The Temptations
The Temptations are an American vocal group who released a series of
successful singles and albums with
Motown
Motown Records during the 1960s and
1970s; their work with producer Norman Whitfield, which started with
the Top 10 hit single "Cloud Nine" in October 1968, pioneered
psychedelic soul, and was significant in the evolution of R&B and
soul music.[1] The band members are known for their choreography,
distinct harmonies, and flashy wardrobe. Having sold tens of millions
of albums, the Temptations are one of the most successful groups in
music history.[2][3][4]
Featuring five male vocalists and dancers (save for brief periods with
fewer or more members), the group formed in 1960 in Detroit, Michigan
under the name The Elgins. The original founding members were
originally members of two rival
Detroit
Detroit vocal groups: Otis Williams,
Elbridge "Al" Bryant, and
Melvin Franklin of
Otis Williams & the
Distants, and
Eddie Kendricks
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Eddie Kendricks and Paul Williams of the Primes. In
1964, Bryant was replaced by David Ruffin, 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" (1967).
Ruffin was replaced in 1968 by Dennis Edwards, with whom the group
continued to record hit records such as "Cloud Nine" (1969) and "Ball
of Confusion (That's What the World Is Today)" (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, Damon Harris, Ron Tyson, and
Ali-Ollie Woodson, with whom the group scored a late-period hit in
1984 with "Treat Her Like a Lady".
Over the course of their career, the Temptations have released four
Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles and fourteen R&B number-one
singles, and their material has earned them three Grammy Awards. The
Temptations were the first
Motown
Motown recording act to win a Grammy Award
- for "Cloud Nine" in 1969[5] - 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
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1989. Three classic Temptations
songs, "My Girl", "Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me)", and
"Papa Was a Rollin' Stone", are among The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's
500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll.
The Temptations
The Temptations were also ranked
at number 68 on
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 100 Greatest
Artists of all time.
As of 2017[update], the Temptations continue to perform with one
original member, Otis Williams, still in the lineup (Williams also
owns all rights to the Temptations name).
Contents
1 History
1.1 Origins
1.2 Early years
1.3 "Classic Five" Era
1.4 David Ruffin's departure and Dennis Edwards' arrival
1.5 Psychedelic soul
1.6
Eddie Kendricks
Eddie Kendricks and Paul Williams' departures
1.7 Early 1970s
1.8 Dry spell
1.9 Return to
Motown
Motown and Reunion
1.10 From the 1980s to the 1990s
1.11 1990s
1.12 TV miniseries
1.13 From 2000 to present
2 Phases
2.1
Motown
Motown Sound (1961–68)
2.2 Psychedelic and cinematic soul (1968–73)
2.3 From funk to disco to adult contemporary (1974 to present)
3 Legacy and influence
4 Band members
4.1 The Primes
4.2 The Distants
4.3 The Temptations
5 Discography
5.1 Top Twenty Singles
5.2 Top Ten Albums
6 Filmography
6.1 Television work
6.2 Video and
DVD
DVD releases
7 References
8 Bibliography
9 External links
History[edit]
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Origins[edit]
Eddie Kendricks
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 and Wiley Waller, naming themselves the
Cavaliers.[6]
After Waller left the group in 1957, the remaining trio left
Birmingham to break into the music business. The group settled in
Detroit
Detroit where they changed their name to the Primes under the
direction of Milton Jenkins. The Primes soon became well known around
the
Detroit
Detroit area for their meticulous performances.[7] Jenkins later
created a sister group, The Primettes, later known as the Supremes.
Kendricks was already seen as a "matinee idol" in the
Detroit
Detroit area
while Williams was well received for his baritone vocals.[6] Texas
teenager
Otis Williams moved to
Detroit
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.[8] Shortly after its release, the group changed its
name to The El Domingoes. Following this, Montgomery native Melvin
Franklin replaced Arthur Walton as bass vocalist and Detroit-born
Richard Street
Richard Street (claimed by
Melvin Franklin to be his cousin)[9]
replaced Vernard Plain as lead singer. Signing with Johnnie Mae
Matthews' 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).[10] 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.[10] Following the release of "Alright", Matthews
appointed Williams the group leader, and the group's name was changed
to
Otis Williams & The Distants.[11] During this period, both the
Primes and Distants were influenced by other vocal groups including
the Miracles.[12] Other inspirations included the Cadillacs, Frankie
Lymon & the Teenagers, the Drifters, and the Isley Brothers.[13]
Though "Come On" was a local hit in the
Detroit
Detroit area, the Distants
never saw much record sales and "Alright" was not as successful. After
receiving an offer from
Berry Gordy
Berry Gordy to sign with
Motown
Motown Records, the
Distants got out of their contract with Northern Records. However,
Mooch Harrell and
Richard Street
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.[citation needed]
Early years[edit]
A promotional image of the original early 1960s Temptations lineup.
Clockwise from top right: Otis Williams, Paul Williams, Melvin
Franklin, Eddie Kendricks, and Elbridge "Al" Bryant.
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. The Primes disbanded
in 1960 after
Kell Osborne moved to California.
Eddie Kendricks
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.
Kendricks agreed on the condition he bring Paul Williams with him.
Otis Williams happily agreed and Kendricks and Paul Williams moved
back to
Detroit
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
Motown in March
1961. Already impressed with some of the members after hearing session
work,
Berry Gordy
Berry Gordy agreed to sign the group to the
Motown
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.
Hitsville U.S.A. studio. On a suggestion
from Miracle Records employee Billy Mitchell, songwriter Mickey
Stevenson, and group members
Otis Williams and Paul Williams, the
Temptations became the group's new moniker. The "Elgins" name
re-surfaced at
Motown
Motown in 1965, when Gordy renamed a quartet called the
Downbeats as the Elgins.
The Temptations' first two singles, "Oh Mother of Mine" and "Check
Yourself", 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
Eddie Kendricks sang
lead on the Temptations' first charted single, "(You're My) Dream Come
True", 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 group would issue eight recordings between 1961-63 without
much success.
Paul Williams and
Eddie Kendricks
Eddie Kendricks split the leads during this early
period, with Al Bryant, Otis Williams, and Melvin Franklin
occasionally singing lead, as they would 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", 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. In 1963, the
Temptations began working with
Smokey Robinson
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". 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 Ruffin began following the group around as he
aspired to join the group. During a local
Detroit
Detroit performance, Ruffin
joined the group onstage and impressed the group with his vocal talent
and dancing skills.[14] 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 performance, having 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 Ruffin was brought in as his replacement in January
1964.[15] 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, of liver cirrhosis
on October 26, 1975.[16]
"Classic Five" Era[edit]
The Temptations
The Temptations would now consist of Otis Williams, Melvin Franklin,
Paul Williams, Eddie Kendricks, and David Ruffin; the success that
would follow the group would result in what would, in later years, be
frequently referred to as the "Classic Five" lineup. In January 1964,
Smokey Robinson
Smokey Robinson and Miracles bandmate
Bobby Rogers co-wrote and
produced "The Way You Do the Things You Do" with
Eddie Kendricks
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
David Ruffin singles were compiled into the group's first album,
Meet the Temptations, released in early 1964. The next two Temptations
singles in 1964, "Girl (Why You Wanna Make Me Blue)" along with "I'll
Be in Trouble" and its
B-side
B-side "The Girl's Alright with Me", all
featured Kendricks on lead (although Franklin sang one line in "I'll
Be in Trouble"). However, producer
Smokey Robinson
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.[17]
While traveling as part of Motown's
Motortown Revue later that year,
Robinson and fellow Miracles member
Ronnie White 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", "Since I Lost My Baby", and "My Baby", which
all made it to the Top 20 in 1965. The
B-side
B-side to "My Baby", "Don’t
Look Back", featured a stirring lead from Paul Williams, and was a
sleeper hit 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
Berry Gordy promised him that if Robinson's "Get Ready",
with
Eddie Kendricks
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
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-based productions espoused by
Robinson, toward a harder-edged and brass-heavy soul sound reminiscent
of James Brown.
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", "(I Know) I'm Losing You"[18] 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
The Temptations Sing Smokey (1965), The Temptin' Temptations
(1965),
Gettin' Ready
Gettin' Ready (1966),
The Temptations
The Temptations with a Lot o' Soul
(1967), and
The Temptations Wish It Would Rain
The Temptations Wish It Would Rain (1968).
During this period, the various songwriting partners of Norman
Whitfield included Roger Penzabene, Edward Holland, Jr., and
Temptations road show manager and guitarist Cornelius Grant.
Subsequently, Barrett Strong, who sang the very first hit at
Motown
Motown in
1959, "Money (That's What I Want)", began working with Whitfield and
Penzabene on Temptations material after Eddie Holland left
Motown
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" and "I Could Never Love Another (After Loving You)",
became hits in early 1968 after the suicide of
Roger Penzabene in
December 1967. Subsequently,
Barrett Strong
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,
and The Hollywood Palace. At the same time, the group began to achieve
a crossover success, catering to middle America with a pop standards
album (
The Temptations
The Temptations in a Mellow Mood, 1967), the success of which
resulted in performances at the famous Copacabana in New York City
along with dates at other similar supper clubs. Outside of music, the
Temptations were made honorary members of
Phi Beta Sigma
Phi Beta Sigma fraternity.
David Ruffin's departure and Dennis Edwards' arrival[edit]
By 1967,
David Ruffin
David Ruffin had begun demanding special treatment as lead
singer, riding to and from gigs in a private mink-lined limousine with
his then-girlfriend,
Motown
Motown singer Tammi Terrell, instead of in 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 as Diana Ross & the
Supremes, Ruffin felt entitled to the same treatment and demanded that
his group be renamed as well, to
David Ruffin
David Ruffin & the Temptations.
Ruffin was also causing friction with
Berry Gordy
Berry Gordy by demanding an
accounting of the group's earnings;[19]
Motown
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.[19]
Some of this behavior was attributed to the fact that by this time
Ruffin had begun using cocaine 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),[20] the group decided that he had crossed the line. The other
four Temptations drew up legal documentation, officially firing Ruffin
on June 27, 1968.[21] The next day, Dennis Edwards, a singer formerly
of the Contours that
Eddie Kendricks
Eddie Kendricks and
Otis Williams already had
pegged as a potential Ruffin replacement,[22] 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, 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.[23] 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.[23]
In a story recounted several times by Dennis Edwards,[22] (rebutted by
Otis Williams and Temptations road manager Don Foster),[24] 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. 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.[22][24]
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
Motown in October 1968, seeking a
release from the label, but
Motown
Motown countersued to keep the singer from
leaving and the case was eventually settled out of court.[25] The
settlement required Ruffin to remain with
Motown
Motown as a solo artist to
finish out his contract.[25]
Edwards' first album with the Temptations was Live at the Copa,
recorded at the group's return to the Copacabana nightclub. The year
1968 also saw the debut of the first of a number of collaborations for
the Temptations with Diana Ross & the Supremes. The results
included two studio albums: 1968's Diana Ross & the Supremes Join
The Temptations, which featured Edwards's first studio recordings with
the group and the number-two hit single "I'm Gonna Make You Love Me"
and "Together". There was also a joint tour and two
NBC
NBC television
specials, TCB (aired December 9, 1968) and
G.I.T. on Broadway
G.I.T. on Broadway (aired
November 12, 1969).
Psychedelic soul[edit]
The Temptations
The Temptations perform on
The Ed Sullivan Show
The Ed Sullivan Show in September 1969.
Left to right: Otis Williams, Melvin Franklin, Eddie Kendricks, Paul
Williams, and Dennis Edwards.
The addition of
Dennis Edwards
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
band Sly & the Family Stone. This new style, which debuted with
the Top 10 hit single "Cloud Nine"[18] in October 1968, was a marked
departure from the David Ruffin-era ballads. The instrumentation was
funkier, 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
Motown its first Grammy Award, for Best R&B Vocal Group
Performance of 1969.
The blending of the
Motown
Motown sound and psychedelic rock sound resulted
in a new subgenre of music called psychedelic soul, 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", and music
of the 5th Dimension, the Undisputed Truth, and the Friends of
Distinction. More Temptations psychedelic soul singles followed in
1969 and 1970—among them "Runaway Child, Running Wild" (a number-one
R&B hit), "I Can't Get Next to You" (a number-one pop hit),
"Psychedelic Shack", and "Ball of Confusion (That's What the World Is
Today)", 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 (1969) and
Psychedelic Shack
Psychedelic Shack (1970).
Psychedelic Shack
Psychedelic Shack includes
the original version of "War", later made famous by Edwin Starr.
Eddie Kendricks
Eddie Kendricks and Paul Williams' departures[edit]
Paul Williams, who suffered from sickle-cell disease, fell into
depression because of the stress of touring and personal issues. By
the late 1960s, he had developed a serious case of alcoholism. Having
never previously consumed anything stronger than milk, he began to
drink quite heavily, and it was hard to take, according to Otis
Williams.[26][27] As his physical and mental health began to decline
sharply, it made performing increasingly difficult. Williams began
traveling with oxygen tanks,[26] and the other four Temptations made
valiant efforts to raid and drain his alcohol stashes.[26]
In late 1969, Richard Street, lead singer of
Motown
Motown act the Monitors
and a former Distant, was hired by
Otis Williams to tour with the
group as a backup replacement for Williams.[26][28] For most shows,
save for his solo numbers, Williams would dance and lip-sync 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.[29]
Eddie Kendricks
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.[30] 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
Berry Gordy and the
Motown
Motown staff would be willing to go over all group finances with
independent accountants.[30]
Otis Williams and Franklin strongly
opposed this idea, and regular group infighting between Kendricks,
Otis Williams, and Franklin grew from this disagreement.[30] After a
November 1970 Copacabana engagement, one 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.[30] 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.[31]
Before Kendricks officially left the Temptations, he and Paul Williams
recorded the lead vocals for "Just My Imagination (Running Away with
Me)", a ballad that became Kendricks' final single with the group.
Included on the Sky's the Limit LP along with the original album
version of "Smiling Faces Sometimes", "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
The Temptations originally hired Ricky Owens, from the Los
Angeles-based vocal group the Vibrations, 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.[32] 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, California on December 6,
1996, at the age of 57.
Whitfield took the remaining Temptations quartet and re-recorded "It's
Summer", the
B-side
B-side to "Ball of Confusion (That's What the World Is
Today)", as a replacement single. "Smiling Faces Sometimes" was
released as a single for the
Undisputed Truth instead, becoming a Top
5 hit on the
Billboard Hot 100
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" 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.[33]
Richard Street
Richard Street officially took Williams'
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),[34] 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
Detroit at the age of 34
from a gunshot wound, his death ruled a suicide by the Wayne County
coroner.
Early 1970s[edit]
In May 1971, the Temptations finally found a permanent replacement for
the first tenor position in twenty-year-old
Baltimore
Baltimore native Damon
Harris. 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)" (1971), a message from the Temptations to
David Ruffin
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, the sister of
Martha Reeves, alongside Frankie Gearing and Millie Vaney-Scott.
Late 1972 saw the release of "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone", a magnum opus
written by
Norman Whitfield and
Barrett Strong
Barrett Strong and produced by
Whitfield. Originally a three-minute record written and produced for
the Undisputed Truth, 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 for the instrumental version on the B-side,
and Whitfield and
Barrett Strong
Barrett Strong won the songwriting Grammy for Best
R&B Song.
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
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Masterpiece album. Tensions
developed between Whitfield and the group, who found Whitfield
arrogant and difficult to work with, and the group 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, sought to change
producers.[35]
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, co-producer of the 1967 In a Mellow
Mood album.[35]
The final Norman Whitfield-produced Temptations album, 1990, 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, taking the
Undisputed Truth and Willie
Hutch with him, along with Rose Royce---who performed an instrumental
track for "Let Your Hair Down" before recording their 1976 smash "Car
Wash."
Dry spell[edit]
Bowen's first LP with the Temptations was January 1975's A Song for
You, which included a cover of the titular
Leon Russell
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 as the instrumentalists) and "Shakey Ground" (featuring
instrumentation by Parliament-Funkadelic's
Eddie Hazel
Eddie Hazel along with
Billy Bass Nelson). "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,[36] and his replacement was Washington, D.C.
native Glenn Leonard, formerly of the Unifics.[37]
A number of producers, including Bowen, Brian Holland, James Anthony
Carmichael, and even the Temptations themselves tried producing hits
for the next three LPs, House Party (November 1975), Wings of Love
(March 1976), and
The Temptations Do the Temptations
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.[38]
As time progressed, Bowen pushed
Dennis Edwards
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.[39]
Otis Williams felt that this was hurting the
group, accused
Motown
Motown of inattention, and cited this as the reason for
the group's declining sales and popularity. After
The Temptations
The Temptations Do
the Temptations was recorded in 1976, Edwards was fired from the
group,[40] and with new lead
Louis Price on board, they left Motown
for Atlantic Records.[41]
Success continued to elude the group at Atlantic, however. Their two
releases on Atlantic – Hear to Tempt You (1977), and Bare Back
(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,[39] and shortly afterwards, the Temptations met once again
with
Smokey Robinson
Smokey Robinson and Berry Gordy, who re-signed the group to
Motown
Motown in 1980.[42]
Return to
Motown
Motown and Reunion[edit]
Upon the return to
Motown
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-based producer Thom Bell, until
Motown
Motown began planning a Temptations reunion tour in 1982.
Eddie Kendricks
Eddie Kendricks and
David Ruffin
David Ruffin agreed to rejoin the group for the
new album, aptly titled Reunion, and its subsequent promotional tour.
Rick James, the
Motown
Motown funk star who had previously used the
Temptations as backup vocalists on his 1981 hit "Super Freak" and whom
Franklin claimed as his nephew,[9] wrote, produced, and guested on the
Reunion album's lead single, "Standing on the Top". 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,
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
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[edit]
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
Motown 25 and released the
direct to video The Temptations: Live in Concert (filmed at Harrah's
Atlantic City). The album Back to Basics, released later in 1983, was
the first album featuring
Ron Tyson
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 was featured on one track, "Stop the World Right Here (I Wanna
Get Off)." Woodson was a
Detroit
Detroit native who had been a potential
candidate to replace
Dennis Edwards
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", a duet with Siedah Garrett.
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 members
Al McKay
Al McKay 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
and final 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.)
Edwards was fired from the group for the third and final time in late
1988, with Woodson re-joining the lineup. On January 18, 1989, the
Temptations were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. 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 would not speak to him during the ceremony.[42] 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
David Ruffin died in Philadelphia
after a cocaine overdose on June 1, 1991. Kendricks was diagnosed with
lung cancer soon after; he continued to perform until his death on
October 5, 1992, in his native Birmingham.
1990s[edit]
Richard Street
Richard Street missed a performance in 1992 after undergoing emergency
surgery to remove kidneystones. 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 native Theo
Peoples.
By the early 1990s, bass
Melvin Franklin began missing performances
due to failing health and Ray Davis, former bass man of
Parliament-Funkadelic, began touring as a fill-in during 1993.[43]
Franklin died after suffering a brain seizure 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.
This lineup would not last, however, as Davis was diagnosed with lung
cancer[43] 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, a former member of the Futures. For Lovers Only
would also be the last contribution for lead Ali-Ollie Woodson; he was
released from the group shortly after McGilberry's hiring[44] due to
health problems:[45] he suffered two bouts of throat cancer in a short
time. He was replaced by new member Terry Weeks, who had served as his
sub.[citation needed]
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,
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 from "My Girl," which became a number-one
hit on the adult contemporary charts.[citation needed]
Peoples was fired from the group before the release of Phoenix Rising
because of issues with drug addiction,[46] and was replaced by
Barrington "Bo" Henderson. 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. Peoples
would go on to join the
Four Tops
Four Tops the following year.[citation needed]
TV miniseries[edit]
Main article:
The Temptations
The Temptations (TV miniseries)
Also in 1998, de Passe Entertainment (run by former Motown
vice-president Suzanne de Passe) and
Hallmark Entertainment produced
The Temptations, a four-hour television miniseries based on Otis
Williams' Temptations autobiography. The miniseries was broadcast in
two parts on
NBC
NBC 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.[47] The miniseries was a ratings
success and was nominated for five Emmy Awards, with Allan Arkush
winning for Best Direction;[48] it was subsequently rerun on the VH-1
cable television network and released to
VHS
VHS and DVD.
Otis Williams' former wife Josephine Miles, Melvin Franklin's mother
Rose Franklin, David Ruffin's family, and
Johnnie Mae Matthews filed
lawsuits against Williams, Motown, de Passe and de Passe
Entertainment, Hallmark, and
NBC
NBC for a number of charges, including
defamation.[49]
The lawsuits were consolidated, and the judges ruled in favor of the
defendants, and the ruling was upheld when the plaintiffs appealed in
2001.[50] 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.[48]
From 2000 to present[edit]
The Temptations
The Temptations were inducted into the
Vocal Group Hall of Fame in
1999. In 2001, their 2000 album
Ear-Resistible
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.[51]
His replacement was former Spinners lead G. C. Cameron. The lineup of
Cameron, Otis Williams, Ron Tyson, Harry McGilberry, and Terry Weeks
recorded for a short time before McGilberry was dismissed;[52] his
replacement was former Spaniels bass Joe Herndon. McGilberry died on
April 3, 2006, at the age of 56.
The group's final
Motown
Motown album, Legacy, was released in 2004. Later
that year, the Temptations asked to be released from their Motown
contract, and moved to another Universal label, New Door Records.
Their sole album with this lineup, Reflections, was released on
January 31, 2006, and contains covers of several popular
Motown
Motown songs,
including Diana Ross & the Supremes' "Reflections", the Miracles'
"Ooo Baby Baby", Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell's "Ain't Nothing Like
the Real Thing", and the Jackson 5's "I'll Be There."[53]
G.C. Cameron left the group in June 2007 to focus on his solo
career.[54] He was replaced by new member Bruce Williamson. The new
lineup recorded another album of soul covers, Back to Front,[55]
released in October 2007. Former member
Ali-Ollie Woodson died on May
30, 2010, after a long battle with leukemia.[citation needed]
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 technology.[56]
The Temptations
The Temptations received the
Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award on
February 9, 2013.[57] 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.[58]
Former member
Damon Harris died on February 18, 2013, from prostate
cancer at a
Baltimore
Baltimore hospital.[59] Nine days later, former member
Richard Street
Richard Street died of pulmonary embolism in Las Vegas, Nevada.[60] 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.[citation needed]
In late 2015 both Bruce Williamson and
Joe Herndon announced their
departures from the group.[61] Williamson's replacement, Larry Braggs,
was lead singer of
Tower of Power
Tower of Power from 2000-13[62][63] Herndon's
replacement on bass is Willie Green, who had previously toured with
former Temptations
Richard Street
Richard Street and Ali-Ollie Woodson.[64] Dennis
Edwards died in a Chicago hospital on February 1, 2018, two days
before his 75th birthday. He had been battling with meningitis before
his death
Phases[edit]
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Motown
Motown Sound (1961–68)[edit]
Following their first
Motown
Motown hit, the group would alter 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
Funk Brothers, 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 that later
came to be known as the
Motown
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
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, Wilson
Pickett, and the performers at Stax Records. Whitfield and his
lyricists crafted Temptations songs with shifts of dynamics,
syncopated horn stabs, 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)[edit]
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" 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
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, All Directions, and particularly Masterpiece.
From funk to disco to adult contemporary (1974 to present)[edit]
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
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
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-rooted type of R&B, a style in which they
continue to record.
Legacy and influence[edit]
Berry Gordy
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
Motown talent for the crossover success he
desired.
Motown
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, from those two sources, Atkins
and Williams crafted the resulting signature dance routine.
Like other similar independent companies of the period,
Motown
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
Motown artists such as the Temptations never
achieved official "gold" or "platinum"
RIAA certification
RIAA certification until after
Motown
Motown joined the RIAA in 1977.
During the 1960s and 1970s, a number of soul groups showed significant
influence from the Temptations, among them the Delfonics, the
Chi-Lites, Parliaments, featuring George Clinton, the Dramatics, Daryl
Hall & John Oates (from 1965-67, one of Daryl Hall's earliest
bands was named the Temptones), and
Motown
Motown labelmates the Jackson 5
and the Undisputed Truth. 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
Luther Vandross
Luther Vandross ("Since I Lost My Baby"), to
pop vocalists such as
Bette Midler
Bette Midler ("Just My Imagination"), to rock
bands such as Rare Earth ("Get Ready"), Anthrax, Love and Rockets,
Duran Duran
Duran Duran ("Ball of Confusion (That's What the World Is Today)" 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"). British rock singer
Rod Stewart
Rod Stewart released
a cover of "I'm Losing You" in 1971, and, in 1991, collaborated with
the Temptations on the single "The
Motown
Motown Song".
In 2004,
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone magazine ranked the Temptations number 67 on
their list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time.[65] They received
the Lifetime Achievement
Grammy Award
Grammy Award in 2013. On Saturday August 17,
2013, the Temptations were officially inducted into the R&B Music
Hall of Fame at the inaugural ceremony held at the Waetejen Auditorium
on the campus of Cleveland State University.[citation needed]
Band members[edit]
The Temptations
The Temptations on stage at London's Royal Albert Hall, November 2005.
Pictured L-R: Joe Herndon, Otis Williams, G.C. Cameron, Terry Weeks,
and Ron Tyson.
For a detailed listing of the various versions of the Temptations (and
a timeline), see: List of the Temptations band members.
The Primes[edit]
aka The Cavaliers
Paul Williams (1955–60)
Eddie Kendricks
Eddie Kendricks (1955–60)
Kell Osborne (1955–60)
Wiley Waller (1955–57)
The Distants[edit]
aka
Otis Williams & the Distants,
Otis Williams & the
Siberians
Otis Williams (1958–60)
Elbridge "Al" Bryant (1958–60)
James "Pee-Wee" Crawford (1958–59)
Vernard Plain (1958–59)
Arthur Walton (1958–59)
Melvin Franklin (1959–60)
Richard Street
Richard Street (1959–60)
Albert "Mooch" Harrell (1959–60)
The Temptations[edit]
aka The Elgins
Otis Williams (1960–present)
Elbridge "Al" Bryant (1960–63)
Melvin Franklin (1960–95)
Eddie Kendricks
Eddie Kendricks (1960–71, 1982 reunion)
Paul Williams (1960–71)
David Ruffin
David Ruffin (1964–68, 1982 reunion)
Dennis Edwards
Dennis Edwards (1968–77, 1980–84, 1987–89)
Ricky Owens (1971)
Richard Street
Richard Street (1971–92)
Damon Harris (1971–75)
Glenn Leonard (1975–83)
Louis Price (1977–80)
Ron Tyson
Ron Tyson (1983–present)
Ali-Ollie Woodson (1984–87, 1989–97, 2002)
Theo Peoples (1992–98)
Ray Davis (1994–95)
Harry McGilberry (1995–2003)
Terry Weeks (1997–present)
Barrington "Bo" Henderson (1998–2003)
G. C. Cameron (2003–07)
Joe Herndon (2003–15)
Bruce Williamson (2007–15)
Larry Braggs (2016–present)
Willie Green (2016–present)
Discography[edit]
Main article:
The Temptations
The Temptations discography
Top Twenty Singles[edit]
The following singles reached the Top Twenty of the US Pop Singles
Chart or the UK Pop Singles Chart, or reached the top spot on the US
R&B Chart.
Year
Song Title
US
US R&B
UK
1964
"The Way You Do the Things You Do"
11
1
—
"My Girl"
1
1
43
2 (1991 reissue)
1965
"It's Growing"
18
3
45
"Since I Lost My Baby"
17
4
—
"My Baby"
13
4
—
1966
"Get Ready"
29
1
10 (1969 reissue)
"Ain't Too Proud to Beg"
13
1
21
"Beauty Is Only Skin Deep"
3
1
18
"(I Know) I'm Losing You"
8
1
19
1967
"All I Need"
8
2
—
"You're My Everything"
6
3
26
"I Wish It Would Rain"
4
1
45
"Loneliness Made Me Realize (It's You That I Need)"
14
3
—
1968
"I Could Never Love Another (After Loving You)"
13
1
47
"Cloud Nine"
6
2
15
"I'm Gonna Make You Love Me"
(Diana Ross &
The Supremes
The Supremes and The Temptations)
2
2
3
1969
"Run Away Child, Running Wild"
6
1
—
"Don't Let The Joneses Get You Down"
20
2
—
"I Second That Emotion"
(Diana Ross &
The Supremes
The Supremes and The Temptations)
—
—
18
"I Can't Get Next to You"
1
1
13
1970
"Psychedelic Shack"
7
2
33
"Ball of Confusion (That's What the World Is Today)"
3
2
7
1971
"Superstar (Remember How You Got Where You Are)"
18
8
32
"Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me)"
1
1
8
1972
"Take a Look Around"
30
10
13
"Papa Was a Rollin' Stone"
1
5
14
1973
"Masterpiece"
7
1
—
"Let Your Hair Down"
27
1
—
1974
"Happy People"
40
1
—
1975
"Shakey Ground"
26
1
—
1984
"Treat Her Like a Lady"
48
2
12
1991
"The
Motown
Motown Song"
(
Rod Stewart
Rod Stewart featuring the Temptations)
10
—
—
"—" denotes releases that did not chart
Top Ten Albums[edit]
The following albums reached the Top Ten on either the United States
Pop or R&B Albums Chart.
1965:
The Temptations Sing Smokey
The Temptations Sing Smokey (R&B #1) (US #35)
1965:
The Temptin' Temptations
The Temptin' Temptations (R&B #1) (US #11)
1966:
Gettin' Ready
Gettin' Ready (R&B #1) (US #12)
1966: Greatest Hits (R&B #1) (US #5)
1967:
Temptations Live!
Temptations Live! (R&B #1) (US #10)
1967:
The Temptations with a Lot o' Soul
The Temptations with a Lot o' Soul (R&B #1) (US #7)
1967:
The Temptations in a Mellow Mood
The Temptations in a Mellow Mood (R&B #1) (US #13)
1968:
The Temptations Wish It Would Rain
The Temptations Wish It Would Rain (R&B #1) (US #13)
1968:
The Temptations Show
The Temptations Show (R&B #2) (US #24)
1968: Diana Ross & the Supremes Join the Temptations (with Diana
Ross & the Supremes) (R&B #1) (US #2)
1968: TCB (with Diana Ross & The Supremes) (R&B #1) (US #1)
1968: Live at the Copa (R&B #2) (US #15)
1969: Cloud Nine (R&B #1) (US #4)
1969:
Puzzle People
Puzzle People (R&B #1) (US #5)
1969: Together (R&B #6) (US #28)
1969: On Broadway (R&B #4) (US #38)
1970:
Psychedelic Shack
Psychedelic Shack (R&B #1) (US #9)
1970: Live at London's
Talk
Talk of the Town (R&B #5) (US #21)
1970: Greatest Hits, Vol. 2 (R&B #2) (US #15)
1971: Sky's the Limit (R&B #2) (US #16)
1972: Solid Rock (R&B #1) (US #24)
1972:
All Directions
All Directions (R&B #1) (US #2)
1973:
Masterpiece
Masterpiece (R&B #1) (US #7)
1973: Anthology (R&B #5) (US #65)
1973: 1990 (R&B #2) (US #19)
1975: A Song for You (R&B #1) (US #13)
1975:
Wings of Love
Wings of Love (R&B #3) (US #29)
1976:
The Temptations Do the Temptations
The Temptations Do the Temptations (R&B #10) (US #53)
1982: Reunion (R&B #2) (US #37)
1984:
Truly for You
Truly for You (R&B #3) (US #55)
1986: To Be Continued (R&B #4) (US #74)
1998: Phoenix Rising (R&B #8) (US #44)
Filmography[edit]
1973: Save the Children
1987: Happy New Year
2007: Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story
Television work[edit]
1985:
The Fall Guy
The Fall Guy (TV episode Rockabye Baby, February 13, 1985)
1985:
The Love Boat
The Love Boat (TV episode Your Money or Your Wife/Joint
Custody/The Temptations, October 5, 1985)
1986: Moonlighting (TV episode Symphony in Knocked Flat, October 21,
1986)
1986: 227 (TV episode Temptations, November 15, 1986)
1990:
Murphy Brown
Murphy Brown (TV episode Goin' to the Chapel, Part 2, May 21,
1990)
1990: performed
CBS
CBS network's 1990–91 version of their "Get Ready"
campaign with an updated version of Get Ready.
1993:
Getting By
Getting By (TV episode Reach for the Stars, November 23, 1993)
1996:
New York Undercover
New York Undercover (TV episode Deep Cover, May 2, 1996)
2008:
Friday Night with Jonathan Ross
Friday Night with Jonathan Ross (TV appearance), March 7, 2008
2012:
Dancing with the Stars
Dancing with the Stars (TV appearance), April 23, 2012 –
Motown
Motown Week
Video and
DVD
DVD releases[edit]
1991:
The Temptations
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
The Temptations – Live In London (1987)
References[edit]
^ Graff, Gary (August 29, 1988). "The Temptations: Otis tells the
group's tale",
Detroit
Detroit Free Press. Online version available from
Internet Archive
Internet Archive at [1]
^ (2005). "
The Temptations
The Temptations Archived 2005-03-20 at the Wayback
Machine.". Memorabletv.com. Retrieved November 5, 2005.
^ (2003). "
The Temptations
The Temptations Archived 2005-03-05 at the Wayback
Machine.". ClassicMotown.com. Retrieved November 5, 2005.
^ (2005) Ankeny, Jason. "The Temptations". AllMusic. Retrieved
November 5, 2005.
^ Ribowsky (2010), p. 197.
^ a b Hardin, Ritchie (July 17, 2004). "The Tangled History of The
Temptations". The Ritchie Hardin Network. Archived from the original
on October 18, 2005. Retrieved February 9, 2007.
^ Williams and Romanowski (1988), pp. 26–30.
^ Ribowsky (2010), p. 232.
^ a b Ribowsky (2010), pp. 93–94.
^ a b Williams and Romanowski (1988), pp. 32–38.
^ Williams and Romanowski (1988), pp. 40.
^ Williams and Romanowski (1988), pp. 30, 40–41.
^ Williams and Romanowski (1988), pp. 9, 32.
^ Williams and Romanowski (1988), pp. 68–70.
^ "
The Temptations
The Temptations Biography & History AllMusic". AllMusic.
Retrieved 2017-09-25.
^ "Elbridge Bryant". Discogs. Retrieved 2017-09-25.
^ Blair, Elizabeth (June 4, 2000). "Weekend Edition: 'My Girl'",
NPR.org; retrieved May 17, 2009.
^ a b
The Temptations
The Temptations interviewed on the
Pop Chronicles
Pop Chronicles (1970)
^ a b Ribowsky (2010), pp. 122–124, 174–177.
^ Ribowsky (2010), p. 171.
^ Ribowsky (2010), p. 181.
^ a b c Meros, Tom. "
Dennis Edwards
Dennis Edwards (Interview)".
^ a b Ribowsky (2010), pp. 184–187.
^ a b Ribowsky (2010), pp. 187–88.
^ a b Ribowsky (2010), pp. 199–200.
^ a b c d Ribowsky (2010), pp. 165, 212, 217–222.
^ Pierce, Scott D., "Tale of the Temptations", Deseret News, November
1, 1998.
^ Street, Richard with Flanigan, Gary (2014). Ball of Confusion: My
Life as a Temptin' Temptation. Tate Publishing.
pp. 102–105. CS1 maint: Multiple names: authors list
(link)
^ Interview with Richard Street, R&B Showcase Magazine Retrieved
from [2] on May 13, 2010.
^ a b c d Ribowsky (2010), pp. 213–216, 219–221.
^ Interview with Eddie Kendricks, Urban Street. Retrieved from [3] on
May 17, 2009.
^ Ribowsky (2010), p. 226.
^ Ribowsky (2010), p. 227.
^ Ribowsky (2010), p. 236.
^ a b Williams and Romanowski (2002), pp. 161–166.
^ Williams and Romanowski (2002), pp. 170–171.
^ Williams and Romanowski (2002), p. 172.
^ Williams and Romanowski (2002), pp. 249, 259.
^ a b Williams and Romanowski (2002), p. 177.
^ Williams and Romanowski (2002), p. 183.
^ Williams and Romanowski (2002), pp. 178–82.
^ a b Williams and Romanowski (2002), pp. 193–197.
^ a b "Ray Davis-The Original P Interview". Vermontreview.tripod.com.
Retrieved November 8, 2008.
^ "Ali and Harry together in concert". Thetemptations.com. Archived
from the original on July 28, 2011. Retrieved November 2, 2011.
^ "Otis Williams". Otiswilliams.net. Archived from the original on
October 17, 2008. Retrieved November 8, 2008.
^ wcao1234. "THEO PEOPLES VISITS LEE MICHAELS & HEAVEN 600".
^ Zurawick, David (October 31, 1998). "'Temptations' is hard to resist
Preview: In the history department, this miniseries is a bit shaky.
But when the music starts, holes in the plot melt into the
background.." The
Baltimore
Baltimore Sun. Retrieved February 17, 2013.
^ a b Williams and Romanowski, pp. 236–239.
^ "Two Lawsuits Are Filed Against 'Temptations' Miniseries". Jet.
April 5, 1999. Retrieved February 17, 2013.
^ "RUFFIN-STEINBACK v. dePASSE (United States District Court, E.D.
Michigan, Southern Division.)" (PDF). February 3, 2000. Retrieved
February 17, 2013.
^ "Welcome to Glicker & Associates". Glickerlaw.com. Archived from
the original on October 2, 2008. Retrieved November 8, 2008.
^ "Various Photos".
The Temptations
The Temptations Photo Gallery. Archived from the
original on February 24, 2007. Retrieved February 6, 2007.
^ November 28, 2005. "Temptations Record 15 Classics for Reflections
Archived 2006-01-03 at the Wayback Machine.". Universal Records press
release, Retrieved December 3, 2005.
^ "GC Cameron's WHCR 90.3FM June 8, 2007 Interview with Maurice
Watts". Mauricewatts.com. Archived from the original on November 10,
2008. Retrieved November 8, 2008.
^ "Amazon.com: Back to Front: The Temptations: Music". Amazon.com.
Retrieved November 8, 2008.
^ "
The Temptations
The Temptations Turn to
Auto-Tune
Auto-Tune on New Album". Spinner.com. May
5, 2010. Retrieved November 2, 2011.
^ "The Recording Academy Announces 2013
Special
Special Merit Awards
Recipients: ALAN AND MARILYN BERGMAN, CHARLIE HADEN, CAROLE KING,
ROYER LABS, RAVI SHANKAR, AND THE TEMPTATIONS AMONG CLASS OF 2013
SPECIAL MERIT AWARDS RECIPIENTS". Grammy.com. February 9, 2013.
Retrieved February 27, 2013.
^ "Lifetime Achievement Award for
The Temptations
The Temptations at
Special
Special Merit
Awards Ceremony & Nominees Reception". Grammy.com. February 9,
2013. Retrieved February 27, 2013.
^ Associated Press (February 26, 2013). "Damon Harris, Who Sang With
the Temptations, Dies at 62". The New York Times. Retrieved February
27, 2013.
^ McCollum, Brian (February 27, 2013). "Temptations' Richard Street
dies". USA Today. Retrieved February 27, 2013.
^ Haffenden, George. "New Line-Up Of
The Temptations
The Temptations Revealed". The
Funk
Funk and Soul Revue. Retrieved January 14, 2016.
^ "
Tower of Power
Tower of Power - Larry Braggs' bio". Tower of Power. Retrieved
January 14, 2016.
^ "Tower Of Power Larry Braggs final performance 12.28.13". YouTube.
Retrieved January 14, 2016.
^ Suosalo, Heikki. "Ali Ollie Woodson Interview". Soul Express Online.
Retrieved January 14, 2016.
^ "The Immortals: The First Fifty". Rolling Stone. Retrieved February
5, 2007.
Bibliography[edit]
George, Nelson. "Cool as They Wanna Be". The Temptations: Emperors of
Soul [CD Box Set]. New York:
Motown
Motown Record Co., L.P.
Posner, Gerald (2002). Motown : Music, Money, Sex, and Power. New
York: Random House. ISBN 0-375-50062-6.
Weinger, Harry (1994). "Sunshine on a Cloudy Day". The Temptations:
Emperors of Soul
Emperors of Soul [CD Box Set]. New York:
Motown
Motown Record Co., L.P.
Williams, Otis and Romanowski, Patricia (1988, updated 2002).
Temptations. Lanham, MD: Cooper Square. ISBN 0-8154-1218-5.
George, Nelson (1985, rev. 2003). Where Did Our Love Go: The Rise and
Fall of the Motown. London: Omnibus Press. ISBN 0-7119-9511-7.
Ribowsky, Mark (2010). Ain't Too Proud to Beg: The Troubled Lives and
Enduring Soul of the Temptations. Hoboken, New Jersey: John Wiley
& Sons.ISBN 978-0-470-26117-0.
External links[edit]
Book: The Temptations
Wikimedia Commons has media related to The Temptations.
Official website
The Temptations
The Temptations at AllMusic
The Temptations
The Temptations on IMDb
The Temptations
The Temptations at the
Internet Broadway Database
Internet Broadway Database
Otis Williams' official website (includes current tour schedule)
Ron Tyson's official website
Official homepage for Glenn Leonard
Classic Temptations page at Classic
Motown
Motown website
"The Temptations"
Vocal Group Hall of Fame page
"The Temptations". Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
v
t
e
The Temptations
Otis Williams
Ron Tyson
Terry Weeks
Larry Braggs
Willie Green
Melvin Franklin
Eddie Kendricks
Paul Williams
Elbridge Bryant
David Ruffin
Dennis Edwards
Ricky Owens
Richard Street
Damon Harris
Glenn Leonard
Louis Price
Ali-Ollie Woodson
Theo Peoples
Harry McGilberry
Barrington "Bo" Henderson
Ray Davis
G. C. Cameron
Joe Herndon
Bruce Williamson
Studio albums
Meet the Temptations
The Temptations
The Temptations Sing Smokey
The Temptin' Temptations
Gettin' Ready
The Temptations
The Temptations with a Lot o' Soul
The Temptations
The Temptations Wish It Would Rain
Cloud Nine
Puzzle People
Psychedelic Shack
Sky's the Limit
Solid Rock
All Directions
Masterpiece
1990
A Song for You
House Party
Wings of Love
The Temptations
The Temptations Do the Temptations
Bare Back
Hear to Tempt You
Power
The Temptations
Reunion
Surface Thrills
Back to Basics
Truly for You
Touch Me
To Be Continued...
Together Again
Special
Milestone
Phoenix Rising
Ear-Resistible
Awesome
Legacy
Still Here
Cover albums
The Temptations
The Temptations in a Mellow Mood
For Lovers Only
Reflections
Back to Front
Live albums
Temptations Live!
Live at the Copa
Live at London's
Talk
Talk of the Town
The Temptations
The Temptations in Japan
Other albums
Diana Ross & the Supremes Join The Temptations
TCB
The Temptations
The Temptations Show
Together
On Broadway
The Temptations
The Temptations
Christmas
Christmas Card
Give Love at Christmas
Lost and Found:
You've Got to Earn It (1962–1968)
Compilations
Greatest Hits
Greatest Hits II
Anthology
Emperors of Soul
The Ultimate Collection
My Girl: The Very Best of the Temptations
Psychedelic Soul
Singles
(US/UK Top 10)
"My Girl"
"Get Ready"
"Ain't Too Proud to Beg"
"Beauty Is Only Skin Deep"
"(I Know) I'm Losing You"
"All I Need"
"You're My Everything"
"I Wish It Would Rain"
"I Could Never Love Another (After Loving You)"
"Cloud Nine"
"I'm Gonna Make You Love Me"
"Run Away Child, Running Wild"
"I Can't Get Next to You"
"Psychedelic Shack"
"Ball of Confusion (That's What the World Is Today)"
"Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me)"
"Papa Was a Rollin' Stone"
"Masterpiece"
"Let Your Hair Down"
"Happy People"
"Shakey Ground"
"Treat Her Like a Lady"
"The
Motown
Motown Song"
"My Girl" (reissue)
Related
The Temptations
The Temptations (miniseries)
Discography
The Supremes
The Undisputed Truth
Norman Whitfield
Barrett Strong
Sly Stone
George Clinton
Book
Category
v
t
e
The Temptations
The Temptations singles discography
1960s
"Oh Mother of Mine" (1961)
"Check Yourself" (1961)
"(You're My) Dream Come True" (1962)
"Mind Over Matter (I'm Gonna Make You Mine)" (1962)
"Paradise" (1962)
"I Want a Love I Can See" (1963)
"Farewell My Love" (1963)
"The Way You Do the Things You Do" (1964)
"I'll Be in Trouble" (1964) / "The Girl's Alright with Me" (1964)
"Girl (Why You Wanna Make Me Blue)" (1964)
"My Girl" (1964)
"It's Growing" (1965)
"Since I Lost My Baby" (1965) / "You've Got to Earn It" (1965)
"My Baby" (1965) / "Don't Look Back" (1965)
"Get Ready" (1966)
"Ain't Too Proud to Beg" (1966)
"Beauty Is Only Skin Deep" (1966)
"(I Know) I'm Losing You" (1966)
"All I Need" (1967)
"You're My Everything" (1967) / "I've Been Good To You" (1967)
"(Loneliness Made Me Realize) It's You That I Need" (1967)
"I Wish It Would Rain" (1968) / "I Truly, Truly Believe" (1968)
"I Could Never Love Another (After Loving You)" (1968)
"Please Return Your Love to Me" (1968)
"Cloud Nine" (1968)
"Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" (1968) / "Silent Night" (1968)
"I'm Gonna Make You Love Me" (1969)
"Runaway Child, Running Wild" (1969)
"I'll Try Something New" (1969)
"Don't Let the Joneses Get You Down" (1969)
"I Second That Emotion" (1969)
"I Can't Get Next to You" (1969)
"The Weight" (1969)
1970s
"Psychedelic Shack" (1970)
"Why (Must We Fall in Love)" (1970)
"Ball of Confusion (That's What the World Is Today)" (1970)
"Ungena Za Ulimwengu (Unite the World)" (1970) / "Hum Along and Dance"
(1970)
"Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me)" (1971)
"It's Summer" (1971)
"Superstar (Remember How You Got Where You Are)" (1971)
"Take a Look Around" (1972)
"Mother Nature" (1972) / "Funky Music Sho Nuff Turns Me On" (1972)
"Papa Was a Rollin' Stone" (1972)
"Masterpiece" (1973)
"Plastic Man" (1973)
"Hey Girl (I Like Your Style)" (1973)
"Law of the Land" (1973)
"Let Your Hair Down" (1973)
"Heavenly" (1974)
"You've Got My Soul on Fire" (1974)
"Happy People" (1974)
"Shakey Ground" (1975)
"Glasshouse" (1975)
"Keep Holdin' On" (1976)
"Up the Creek (Without a Paddle)" (1976)
"Who are You (and What are You Doing the Rest of Your Life)" (1976)
"In a Lifetime" (1977)
"Think for Yourself" (1977)
"Bare Back" (1978)
"Ever Ready Love" (1978)
1980s
"Power" (1980)
"Struck By Lightning Twice" (1980)
"Aiming At Your Heart" (1981)
"Oh What A Night" (1981)
"Standing On The Top - Pt. 1" (1982)
"More On The Inside" (1982)
"Money's Hard To Get" (1982)
"Love On My Mind Tonight" (1983)
"Surface Thrills" (1983)
"Miss Busy Body (Get Your Body Busy)" (1983)
"Sail Away" (1984)
"Treat Her Like a Lady" (1984)
"My Love Is True (Truly For You)" (1985)
"How Can You Say That It's Over" (1985)
"Do You Really Love Your Baby" (1985)
"Deeper Than Love" (1985)
"Touch Me" (1986)
"I'm Fascinated" (1986)
"A Fine Mess" (1986)
"My Girl" (re-issue) (1986)
"Lady Soul" (1986)
"To Be Continued..." (1986)
"Someone" (1987)
"I Wonder Who She's Seeing Now" (1987)
"Papa Was a Rollin' Stone" (re-issue) (1987)
"Look What You Started" (1987)
"Do You Wanna Go With Me" (1988)
"All I Want From You" (1989)
"Special" (1989)
"Loveline" (1989)
1990s
"Soul to Soul" (1990)
"One Step At A Time (Remix)" (1990)
"The
Motown
Motown Song" (1991)
"The Jones" (1991)
"My Girl" (re-issue) (1992)
"Hoops of Fire" (1992)
"Error of Our Ways" (1994)
"Silent Night" (1995)
"Stay" (1998)
"This is My Promise" (1998)
"How Could He Hurt You" (1999)
2000s
"I'm Here" (2000)
v
t
e
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Class of 1989
Performers
Dion
Otis Redding
The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones (Mick Jagger, Brian Jones, Keith Richards, Ian
Stewart, Mick Taylor, Charlie Watts, Ronnie Wood, Bill Wyman)
The Temptations
The Temptations (Dennis Edwards, Melvin Franklin, Eddie Kendricks,
David Ruffin, Otis Williams, Paul Williams)
Stevie Wonder
Early influences
The Ink Spots
Bessie Smith
The Soul Stirrers
Non-performers
(Ahmet Ertegun Award)
Phil Spector
Authority control
WorldCat Identities
VIAF: 153696453
LCCN: n87111409
ISNI: 0000 0001 1504 1997
GND: 5064631-X
SUDOC: 083487611
BNF: cb139069738 (data)
MusicBrainz: d8df96ae-8fcf-4997-b3e6-
