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The Temptations

2007 Schools Wikipedia Selection. Related subjects: Performers and composers

   The Temptations
   The current lineup of the Temptations. Left to right: Terry Weeks, Joe
   Herndon, Ron Tyson, G.C. Cameron, and Otis Williams.
   The current lineup of the Temptations. Left to right: Terry Weeks, Joe
   Herndon, Ron Tyson, G.C. Cameron, and Otis Williams.
   Background information
   Also known as The Primes, The Distants, Otis Williams & the Distants,
   The Elgins, The Pirates
   Origin Detroit, Michigan, USA
   Genre(s) R&B/ pop/ soul
   Years active 1960 - present
   Label(s) Warwick, Motown, Atlantic, New Door/Universal
   Associated
   acts The Supremes
   Website www.otiswilliams.net
   Members
   G.C. Cameron
   Terry Weeks
   Ron Tyson
   Joe Herndon
   Otis Williams
   Former members
   Elbridge "Al" Bryant
   Melvin Franklin
   Eddie Kendricks
   Paul Williams
   David Ruffin
   Dennis Edwards
   Richard Street
   Damon Harris
   Glenn Leonard
   Louis Price
   Ali-Ollie Woodson
   Theo Peoples
   Ray Davis
   Harry McGilberry
   Barrington "Bo" Henderson

   The Temptations (often abbreviated as "The Tempts" or "The Temps") are
   an American Motown singing group whose repertoire has included doo-wop,
   soul, psychedelia, funk, disco, R&B, and adult contemporary.

   Formed in Detroit, Michigan in 1960 as The Elgins, The Temptations have
   always featured five African American male vocalists/dancers. The
   group, known for its recognizable choreography, distinct harmonies, and
   onstage suits, has been said to be as influential to soul as The
   Beatles are to rock . Having sold an estimated 22 million albums by
   1982, The Temptations are one of the most successful groups in music
   history and were the definitive male vocal group of the 1960s . In
   addition, they have the second-longest tenure on Motown (behind Stevie
   Wonder), as they were with the label for a total of 40 years: 16 years
   from 1961 to 1977, and 24 more from 1980 to 2004 (from 1977 to 1980,
   they were signed to Atlantic Records). As of 2006, The Temptations
   continue to perform and record for Universal Records with only one
   original member, founder Otis Williams, in its lineup.

   Like its sister group The Supremes, The Temptations' lineup has changed
   frequently over the years. The original group included members of two
   local Detroit vocal groups: second tenor/ baritone Otis Williams, first
   tenor Elbridge "Al" Bryant and bass Melvin Franklin from The Distants;
   and first tenor/ falsetto Eddie Kendricks and second tenor/baritone
   Paul Williams (no relation to Otis) from The Primes. Among the most
   notable future Temptations were lead singers David Ruffin and Dennis
   Edwards (both of whom became successful Motown solo artists after
   leaving the group), Richard Street (another former Distant), Damon
   Harris, Ron Tyson, Ali-Ollie Woodson, Theo Peoples, and G.C. Cameron.

   Over the course of their career, The Temptations have released four
   number-one pop hit singles and 14 number-one R&B hit singles. Their
   material has earned them three Grammy Awards, while two more awards
   were conferred upon the songwriters and producers who crafted their
   seminal 1972 hit " Papa Was a Rollin' Stone".

History

The Primes and The Distants

The Primes

   Birmingham, Alabama teenagers Eddie Kendricks, Paul Williams, Kel
   Osbourne, and Wiley Waller, who all shared a love of singing, formed a
   doo-wop group called The Caviliers in 1955. Reduced to a trio after
   Waller left the group in 1957, Kendricks, Williams, and Osbourne left
   Birmingham in order to break into the music business. After first
   moving to Cleveland, Ohio, they settled in Detroit. The Primes, as the
   doo-wop trio was now called, were well-known around Detroit for their
   meticulous performances. Group manager Milton Jenkins even created a
   sister group for The Primes called The Primettes, recruiting junior
   high schoolers Florence Ballard, Mary Wilson, Diane Ross, and Betty
   McGlown for the spin-off act.

The Distants

   Otis Williams had moved from Texarkana, Texas, to Detroit as a young
   boy. By 1958, he was the leader of Otis Williams & the Siberians, a
   doo-wop group that included Williams, his friend Elbridge "Al" Bryant,
   James "Pee-Wee" Crawford, Vernard Plain, and Arthur Walton. This
   quintet recorded the single "Pecos Kid" backed with "All of My Life"
   for a label run by local dee-jay Senator Bristol Bryant. The single
   never took off outside the local Detroit market, and the Siberians
   changed their name to The El Domingoes shortly afterward.

   At this time, more changes took place. Montgomery, Alabama native
   Melvin Franklin replaced Arthur Walton as the bass singer, and
   Franklin's cousin Richard Street replaced Vernard Plain as lead singer.
   The group soon signed with Northern Records, run by Jonnie Mae
   Matthews, who renamed the group The Distants. The Distants recorded two
   singles for Northern, "Come On" (1959, featuring additional background
   vocals by The Andantes), and "Alright" (1960). Between these two
   releases, Albert "Mooch" Harrell replaced Pee-Wee Crawford. "Come On"
   was a local hit for the Distants, and the Warwick label picked the
   record up for national distribution. After the release of "Alright",
   Matthews appointed Williams the group leader, and the group was renamed
   Otis Williams & the Distants.

Influences and colleagues

   The Primes and The Distants were but two of dozens of local male vocal
   acts, the most famous of which was The Miracles, led by Smokey
   Robinson. The Miracles were known for their excellent stage show, and
   their pop success was something for which both groups strived. Other
   important inspirations included The Cadillacs, Frankie Lymon & the
   Teenagers, The Drifters, and the Isley Brothers.

   The various members of The Primes and The Distants who would later
   become part of The Temptations met a number of their later Motown
   bandmates, labelmates, and producers during the early part of their
   careers. Melvin Franklin had been a member of the recording group The
   Voice Masters, which also included among its ranks Lamont Dozier and
   David Ruffin. The musicians at the recording session for the Distants'
   "Come On" included James Jamerson on bass; The Andantes on background
   vocals; and, on tambourine, Norman Whitfield.

Forming The Temptations

   Although "Come On" sold decently in the Detroit area, the Distants
   never saw much of their share from the record sales, and the second
   single was not as successful. After receiving an offer from Berry Gordy
   of Motown Records, the group got out of its contract with Matthews and
   left Northern. At the same time, it lost Mooch Harrell, Richard Street,
   and the rights to use its name. Street would front a new group of
   Distants for the local Thelma label during the early 1960s.

   The Distants were acquainted with The Primes, as both groups made the
   same rounds to local record hops, talent shows, and concerts. The two
   groups were friendly rivals. Kel Osbourne left the Primes and moved to
   California, and Eddie Kendricks and Paul Williams returned to Alabama.
   While in Detroit visiting relatives, Eddie Kendricks called Otis
   Williams, who, needing two more members for an audition for Gordy,
   offered Kendricks a place in the Distants. Kendricks agreed, with one
   condition — that he could bring Paul Williams with him. Otis Williams
   agreed, and Kendricks and Paul Williams moved back to Detroit to join
   the group.

   The new lineup of Otis Williams, Franklin, Bryant, Kendricks, and Paul
   Williams took on the name The Elgins and auditioned for Motown in March
   1961. Gordy agreed to sign the group to his Miracle Records imprint,
   but discovered just before signing that there was already a singing
   group called The Elgins. The quintet quickly began tossing about ideas
   for a new name on the steps of Motown's Hitsville U.S.A. headquarters.
   At Miracle Records employee Billy Mitchell and Otis Williams'
   suggestion, The Temptations became the group's new moniker. The Elgins
   name would re-surface at Motown in 1965, when Gordy renamed a quartet
   called The Downbeats as The Elgins.

   The Temptations released two singles on Miracle, "Oh Mother of Mine"
   and "Check Yourself", before it was closed and merged with the Gordy
   label (to avoid confusion with The Miracles singing group). All seven
   of The Temptations' singles released between 1961 and 1963 failed to
   make it onto the US pop singles charts; the 1962 single "Dream Come
   True" made it to number 22 on the R&B chart. Paul Williams and Eddie
   Kendricks split most of the leads during this period, with Al Bryant,
   Otis Williams, and Melvin Franklin occasionally singing lead.

   Many songwriter and producer teams had been trying to craft a hit for
   The Temptations, including Berry Gordy, Mickey Stevenson, Clarence
   Paul, and Norman Whitfield. Gordy had in fact written the song " Do You
   Love Me" for The Temptations in 1961, but when he was unable to get a
   hold of the group, he recorded the song with The Contours instead.
   Miracles lead singer Smokey Robinson produced his first Temptations
   single, the Paul Williams-led "I Want a Love I Can See", in 1963, and
   proved to have the best rapport with the group.

   Bryant, who preferred his day job as a milkman to performing, soon
   became restless and uncooperative. After a performance at the 1963
   Motown company Christmas party, Bryant was fired from the group. His
   replacement was Whynot, Mississippi native David Ruffin, younger
   brother of Motown artist Jimmy Ruffin.

The "Classic 5" Era

   In January 1964, Robinson co-wrote and produced " The Way You Do the
   Things You Do" with Kendricks on lead; the single became The
   Temptations' first Top 20 hit that April. While traveling as part of
   Motown's Motortown Revue later that year, Robinson and fellow Miracle
   Ronald White wrote a song for the emotive Ruffin to sing lead on, which
   The Temptations recorded in the fall of 1964. That song, " My Girl,"
   became The Temptations' first number-one pop hit in March 1965, and is
   their signature song to this day.

   David Ruffin's emergence as lead singer gave way to the Temptations'
   most successful period, today referred to as the "Classic 5" era,
   during which Ruffin, Eddie Kendricks, Melvin Franklin, Otis Williams,
   and Paul Williams recorded many of the group's most familiar hits.
   After the success of "My Girl", Ruffin sang lead on the next three
   Temptations singles, "It's Growing", " Since I Lost My Baby" and " My
   Baby", all of which made it to the Top 20 in 1965. The b-side to "My
   Baby", " Don’t Look Back", featured a lead from Paul Williams, and was
   a sleeper hit on the R&B charts.

   In 1966, Norman Whitfield became The Temptations' new main producer,
   after his " Ain't Too Proud to Beg" performed better than Smokey
   Robinson's " Get Ready" on the US pop charts. Whitfield began pushing
   the group away from Smokey Robinson's ballad-based production towards a
   harder-edged and brass-heavy soul sound reminiscent of the work of
   James Brown.

   Nearly all of the pre-1968 Whitfield-produced Temptations singles
   featured David Ruffin on lead vocals, including the R&B number-one/pop
   Top 10 hits " Beauty is Only Skin Deep" and " (I Know) I'm Losing You".
   Other singles from this period included "You're My Everything", on
   which Eddie Kendricks and David Ruffin share lead vocals, and "All I
   Need", produced by Whitfield's protégé Frank Wilson.

   Whitfield's writing partners during this period included Roger
   Penzabene, Temptations road show manager Cornelius Grant, and Edward
   Holland, Jr.. After Eddie Holland left Motown with the rest of the
   Holland-Dozier-Holland songwriting/production team in 1967, Barrett
   Strong, the singer on Motown's first hit, " Money (That's What I
   Want)", began working with Whitfield and Penzabene on Temptations
   material. Two of Whitfield, Strong, and Penzabene's collaborations, " I
   Wish It Would Rain" and "I Could Never Love Another (After Loving
   You)", became hits in 1968. Strong became Whitfield's sole lyricist
   after Penzbene's death in December 1967.

Exit David Ruffin

   Between 1964 and 1968, The Temptations went from unknown hopefuls to
   international stars. The group appeared frequently on television shows
   such as American Bandstand and The Ed Sullivan Show, and catered to
   middle America with a pop standards album ( The Temptations in a Mellow
   Mood, 1967) and performances at the Copacabana in New York City and
   other such supper clubs. Outside of music, the Temptations were made
   honorary members of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc.

   Initially laid back and even-keeled, by 1967 David Ruffin felt that he
   was almost single-handedly responsible for the group's success. He
   demanded special treatment, riding to and from gigs in a private
   mink-lined limousine with his then-girlfriend, singer Tammi Terrell
   (well-known for her duets with Marvin Gaye), instead of in the group
   limousine the other four Temptations used. Ruffin missed a number of
   rehearsals, concerts, and group meetings; and began regularly using
   cocaine. In addition, Ruffin wanted top billing. After seeing how
   Motown had made Diana Ross the focus of The Supremes by renaming the
   group "Diana Ross & the Supremes", Ruffin demanded that his group be
   renamed, as well — to "David Ruffin & the Temptations."

   There was general agreement among the rest of The Temptations that
   Ruffin needed to be replaced. Otis Williams insists that Ruffin was
   given fair warning that if he did not change his attitude, he would be
   fired. When Ruffin missed a June 1968 engagement at a Cleveland, Ohio
   supper club to instead attend a show performed by his new girlfriend (
   Dean Martin's daughter Gail), it was decided that he had crossed the
   line. The other four Temptations drew up legal documentation firing
   Ruffin from the group, and Dennis Edwards, formerly of The Contours,
   was brought in as the new lead singer. Edwards and Ruffin were good
   friends, and Ruffin at first went along with the changing of the guard.
   Shortly afterward, however, Ruffin began turning up at The Temptations'
   shows, jumping onstage during performances of the songs he once sang
   lead on and stealing the spotlight. The audiences were delighted, but
   The Temptations and Motown were frustrated and embarrassed. Extra
   security guards were hired to prevent Ruffin from attending The
   Temptations' performances. Ruffin sued Motown in October 1968, seeking
   a release from the label, and Motown settled by offering Ruffin a solo
   recording deal.

   Beginning in 1968, Berry Gordy commissioned a number of collaborations
   for The Temptations with their old colleagues Diana Ross & the
   Supremes, including a joint tour, two studio albums ( Diana Ross & the
   Supremes Join the Temptations, which featured the number-two hit single
   " I'm Gonna Make You Love Me", and Together), and two NBC television
   specials, TCB (aired December 9, 1968) and G.I.T. on Broadway (aired
   November 12, 1969). The tracks for Diana Ross & the Supremes Join the
   Temptations included Dennis Edwards' first studio recordings with the
   Temptations.

Psychedelic soul

   Rough-voiced Dennis Edwards' addition to the Temptations coincided with
   producer Norman Whitfield's adoption of a new sound for the group. 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" 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 à la 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,
   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", also evident in the
   work of Diana Ross & the Supremes (" Reflections", " Love Child"),
   Marvin Gaye (" I Heard It Through The Grapevine"), and the music of The
   Fifth Dimension and War. More Temptations psychedelic soul singles
   would follow in 1969 and 1970, among them " Run Away Child, Running
   Wild" (a number-one R&B hit), " I Can't Get Next to You" (a number-one
   pop hit), " Psychedelic Shack" , " Ball of Confusion (That's What the
   World is Today)", and "Ungena Za Ulimwengu (Unite the World)".

Exit Eddie Kendricks and Paul Williams

   Paul Williams had sickle-cell disease and frequently was in poor
   health. By the late-1960s, he had developed alcoholism, which, when
   combined with complications from sickle-cell, made it hard for him to
   continue with the group. Oxygen tanks were kept in the wings of
   performance venue stages for Williams, and the other four Temptations
   made valiant efforts to raid his alcohol stashes and drain his cognac
   bottles. By 1969, former Distant Richard Street, now lead singer of
   Motown act The Monitors, was touring with the group as a backup
   replacement for Williams. For most shows, Street would sing Williams'
   parts (save for his solo numbers) from offstage behind a curtain, while
   Williams danced and lip-synched onstage. At other shows, and during
   most of the second half of 1970, Street took Williams' place onstage.

   As Paul Williams' health failed, Eddie Kendricks became detached from
   the group. He regularly picked fights with Otis Wlliams and Melvin
   Franklin over the group's leadership. In addition, Kendricks was
   uncomfortable with the psychedelic soul material the group was now
   performing, preferring the material from the earlier days. Kendricks
   rekindled his friendship with David Ruffin, who persuaded him to quit
   The Temptations and go solo. After another confrontation between
   himself, Williams, and Franklin during a November 1970 Copacabana
   engagement, Kendricks walked out in-between shows and did not return.
   Both Kendricks and Williams agreed at this time that Kendricks would be
   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)", a lush, wistful ballad that became Kendricks' Temptations
   swan-song. Released as a single in January 1971, "Just My Imagination"
   began steadily climbing the US pop singles chart. By the time "Just My
   Imagination" hit number-one in March, Kendricks had negotiated his
   release from the group and signed a solo deal with Motown's Tamla
   imprint.

   In April 1971, Paul Williams quit The Temptations, after a doctor
   declared that he was unable to continue performing. Richard Street
   officially took his place, while Williams remained on The Temptations'
   payroll as an advisor and choreographer. After Williams had recovered
   enough to perform again, Motown made plans for a Paul Williams solo
   career, but he committed suicide on August 17, 1973.

   Kendricks' original replacement was to have been Ricky Owens from The
   Vibrations. However, Owens gave poorly received performances during the
   few shows he performed with the group, and he was dropped after only a
   few weeks. During most of the spring of 1971, the Temptations remained
   a quartet, and recorded the single "It's Summer" without a fifth
   member. By May, they had found a permanent replacement first tenor in
   twenty-year-old Damon Harris.

The Temptations in the early 1970s

   Otis Williams, Dennis Edwards, Melvin Franklin, Richard Street, and
   Damon Harris continued recording and performing, and Norman Whitfield
   continued producing hits for them. Among these were Top 40 hits such as
   " Superstar (Remember How You Got Where You Are)" (1971), a message
   from The Temptations to the estranged David Ruffin and Eddie Kendricks,
   and "Take A Look Around" (1972).

   The fall of 1972 saw the release of Norman Whitfield's magnum opus, "
   Papa Was a Rollin' Stone". Originally a three-minute record written and
   produced for The Undisputed Truth, Whitfield took the sombre tune and
   created a sprawling, dramatic twelve-minute version for The
   Temptations. An edited seven-minute version was released as a single in
   September 1972, hitting number-one on the pop charts and number-five 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 with the instrumental version of "Papa" on the single's
   b-side, and Whitfield and Barrett Strong won the songwriters' 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 40 hit "Masterpiece" (1973) and several of
   the tracks on the resulting Masterpiece album. Tensions developed
   between Whitfield and The Temptations, who found Whitfield arrogant and
   difficult to work with. The group cited his habitual tardiness, his
   emphasis of the instrumental tracks over the vocals on many of his
   productions, and the declining singles and albums sales as other
   sources of conflict. Otis Williams complained about Whitfield's actions
   and the Temptations' stagnant sales to Berry Gordy, who intervened and
   reassigned them to Jeffrey Bowen, co-producer of the 1967 In a Mellow
   Mood album.

   The final Norman Whitfield-produced Temptations album, 1990, was
   released in late 1973, and included the Top 30 single "Let Your Hair
   Down". Whitfield left Motown shortly afterwards, and in 1975
   established Whitfield Records, taking with him The Undisputed Truth,
   Willie Hutch, and Rose Royce, who performed the instrumental track for
   "Let Your Hair Down".

Dry spell

   Bowen's first LP with The Temptations was 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 as the
   instrumentalists) and "Shakey Ground" (featuring instrumentation by
   P-Funk's Eddie Hazel and his band), and "Glasshouse", the group's final
   Top 40 Pop hit. Damon Harris was fired from the group during the
   recording of A Song for You, as his behaviour and work ethic were
   deemed unprofessional; his replacement was Washington, D.C. native
   Glenn Leonard.

   A number of producers, including Bowen, Brian Holland, James
   Carmichael, and even The Temptations themselves tried producing hits
   for the next three LP's, House Party, Wings of Love, and The
   Temptations Do the Temptations, but each single performed worse than
   the last.

   In 1977, The Temptations left Motown for Atlantic Records, citing
   Motown's inattention as the reason for their declining sales and
   popularity. Shortly after leaving Motown, Dennis Edwards left the group
   to begin a Motown solo career, which did not materialze at this time.
   The Atlantic Temptations releases, with Louis Price as the main lead
   vocalist in Edwards' place, did no better than their Motown releases.
   Berry Gordy fought to re-sign The Temptations to Motown, finally
   succeeding in 1980.

Return to Motown and Reunion

   Upon the return to Motown, Price departed from the group, and Dennis
   Edwards returned to the lineup. Berry Gordy co-wrote and produced The
   Temptations' first single under the new contract, "Power", which missed
   the Top 40 but hit number 11 on the R&B charts. Two years of
   underperforming singles and albums followed until Motown began planning
   a Temptations reunion tour in 1982.

   Eddie Kendricks and David Ruffin, whose solo careers had by now run
   dry, agreed to rejoin the group for the Reunion album and tour. Melvin
   Franklin's nephew, Motown funk star Rick James, had previously used The
   Temptations as backup vocalists on his 1981 hit " Super Freak", and
   wrote, produced, and guested on the Reunion album's lead single,
   "Standing on the Top".

   "Standing on the Top", which featured Ruffin, Kendricks, and Dennis
   Edwards on lead, went to number-six on the R&B charts. The Reunion tour
   with all seven Temptations (Ruffin, Kendricks, Otis Williams, Franklin,
   Edwards, Richard Street, and Glenn Leonard) was financially successful,
   but ended up a stressful venture: Kendricks' voice had weakened after
   decades of chain smoking, and Ruffin, still addicted to cocaine, missed
   a number of the performances. At the conclusion of the Reunion tour,
   Ruffin and Kendricks were fired, and they began touring and performing
   together as a duo. Glenn Leonard also left at this time, and was
   replaced by Ron Tyson.

From the 1980s to the 1990s

   By this time, The Temptations' releases were no longer performing well
   on the pop charts, though they sometimes made the R&B Top 20. "Love on
   My Mind Tonight" made it to number 17, and "Sail Away", produced by a
   returning Norman Whitfield, peaked at number 13. In 1984, Edwards left
   the group for a second chance at a solo career, and was replaced with
   Ali-Ollie Woodson, who had been a potential candidate to replace
   Edwards back in 1977. Woodson's first lead on a Temptations single was
   1984's "Treat Her Like A Lady". "Treat Her Like a Lady", co-written by
   himself and Otis Williams, and co-produced by Al McKay and Ralph
   Johnson, formerly of Earth, Wind and Fire. The single became a notable
   success on R&B radio, reaching number-two on the R&B charts, but did
   not cross over to pop audiences. Woodson remained with The Temptations
   until 1987, when he was replaced by a returning (for the second time)
   Dennis Edwards.

   The following year, Otis Williams published his autobiography,
   Temptations, co-written with Patricia Romanowski. It chronicled the
   careers of The Temptations from the Primes/Distants days to the
   present, focusing on the lives of Williams and his best friend Melvin
   Franklin. An updated version was published in 2002.

   Dennis Edwards left The Temptations for the third and final time in
   late 1989, with Ali-Ollie Woodson re-joining the lineup. The same year,
   The Temptations were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame,
   honoring Edwards, Franklin, Otis Williams, David Ruffin, Eddie
   Kendrick, and, posthumously, Paul Williams. After reuniting at the
   induction ceremony, Edwards, Ruffin, and Kendrick made plans to tour
   and record as "Ruffin/Kendrick/Edwards, Former Leads of The
   Temptations". The tour was carried out, much to the chagrin of Otis
   Williams and Motown, but production on the album was cut short when
   Ruffin, age 50, died on June 1, 1991 after overdosing on cocaine.
   Kendrick was diagnosed with lung cancer but continued to perform; he
   died on October 5, 1992 at the age of 52 in his native Birmingham.

   Richard Street left The Temptations in 1992 after a twenty-year
   association with the group, with Theo Peoples taking his place. Two
   years later, Melvin Franklin was forced to leave the group because of
   failing health; he died on February 23, 1995 at the age of 52 after
   suffering a brain seizure. Ray Davis from Parliament/ Funkadelic
   assumed the bass role for the 1995 pop standards album For Lovers Only
   (which contained two tracks led by Melvin Franklin). He left after
   throat cancer diagnosis that year, replaced by Harry McGilberry, a
   former member of The Futures. For Lovers Only would also be the last
   for lead Ali Woodson; he left in 1996, and was replaced by new member
   Terry Weeks.

   The new lineup, consisting of Otis Williams, Ron Tyson, Theo Peoples,
   Harry McGilberry, and Terry Weeks, continued, and was featured in the
   halftime show of Super Bowl XXXII, which marked the 40th anniversary of
   Motown. In 1998, The Temptations released Phoenix Rising, their first
   million-selling album in over twenty years. The album was anchored by
   the Theo-led single "Stay", a number-one hit on the adult contemporary
   charts that featured a sample from The Temptations' "My Girl". During
   the recording of the album, however, Theo Peoples departed, to be
   replaced by Barrington "Bo" Henderson (the album featured both Peoples
   and Henderson on different tracks).

The Temptations mini-series

   Main entry: The Temptations (miniseries).

   1998 also saw the debut of The Temptations, a four-hour television
   miniseries based on Otis Williams' Temptations autobiography. It was
   broadcast in two parts on NBC on November 1 and November 2, 1998. The
   miniseries was a ratings success and won an Emmy award for Best
   Direction; it was subsequently rerun on the VH-1 cable television
   network and released to VHS and DVD.

   Otis Williams' ex-wife Josephine, Melvin Franklin's mother Rose
   Franklin, and, on David Ruffin's behalf, the Ruffin family, filed suit
   against Williams, Motown, De Passe Entertainment, Hallmark
   Entertainment, and NBC for a number of charges, including defamations
   of character. The judges ruled in favour 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 the 1990s to the present day

   The Temptations were inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in
   1999. In 2001, their 2000 album Ear-Resistible won the group its third
   Grammy, this one for Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance. Three
   classic Temptations songs, "My Girl", "Ain't Too Proud to Beg", and
   "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone", are among The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's
   500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll.

   Bo Henderson was fired from the group in 2003, prompting a wrongful
   termination lawsuit. 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 Harry
   McGilberry was dismissed; his replacement was former Spaniels bass Joe
   Herndon. McGilberry died on April 3, 2006, at age 56.

   The group's final Motown album, Legacy, was released in 2004. In late
   2004, The Temptations asked to be released from their Motown contract,
   and moved to another Universal Motown Records Group label, New Door
   Records. Their latest album, 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", Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell's " Ain't Nothing Like the Real
   Thing", and The Jackson 5's " I'll Be There".

Splinter groups

   Several former-Temptations continue to perform outside of the group in
   spin-off or offshoot acts.

   Following David Ruffin's death, Dennis Edwards and Eddie Kendricks,
   along with other members, began touring as "The Temptations" , and
   following Kendrick's death, "Dennis Edwards and the Temptations". This
   prompted a legal battle between Edwards and Otis Williams. It was
   decided that Edwards' group would be called "The Temptations Review
   featuring Dennis Edwards", the name that Edwards tours under to this
   day. Ali-Ollie Woodson, who led the Temptations during much of the
   1980s and 1990s, at one time fronted an act called Ali-Ollie Woodson &
   the Emperors of Soul-- Emperors of Soul being the name of the 1994
   Temptations boxed set. However, Woodson joined Dennis Edwards and his
   Temptations Review in 2006. The Temptations Review's current lineup
   includes:Dennis Edwards, Mike Patillo, David Sea (who was a member of
   Ruffin/Kendrick/Edwards and an original consideration to replace
   Edwards in 1984), Chris Arnold, and Ali-Ollie Woodson, who replaced
   Bernard Gibson).

   Damon Harris formed his own group in the early 1990s, also called The
   Temptations Review, in later years named The Temptations Tribute.
   Richard Street leads a group simply billed Richard Street. Glenn
   Leonard also leads a group, The Temptations Experience, from which Joe
   Herndon left to join the Temptations His spot was filled by former
   Temptations bass Ray Davis, and, following Davis' death on July 5,
   2005, Harry McGilberry, another former Temptations bass. Prior to his
   stint in Leonard's group, Joe Herndon had also performed in Harris's
   group.

Musical style

   The Temptations' songs depended upon the individual members'
   interaction as a group; unlike many other R&B groups, each member of
   the Temptations was a lead singer of some capacity. Although the group
   always had an appointed main lead singer who dominated most the lead
   vocals (from Paul Williams to David Ruffin, Dennis Edwards, and later
   singers such as Louis Price, Ali-Ollie Woodson, and G. C. Cameron),
   that singer was never given more of a promotional push than the other
   members. Co-lead songs, with two or more of the singers sharing the
   lead vocals, are common in the Temptations catalog, particularly among
   the psychedelic-era recordings of the late 1960s/early 1970s.

The "Motown Sound"

   The group would alter their style several times over the years
   following their first Motown hit, adapting to the popular styles of the
   day while retaining their signiture visual and vocal styles. The
   earliest Temptations recordings reflect the influence of producers
   Berry Gordy and Smokey Robinson, featuring a blend of black rhythm and
   blues and white pop music that came to be later identified as the "
   Motown Sound". Backed by Motown's stalwart studio band, The Funk
   Brothers, pre-1966 Temptations recordings were built around songs
   (usually ballads like "My Girl") 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.

   Like most Motown groups, melisma and other complicated vocalization
   techniques were eschewed by the Temptations for a more direct, yet
   obviously gospel-rooted vocal approach, to make the songs more palpable
   for white audiences. Creative control remained primarily in Smokey
   Robinson's hands, although the Temptations, most frequently Eddie
   Kendricks, periodically co-wrote some of their material. Kendricks also
   handled the vocal arrangements for all of the Temptations' material.

   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 like 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, which allowed each member
   freedom to perform without having to all crowd around one or two
   microphones. Under Whitfield's control, the Temptations retained their
   white pop appeal, but also gained popularity amongst black audiences as
   well.

Psychedelic and cinematic soul

   When David Ruffin was replaced by Dennis Edwards, and Sly & the Family
   Stone became popular, Whitfield again restructured the Temptations'
   sound, this time driving the group almost completely into a
   "psychedelic soul" sound. Recordings from this period (such as "Cloud
   Nine" and "Psychedelic Shack", featured echoed vocal tracks, distorted
   guitar lines with prominet use of the wah-wah pedal, hard-hitting
   drums, and various stereo effects and sound effects. The majority of
   these songs feature at least two lead singers; often, all five
   Temptations sang lead, trading bars a la The Family Stone. Dennis
   Edwards, whose vocal style had a rougher, more Southern-soul based
   sound than David Ruffin's, was featured prominently on most of these
   recordings.

   The lyrics for these songs, inspired heavily by Sly Stone's concurrent
   works, centered primarily around social issues such as integration, the
   Vietnam War, and self-consciousness. Ballads in the group's traditional
   style were still being recorded as b-sides and album fillers (the
   exception being "Just My Imagination"). Many of the psychedelic soul
   recordings were presented in extended-length mixes longer than the
   typical three-minute Motown song. 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 in length. Much of the
   running time for each song consists of instrumental passages without
   vocals, at Whitfield's insistence.

   "Psychedelic soul" soon gave way to "cinematic soul": long recordings
   with detailed orchestration and extended instrumental introductions and
   bridging passages, oten 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, the Temptations had no creative control over their
   recordings, and were not fond of the tweleve and thirteen-minute long
   songs that Norman Whitfield was now producing for them. Whitfield's
   contributions were the focal point of Temptations albums such as Solid
   Rock, All Directions, and particularly Masterpiece.

From funk to disco to adult contemporary

   After Whitfield was dismissed as the Temptations' producer in 1974, the
   group altered its sound to accommodate a balance of both up-tempo dance
   material and ballads. The vocal arrangements began to again focus
   primarily on one lead singer per track, although leads were still being
   periodically shared. In addition, the Temptations themselves, after
   fighting Motown and Berry Gordy for creative control, began to write
   and produce some of their material. From this point on, the Temptations
   focused almost exclusively on songs about romance; songs about social
   issues similar to the Whitfield-era recordings were periodically
   recorded as well.

   Mid-1970s Temptations recordings focused significantly on funk music
   influences from artists such as Funkadelic and Sly & the Family Stone;
   members of both acts contributed to Temptations material during this
   period. The group's ballads, reduced to filler material during much of
   the Whifield period, were restored to the lush sound of the earlier
   Smokey Robinson-produced hits. After a brief diversion into disco in
   the late-1970s, the Temptations settled into an adult
   contemporary-rooted form of R&B, a style in which they continue to
   record. As the ages of its members increased, the Temptations' live
   shows have focused on less intricate choreography, although dancing
   remains an important aspect of the group's act.

Legacy and influence

   The Temptations', with their tailored suits and detailed choreography,
   set the bar for male soul and R&B groups. Before The Temptations became
   popular, most black vocal groups were rough, high-energy acts with
   rawer vocals and more improvisational dance movements. Only a few
   performers, including contemporaries Marvin Gaye and Sam Cooke, showed
   the refined style that would be popularized by The Temptations.

   Berry Gordy insisted his acts be equally appealing to white and black
   audiences, and employed a creative team to help tailor Motown talent
   for crossover success. Paul Williams and Motown choreographer Cholly
   Atkins created The Temptation's trademark precise and energetic, yet
   refined, dance steps. The most famous of these, the "Temptation Walk",
   or "Temptation Strut", was adapted from similar moves by a 1950s act
   called The Flamingos and a 1960s act called The Vibrations. From those
   two sources, Paul Williams crafted the group's signature dance routine.

   During the 1960s and 1970s, a number of soul groups showed significant
   influence from the Temptations, among them The Delfonics, The
   Stylistics, George Clinton's original Parliaments, The Dramatics, and
   Motown's The Jackson 5. These acts, and others, showed the influence of
   The Temptations in both their vocal performances and their onstage
   choreography. Several more recent soul and R&B vocal groups, including
   the Johnny Gill-led version of New Edition, Jodeci, BLACKstreet, Dru
   Hill, and, most notably, 1990s Motown act Boyz II Men, also showed
   significant influence from The Temptations.

   Temptations songs have been covered by scores of musicians, from R&B
   singers such as Luther Vandross ("Since I Lost My Baby"), to pop
   vocalists such as Bette Midler ("Just My Imagination"), to rock bands
   such as Rare Earth ("Get Ready"), Duran Duran ("Ball Of Confusion
   (That's What The World Is Today)") and The Rolling Stones ("Ain't Too
   Proud to Beg"). In 1991, British singer Rod Stewart collaborated with
   The Temptations on the single "The Motown Song".

   The lives and careers of The Temptations were one of several
   inspirations for Robert Townsend's 1991 film about a 1960s Motown-esque
   male group, The Five Heartbeats.

Personnel

The Primes

   aka The Cavaliers
     * Paul Williams (1955 – 1960)
     * Eddie Kendricks (1955 – 1960)
     * Kel Osbourne (1955 – 1960)
     * Wiley Waller (1955 – 1957)

The Distants

   aka Otis Williams & the Distants, Otis Williams & the Siberians and The
   El Domingoes
     * Otis Williams (1958 – 1960)
     * Elbridge "Al" Bryant (1958 – 1960)
     * James "Pee-Wee" Crawford (1958 – 1959)
     * Vernard Plain (1958 – 1959)
     * Arthur Walton (1958 – 1959)
     * Melvin Franklin (1959 – 1960)
     * Richard Street (1959 – 1960)
     * Albert "Mooch" Harrell (1959 – 1960)

The Temptations

   aka The Elgins
     * Otis Williams (1960 – present)
     * Elbridge "Al" Bryant (1960 – 1963)
     * Melvin Franklin (1960 – 1994)
     * Eddie Kendricks (1960 – 1971, 1982 reunion)
     * Paul Williams (1960 – 1971)
     * David Ruffin (1964 – 1968, 1982 reunion)
     * Dennis Edwards (1968 –1977, 1980 – 1984, 1987 - 1989)
     * Ricky Owens (1971)
     * Richard Street (1971 – 1993)
     * Damon Harris (1971 – 1975)
     * Glenn Leonard (1975 – 1982)
     * Louis Price (1977 – 1980)
     * Ron Tyson (1983 – present)
     * Ali-Ollie Woodson (1984 – 1987, 1989 -1998)
     * Theo Peoples (1992 – 1998)
     * Ray Davis (1994 - 1995)
     * Harry McGilberry (1995 - 2003)
     * Barrington "Bo" Henderson (1998 - 2003)
     * Terry Weeks (1998 - present)
     * G.C. Cameron (2003 – present)
     * Joe Herndon (2003 – present)

Discography

US and UK Top Ten Singles

   The following singles reached the Top Ten of either the United States
   pop singles chart or the United Kingdom pop singles chart. Also
   included are the singles that hit #1 on the US R&B charts.
  Year                       Song title                      US Top 10 R&B No. 1
  1965: " My Girl"
        Listen                                                   1         1
  1966: " Get Ready"
        Listen                                                   -         1
  1966: " Ain't Too Proud to Beg"
        Listen                                                   -         1
  1966: " Beauty is Only Skin Deep"                              3         1
  1967: " (I Know) I'm Losing You"
        Listen                                                   8         1
  1967: "All I Need"                                             8         -
  1967: "You're My Everything"                                   6         -
  1968: " I Wish It Would Rain"
        Listen                                                   4         1
  1968: " I Could Never Love Another (After Loving You)"         -         1
  1968  " Cloud Nine"
        Listen                                                   6         -
  1968: " I'm Gonna Make You Love Me"
        (Diana Ross & the Supremes and the Temptations)          2         -
  1969: " Run Away Child, Running Wild"                          6         1
  1969: " I Can't Get Next to You"
        Listen                                                   1         1
  1970: " Psychedelic Shack"
        Listen                                                   7         -
  1970: " Ball of Confusion (That's What the World is Today)"
        Listen                                                   3         -
  1971: " Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me)"
        Listen                                                   1         1
  1972: " Papa Was a Rollin' Stone"
        Listen                                                   1         -
  1973: "Masterpiece"                                            7         1
  1973: "Let Your Hair Down"                                     -         1
  1974: "Happy People"                                           -         1
  1975: "Shakey Ground"                                          -         1

Top Ten Albums

   The following albums reached the Top Ten on either the United States
   pop albums chart or the United Kingdom pop albums chart.
     * 1966: Greatest Hits (US #5)
     * 1967: Temptations Live! (US #10)
     * 1967: The Temptations with a Lot o' Soul (US #7)
     * 1968: Diana Ross & the Supremes Join the Temptations (with Diana
       Ross & The Supremes) (US #2)
     * 1968: TCB (with Diana Ross & The Supremes) (US #1)
     * 1969: Cloud Nine (US #4)
     * 1969: Puzzle People (US #5)
     * 1972: All Directions (US #2)
     * 1973: Masterpiece (US #7)

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