorded by the Temptations in 1971. Producer Norman Whitfield had the song re-recorded by the Undisputed Truth the sa ...
" from ''Sky's the Limit'', all run at least eight minutes. At Whitfield's insistence, a large portion of the additional running time for each song consisted of instrumental passages without vocals. For example, the hit version of their smash 1972 single "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone" was nearly seven minutes, featuring an instrumental intro that was almost two minutes, a rarity for songs of that era.
"Psychedelic soul" soon gave way to "cinematic soul"—highlighting a further series of lengthy recordings featuring detailed orchestration, extended instrumental introductions and bridging passages. Often focusing on lyrics about the ghettos and inner cities of black America, these songs were heavily influenced by the work of singer-songwriters Isaac Hayes and Curtis Mayfield.
Unlike Hayes and Mayfield however, the Temptations had no creative control over their recordings, and were in no way fond of the 12- and 13-minute-long songs being forced upon them by Whitfield, whose contributions were the focal point of Temptations albums such as ''Solid Rock (The Temptations album), Solid Rock'', ''All Directions'', and particularly ''Masterpiece''.
From funk to disco to adult contemporary (1974 to present)
In 1974, after Whitfield was dismissed as the producer for the Temptations, the group altered its sound to accommodate a balance of both up-tempo dance material as well as ballads. The vocal arrangements began to again focus primarily on one lead singer per track, although some leads were still being shared periodically. In addition, the Temptations themselves, after fighting Motown and Berry Gordy for creative control, began to write and produce some of their own material. From this point on, the Temptations focused almost exclusively on songs about romance. However, songs about social issues similar to the recordings made during Whitfield's tenure were periodically produced as well.
Temptations recordings of the mid 1970s focused significantly on the influences of funk music from artists such as Parliament-Funkadelic
Parliament-Funkadelic (abbreviated as P-Funk) is an American music collective of rotating musicians headed by George Clinton, primarily consisting of the funk bands Parliament and Funkadelic, both active since the 1960s. Their distinctive ...
and Sly and the Family Stone, and members of both acts contributed significantly to material recorded by the group during this period. Their signature ballad sound, reduced to filler material during much of the Whitfield period, was restored to the lush, full productions of the earlier hits produced by Smokey Robinson. After a brief diversion into disco in the late-1970s, the Temptations settled into a form of an adult contemporary music, adult contemporary-rooted type of R&B, a style in which they continue to record.
Legacy and influence
Berry Gordy insisted that all his acts be equally appealing to both white as well as black audiences, and employed an extensive creative team to help tailor Motown talent for the crossover success he desired. Motown choreographer Cholly Atkins, along with Paul Williams, created the trademark precise and energetic, yet refined, dance steps used by the Temptations onstage. The most famous of these, the ''Temptation Walk'', or ''Temptation Strut'', was adapted from similar moves by the Flamingos and the Vibrations
The Vibrations were an American soul vocal group from Los Angeles, California, active from the mid-1950s to 1976. Most notable among the group's hit singles were " My Girl Sloopy" (1964) and "Love in Them There Hills" (1968). The quintet's membe ...
, from those two sources, Atkins and Williams crafted the resulting signature dance routine.
Like other similar independent companies of the period, Motown was not a member of the Recording Industry of America, preferring to stay independent and handling their own widely varied distribution through thousands of "Mom & Pop" record stores and small radio stations. As such, hit singles by Motown artists such as the Temptations never achieved official "gold" or "platinum" RIAA certification until after Motown joined the RIAA in 1977.
During the 1960s and 1970s, a number of soul groups showed significant influence from the Temptations, such as the Trammps, Tavares, Manhattans, the Chi-Lites, The Parliaments, Parliaments, the Dramatics, the Dells, The Spinners (American R&B group), the Spinners, the Softones, the Delfonics, Daryl Hall & John Oates, and Motown labelmates the Miracles
The Miracles (also known as Smokey Robinson and the Miracles from 1965 to 1972) were an American vocal group that was the first successful recording act for Berry Gordy's Motown Records, and one of the most important and most influential group ...
, Four Tops, The Monitors (American band), the Monitors, Gladys Knight & the Pips, The Originals (band), the Originals, the Jackson Five and the Undisputed Truth
The Undisputed Truth was an American Motown recording act, assembled by record producer Norman Whitfield as a means for being able to experiment with his psychedelic soul production techniques. Joe "Pep" Harris served as main lead singer, with ...
. These acts and others, showed the influence of the Temptations in both their vocal performances and their onstage choreography.
The Temptations' songs have been covered by scores of musicians, from R&B singers such as Otis Redding ("My Girl"), Bobby Womack ("I Wish It Would Rain") and Luther Vandross ("Since I Lost My Baby"), to white soul and reggae bands such as Rare Earth (band), Rare Earth (" Get Ready"), UB 40 ("The Way You Do and The Things You Do") and the Rolling Stones ("My Girl", "Ain't Too Proud to Beg", "Just My Imagination") and Mick Jagger's collaboration with reggae artist Peter Tosh on ("Don't Look Back"). Funk Brothers(Motown) recorded "My Girl", "Runnaway Child Running Wild", and "Papa Was a Rolling Stone". Hall & Oates performed "My Girl", "The Way You Do The Things You Do" in Live with Ruffin and Kendricks. Marcus Miller covered "Papa Was a Rolling Stone". Great Britain, British rock singer Rod Stewart released a cover of "I'm Losing You" in 1971, and, in 1991, collaborated with the Temptations on the single "The Motown Song". In 2017, The Temptations and Otis Williams' then-protégé, Kyle Maack, recorded a cover of Treat Her Like a Lady (The Temptations song), "Treat Her Like a Lady" for Maack's ''Shaky Ground'' EP which also included two additional Temptations covers.
In 2004, ''Rolling Stone
''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first kno ...
'' magazine ranked the Temptations number 67 on their list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time. The Temptations were voted into the Michigan Rock and Roll Legends Hall of Fame in 2005. They received the Lifetime Achievement Grammy Award in 2013. On Saturday August 17, 2013, the Temptations were officially inducted into the Rhythm and Blues Music Hall of Fame, R&B Music Hall of Fame at the inaugural ceremony held at the Waetejen Auditorium on the campus of Cleveland State University.
In 2018, the story of the Temptations served as inspiration for the jukebox musical ''Ain't Too Proud (musical), Ain't Too Proud'', which opened on Broadway theatre, Broadway in March 2019. The show was nominated for 11 Tony Awards at the 73rd Tony Awards and won for Tony Award for Best Choreography, Best Choreography.
Group members
The Primes
''aka The Cavaliers'' - merged with The Distants
* Paul Williams (1955–60) (d. 1973)
* Eddie Kendricks
Edward James Kendrick (December 17, 1939 – October 5, 1992), better known as Eddie Kendricks, was an American singer and songwriter. Noted for his distinctive falsetto singing style, Kendricks co-founded the Motown singing group the Temptatio ...
(1955–60) (d. 1992)
* Kell Osborne
Kell Osborne (March 12, 1939 – January 29, 2012) was an American singer best known as a member of The Primes, a group which would later be known as The Temptations.
Early years
Kell Osborne was born in Birmingham, Alabama on March 12, 1939, h ...
(1955–60) (d. 2012)
* Wiley Waller (1955–57)
The Distants
''aka Otis Williams & the Distants, Otis Williams & the Siberians'' - merged with The Primes
* Otis Williams
Otis Williams (born Otis Miles Jr.; October 30, 1941) is an American baritone singer.Ribowsky, Mark (2010). ''Ain't Too Proud to Beg: The Troubled Lives and Endearing Soul of the Temptations''. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons. pp. 7–9 He is o ...
(1958–60)
* Elbridge "Al" Bryant (1958–60) (d. 1975)
* James "Pee-Wee" Crawford (1958–59)
* Vernard Plain (1958–59)
* Arthur Walton (1958–59)
* Melvin Franklin
David Melvin English (October 12, 1942 – February 23, 1995) better known by the stage name Melvin Franklin, or his nickname "Blue", was an American bass singer. Franklin was best known for his role as a founding member of Motown singing ...
(1959–60) (d. 1995)
* Richard Street
Richard Allen Street (October 5, 1942 – February 27, 2013) was an American soul and R&B singer, most notable as a member of Motown vocal group The Temptations from 1971 to 1993. Born and raised in Detroit, Michigan, Street was the first memb ...
(1959–60) (d. 2013)
* Albert "Mooch" Harrell (1959–60)
The Temptations
''aka The Elgins''
Current
* Otis Williams
Otis Williams (born Otis Miles Jr.; October 30, 1941) is an American baritone singer.Ribowsky, Mark (2010). ''Ain't Too Proud to Beg: The Troubled Lives and Endearing Soul of the Temptations''. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons. pp. 7–9 He is o ...
(1960–present)
* Ron Tyson (1983–present)
* Terry Weeks
Terry Wayne Weeks (born December 23, 1963) is an American R&B and soul singer who is currently one of the lead singers of the legendary Motown quintet The Temptations.http://www.thetemptations.com/ Temptations Official Website
Early life
Weeks ...
(1997–present)
* Tony Grant (2021–present)
* Jawan M. Jackson (2022–present)
Past
* Melvin Franklin
David Melvin English (October 12, 1942 – February 23, 1995) better known by the stage name Melvin Franklin, or his nickname "Blue", was an American bass singer. Franklin was best known for his role as a founding member of Motown singing ...
(1960–1994) (d. 1995)
* Eddie Kendricks
Edward James Kendrick (December 17, 1939 – October 5, 1992), better known as Eddie Kendricks, was an American singer and songwriter. Noted for his distinctive falsetto singing style, Kendricks co-founded the Motown singing group the Temptatio ...
(1960–1971, 1982 reunion) (d. 1992)
* Paul Williams (1960–1971) (d. 1973)
* Elbridge "Al" Bryant (1960–1964) (d. 1975)
* David Ruffin
David Eli Ruffin (born Davis Eli Ruffin;Ribowsky, p. 88 January 18, 1941 – June 1, 1991) was an American soul singer and musician most famous for his work as one of the lead singers of the Temptations (1964–68) during the group's "Clas ...
(1964–1968, 1982 reunion) (d. 1991)
* Dennis Edwards
Dennis Edwards Jr. (February 3, 1943 – February 1, 2018) was an American soul and R&B singer who was best known as the frontman in The Temptations, on Motown Records. Edwards joined the Temptations in 1968, replacing David Ruffin and sang ...
(1968–1977, 1980–1984, 1987–1989) (d. 2018)
* Richard Street
Richard Allen Street (October 5, 1942 – February 27, 2013) was an American soul and R&B singer, most notable as a member of Motown vocal group The Temptations from 1971 to 1993. Born and raised in Detroit, Michigan, Street was the first memb ...
(1971–1993) (d. 2013)
* Ricky Owens
The Vibrations were an American soul vocal group from Los Angeles, California, active from the mid-1950s to 1976. Most notable among the group's hit singles were " My Girl Sloopy" (1964) and "Love in Them There Hills" (1968). The quintet's membe ...
(1971) (d. 1996)
* Damon Harris
Otis Robert "Damon" Harris Jr. (July 17, 1950 – February 18, 2013) was an American soul and R&B singer, most notable as a member of The Temptations from 1971 to 1975. Twenty years old when he joined the group, Harris was the youngest member ...
(1971–1975) (d. 2013)
* Glenn Leonard
Glenn Carl Leonard (born June 11, 1947 in Washington, D.C.) is an American R&B and soul singer best remembered for serving as the first tenor/secondary lead singer of the Motown quintet The Temptations from 1975 to 1983, and for the last 15 y ...
(1975–1983)
* Louis Price
Louis Bernhardt Price (born March 29, 1953) is an American R&B, soul singer, and actor notable for being the lead singer of the first post-Dennis Edwards led version of The Temptations from 1977 to 1980.
Price lived in Chicago as a child and att ...
(1977–1980)
* Ali-Ollie Woodson
Ali-Ollie Woodson (born Ollie Creggett; September 12, 1951 – May 30, 2010) was an American R&B singer, musician, songwriter, keyboardist, drummer, and occasional actor best known for his twelve years with the Temptations alongside Otis William ...
(1984–87, 1989–1996, 2002) (d. 2010)
* Theo Peoples
Theo Peoples (born Theoplis Peoples, III on January 24, 1961 in St. Louis, Missouri) is an American R&B and soul singer.
Biography
His first recordings with the Temptations were released in the box set ''Emperors of Soul'' (1994) where he sang ...
(1993-1998)
* Ray Davis (1994-1995) (d. 2005)
* Harry McGilberry
Harry McGilberry (January 19, 1950 – April 3, 2006) was an American Rhythm and blues, R&B and soul music, soul singer and latter-day Bass guitar, bass singer for The Temptations between 1995 and 2003.
Born Harry McGilberry Jr. in Philadelph ...
(1995-2003) (d. 2006)
* Barrington "Bo" Henderson
Barrington Scott "Bo" Henderson (born June 10, 1956, in Washington, Pennsylvania) is an American R&B singer.
Biography
Barrington's mother, Joyce St. Amie, was an electric jazz singer. Barrington grew up in the music industry, travelling wit ...
(1998–2003)
* G. C. Cameron
George Curtis Cameron is an American soul and R&B singer who is currently married to singer Linda Dixon Cameron a.k.a. “Lady L.”. Perhaps best known as the lead singer of The Spinners on their 1970 hit " It's a Shame" and for his 1975 hit ...
(2003–2007, 2019)
* Joe Herndon
Walter Gregory "Joe" Herndon (born January 5, 1949) is an American R&B and soul singer, former bass singer of a version of doo-wop group The Spaniels and former bass singer for The Temptations (2003–15).
Biography
Herndon was born in Washing ...
(2003–2015)
* Bruce Williamson (2007–2015) (d. 2020)
* Larry Braggs (2015–2019)
* Willie Greene (2015–2022)
* Mario Corbino (2020–2021)
Discography
;Studio albums
* ''Meet the Temptations
''Meet the Temptations'' is the debut studio album by the Temptations for the Gordy (Motown) label released in 1964. It includes most of the group's early singles, excluding only the first, "Oh Mother of Mine", and its b-side, "Romance Without F ...
'' (1964)
* '' The Temptations Sing Smokey'' (1965)
* ''The Temptin' Temptations
''The Temptin' Temptations'' is the third studio album by The Temptations for the Gordy ( Motown) label released in 1965. The album includes several of the group's hits from 1965, and also includes a handful of singles that were not included on ...
'' (1965)
* '' Gettin' Ready'' (1966)
* ''The Temptations with a Lot o' Soul
''The Temptations with a Lot o' Soul'' is the fifth studio album by The Temptations for the Gordy ( Motown) label released in 1967. Featuring four hit singles, ''With a Lot o' Soul'' is the most successful Temptations album from their "classic ...
'' (1967)
* ''The Temptations in a Mellow Mood
''The Temptations in a Mellow Mood'' is a studio album by the Temptations, released in 1967 by Gordy Records. Composed primarily of pop standards such as " Ol' Man River" and "For Once in My Life" (later a major hit for Motown labelmate Stevie ...
'' (1967)
* ''The Temptations Wish It Would Rain
''The Temptations Wish It Would Rain'' is a studio album by the Temptations, released in 1968 via Gordy Records. It was the final release from the group's "Classic-5" era, during which David Ruffin, Eddie Kendricks, Paul Williams, Melvin Fran ...
'' (1968)
* ''Diana Ross & the Supremes Join The Temptations
''Diana Ross & the Supremes Join the Temptations'' is, as the title implies, a collaborative album combining Motown's two best selling groups, Diana Ross & the Supremes and the Temptations. Issued by Motown in late 1968 to coincide with the broa ...
'' (with The Supremes, Diana Ross & The Supremes) (1968)
* '' Cloud Nine'' (1969)
* ''Together
''ToGetHer'' (, aka Superstar Express) is a 2009 Taiwanese drama starring Jiro Wang of Fahrenheit, Rainie Yang and George Hu. It was produced by Comic International Productions ( 可米國際影視事業股份有限公司) and directed by Linzi ...
'' (with The Supremes, Diana Ross & The Supremes) (1969)
* ''Puzzle People
''Puzzle People'' is the eleventh studio album released by American soul quintet The Temptations for the Gordy (Motown) label in 1969. Produced entirely by Norman Whitfield, ''Puzzle People'' expanded on the psychedelic soul sound of the Temptatio ...
'' (1969)
* ''Psychedelic Shack
''Psychedelic Shack'' is the twelfth studio album by The Temptations for the Gordy (Motown) label released in 1970. Completely written by Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong and produced by Whitfield, ''Psychedelic Shack'' almost completely aband ...
'' (1970)
* '' Sky's the Limit (The Temptations album), Sky's the Limit'' (1971)
* ''Solid Rock (The Temptations album), Solid Rock'' (1972)
* ''All Directions'' (1972)
* ''Masterpiece (The Temptations album), Masterpiece'' (1973)
* ''1990 (The Temptations album), 1990'' (1973)
* '' A Song for You'' (1975)
* ''House Party
A house party is a type of party where people gather at the residence of the party's host.
Organization
A house party might be organized several months or just a few hours in advance. News of a party may be spread by personal invitations, ...
'' (1975)
* ''Wings of Love
''Wings of Love'' is a 1976 album by The Temptations for the Gordy ( Motown) label.
Background
Producer Jeffrey Bowen preferred Dennis Edwards to the rest of the group, and wanted to produce an Edwards solo album instead of a group album. As a ...
'' (1976)
* '' The Temptations Do the Temptations'' (1976)
* '' Hear to Tempt You'' (1977)
* ''Bare Back
The Temptations are an American vocal group from Detroit, Michigan, who released a series of successful singles and albums with Motown Records during the 1960s and 1970s. The group's work with producer Norman Whitfield, beginning with the Top ...
'' (1978)
* ''Power (Temptations album), Power'' (1980)
* ''The Temptations (1981 album), The Temptations'' (1981)
* ''Reunion
Reunion may refer to:
* Class reunion
* Family reunion
Reunion, Réunion, Re-union, Reunions or The Reunion may also refer to:
Places
* Réunion, a French overseas department and island in the Indian Ocean
* Reunion, Commerce City, Colorado, U ...
'' (1982)
* '' Surface Thrills'' (1983)
* ''Back to Basics (The Temptations album), Back to Basics'' (1983)
* ''Truly for You'' (1984)
* ''Touch Me (The Temptations album), Touch Me'' (1985)
* ''To Be Continued... (The Temptations album), To Be Continued'' (1986)
* '' Together Again'' (1987)
* ''Special (The Temptations album), Special'' (1989)
* ''Milestone (The Temptations album), Milestone'' (1991)
* '' For Lovers Only'' (1995)
* ''Phoenix Rising (The Temptations album), Phoenix Rising'' (1998)
* '' Ear-Resistible'' (2000)
* ''Awesome (The Temptations album), Awesome'' (2001)
* ''Legacy (The Temptations album), Legacy'' (2004)
* ''Reflections (The Temptations album), Reflections'' (2006)
* ''Back to Front (The Temptations album), Back to Front'' (2007)
* '' Still Here'' (2010)
* ''All the Time'' (2018)
* ''Temptations 60'' (2022)
Filmography
* 1973: ''Save the Children (film), Save the Children''
* 1987: ''Happy New Year (1987 film), Happy New Year''
* 1989: ''Who's Harry Crumb?''
* 2007: ''Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story ''
Television work
* 1985: ''The Fall Guy'' (TV episode ''Rockabye Baby'', February 13, 1985)
* 1985: ''The Love Boat'' (TV episode ''Your Money or Your Wife/Joint Custody/The Temptations'', October 5, 1985)
* 1986: ''Moonlighting (TV series), Moonlighting'' (TV episode ''Symphony in Knocked Flat'', October 21, 1986)
* 1986: ''227 (TV series), 227'' (TV episode ''Temptations'', November 15, 1986)
* 1990: ''Murphy Brown'' (TV episode ''Goin' to the Chapel, Part 2'', May 21, 1990)
* 1990: performed CBS network's 1990–91 version of their "Get Ready" campaign with an updated version of ''Get Ready''.
* 1993: ''Getting By'' (TV episode ''Reach for the Stars'', November 23, 1993)
* 1996: ''New York Undercover'' (TV episode ''Deep Cover'', May 2, 1996)
* 2008: ''Friday Night with Jonathan Ross'' (TV appearance), March 7, 2008
* 2012: ''Dancing with the Stars'' (TV appearance), April 23, 2012 – Motown Week
Video and DVD releases
* 1991: ''The Temptations – Live in Concert''
* 2004: ''20th Century Masters – The Best of the Temptations''
* 2006: ''Get Ready: The Definitive Performances – 1965–1972''
* 2007: ''The Temptations – Live In London (1987)''
Citations
General bibliography
* George, Nelson (1994). "Cool as They Wanna Be". The Temptations: ''Emperors of Soul'' (CD box set). New York: Motown Record Co., L.P.
* George, Nelson (1985, rev. 2003). ''Where Did Our Love Go: The Rise and Fall of the Motown''. London: Omnibus Press. .
* Posner, Gerald (2002). ''Motown : Music, Money, Sex, and Power''. New York: Random House. .
* Ribowsky, Mark (2010). ''Ain't Too Proud to Beg: The Troubled Lives and Enduring Soul of the Temptations''. Hoboken, New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons..
* Weinger, Harry (1994). "Sunshine on a Cloudy Day". The Temptations: ''Emperors of Soul'' (CD Box Set). New York: Motown Record Co., L.P.
* Otis Williams, Williams, Otis and Romanowski, Patricia (1988, updated 2002). ''Temptations''. Lanham, MD: Cooper Square. .
External links
*
*
*
*
Otis Williams' official website (includes current tour schedule)
Ron Tyson's official website
Official homepage for Glenn Leonard
Classic Temptations page at Classic Motown website
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Temptations, The
The Temptations,
African-American musical groups
American disco groups
American funk musical groups
American soul musical groups
Atlantic Records artists
Grammy Award winners
Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award winners
Motown artists
Musical groups established in 1960
Musical groups from Detroit
Northern soul musicians
Vocal quintets
1960 establishments in Michigan