This page is a chronology of the
Motown
Motown Records is an American record label owned by the Universal Music Group. It was founded by Berry Gordy Jr. as Tamla Records on June 7, 1958, and incorporated as Motown Record Corporation on April 14, 1960. Its name, a portmanteau of ''moto ...
singing group
the Temptations. It lists the members of the group during all phases
of the group's history. While the Temptations have frequently changed their lineup, the group has always employed a person for each of the following roles:
*main lead singer (e.g.,
David Ruffin)
*secondary lead and baritone singer (e.g.,
Paul Williams)
*first
tenor lead singer (e.g.,
Eddie Kendricks)
*
bass
Bass or Basses may refer to:
Fish
* Bass (fish), various saltwater and freshwater species
Music
* Bass (sound), describing low-frequency sound or one of several instruments in the bass range:
** Bass (instrument), including:
** Acoustic bass gui ...
lead singer (e.g.,
Melvin Franklin)
*background second tenor and baritone w/ occasional lead (since 1961
Otis Williams has always held and continues to hold this role)
During their live performances, the 1st tenor who almost exclusively performs in falsetto and secondary leads have always been as predominant on stage as the group's official main lead/front man. Also, the 1st tenor position is always considered equal to the main lead position on studio recordings as well; the secondary lead was elevated to almost the same status in the studio from 1968 to 1972 and from 1993 onward.
The background/occasional lead role was originally that of another secondary lead singer before 1961.
The group has performed as a
quintet throughout its history, with six exceptions:
*The Cavaliers' lineup (1955–57, 4 Members)
*The Primes' lineup (1958–60, 4 Members, later 3)
*April – May 1971 (4 Members, No 1st Tenor)
*The 1982 reunion lineup (7 Members)
*The later half of 1995, following the departure of Ray Davis (4 Members, No Bass)
*October 2019 to June 2020 following the departure of Larry Braggs (4 members, Terry Weeks singing lead, no replacement tenor)
Since 1976, the name "the Temptations" has been a
registered trademark definitively owned by Otis Williams and (the estate of)
Melvin Franklin.
[Williams, Otis and Romanowski, Patricia (1988, updated 2002). Pg. 181.]
The Cavaliers
The Primes
Otis Williams & The Siberians/The El Domingoes
The Distants
The Elgins
The Temptations
*Members of the classic lineup are in bold.
Timeline
References
{{The Temptations
*
The Temptations