From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
For the earlier vocal group of "Barbara" fame, see The Temptations (New York vocal group).
For other uses, see Temptation (disambiguation).
The Temptations | |
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The "Classic 5" lineup of The Temptations: David Ruffin (bottom left), Melvin Franklin (top left), Paul Williams (top right), Otis Williams (bottom right), and Eddie Kendricks (center) c. 1965.
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Background information | |
Also known as | The Elgins, The Pirates |
Origin | Detroit, Michigan, U.S. |
Genres | R&B, soul, funk, doo-wop, rock and roll |
Years active | 1960–present |
Labels | Warwick, Miracle, Gordy, Motown, Atlantic, New Door |
Associated acts | The Supremes, Smokey Robinson, Norman Whitfield, The Four Tops, The Temptations Review featuring Dennis Edwards |
Website | www.temptationssing.com |
Members | Otis Williams Ron Tyson Joe Herndon Terry Weeks Bruce Williamson |
Past members | Elbridge "Al" Bryant Melvin Franklin Eddie Kendricks Paul Williams David Ruffin Dennis Edwards Ricky Owens Richard Street Damon Harris Glenn Leonard Louis Price Ali-Ollie Woodson Theo Peoples Ray Davis Harry McGilberry Barrington "Bo" Henderson G. C. Cameron |
The Temptations are an American vocal group known for their success with Motown Records
during the 1960s and 1970s. Known for their choreography, distinct
harmonies, and flashy wardrobe, they were highly influential to R&B and soul music.[1]
Known to always feature at least five male vocalists and dancers, the group formed in 1960 in Detroit, Michigan, under the name The Elgins. Having sold tens of millions of albums, the Temptations are one of the most successful groups in music history.[2][3][4] As of 2013, the Temptations continue to perform and record for Universal Music Group with one living original member, Otis Williams, still in the lineup.
The original founding members of the group were Otis Williams, Elbridge "Al" Bryant, Melvin Franklin, Eddie Kendricks, and Paul Williams. The members were from two former rival vocal groups, the Distants and the Primes. In 1964, Bryant was replaced by David Ruffin. Four years later, Ruffin was replaced by Dennis Edwards. In 1971, the lineup changed again when Kendricks and Paul Williams were replaced by Ricky Owens and Richard Street. The former replacement was soon replaced by Damon Harris. Like its "sister" group, The Supremes, the Temptations' lineup has changed frequently over the years.
Over the course of their career, the Temptations have released four Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles and fourteen R&B number-one singles. Their material earned them three Grammy Awards. The Temptations was the first Motown recording act to win a Grammy Award and in 2013 the group received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. Six of the Temptations (Edwards, Franklin, Kendricks, Ruffin, Otis Williams and Paul Williams) were inducted to the 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 were also ranked at #68 on the Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 100 Greatest Artists of all time.
History
Origins
Eddie Kendricks and Paul Williams began 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.[5]
After Waller left the group in 1957, the remaining trio left Birmingham
to break into the music business. The group settled at Detroit where
they changed their name to the Primes under the direction of Milton
Jenkins. The Primes soon became well known around the Detroit area for
their meticulous performances.[6] Jenkins later created the "sister group", The Primettes, later known as The Supremes. Kendricks was already seen as a "matinee idol" in the Detroit area while Williams was well received for his baritone vocals.[5] Texas
teenager Otis Williams moved to Detroit as a youngster to be with his
mother. By 1958, Williams was the leader of a vocal group named Otis
Williams and the Siberians. The group included Elbridge "Al" Bryant,
James "Pee-Wee" Crawford, Vernard Plain and Arthur Walton. The group
recorded a song, "Pecos Kid" for a label run by radio deejay Senator
Bristol Bryant.[7] 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 Franklin's cousin, Detroit-born Richard Street, 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).[8] Between these releases, Albert "Mooch" Harrell replaced Pee-Wee Crawford.[8] "Come On" became a local hit and the Warwick Records label picked the record up for national distribution.[8]
Following the release of "Alright", Matthews appointed Williams the
group leader, and the group's name was changed to Otis Williams &
The Distants.[9] During this period, both the Primes and Distants were influenced by other vocal groups including The Miracles.[10] Other inspirations included the Cadillacs, Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers, The Drifters, and The Isley Brothers.[11]
Though "Come On" was a local hit in the Detroit area, the Distants
never saw much record sales and "Alright" wasn't as successful. After
receiving an offer from Berry Gordy to sign with Motown Records,
the Distants got out of their contract with Northern Records. However,
Mooch Harrell and Richard Street shortly departed from the group and the
remaining members lost use of the Distants name. Richard Street later
formed another Distants group who recorded for the Thelma label in the
early 1960s.
Early years
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 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 to join the new group.
The original name for the new lineup of Otis Williams, Melvin
Franklin, Elbridge "Al" Bryant, Eddie Kendricks, and Paul Williams was
the Elgins. Under that name, the group auditioned for Motown in March
1961. Already impressed with some of the members after hearing session
work, Berry Gordy agreed to sign the group to the Motown imprint,
Miracle. However, before signing, Gordy discovered another group was
using the name of Elgins. The group began tossing about ideas for a new
name on the steps of the Hitsville U.S.A.
studio. On a suggestion from Miracle Records employee Billy Mitchell,
songwriter Mickey Stevenson, and group members Otis Williams and Paul
Williams, 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' 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 sang lead on the
Temptations' first charted single, "Dream Come True", which peaked at #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 and 1963 without
much success. Paul Williams and Eddie Kendricks split the leads during
this early period, with Al Bryant, Otis Williams, and Melvin Franklin
occasionally singing lead, as they 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 set 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 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. Due to their lack of hits, the group was given the nickname,
"The Hitless Temptations".
During this time, David Ruffin
began following the group around as he aspired to join the group.
During a local Detroit performance, Ruffin joined the group onstage and
impressed the group with his vocal talent and dancing skills.[12]
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 heated quarrel with Paul and
hitting him in the head with a beer bottle following a disastrous
performance at the 1963 Motown company Christmas/New Years Eve party, Bryant was summarily fired from the group. As a result, David Ruffin was brought in as his replacement in January 1964. Though Ruffin's brother, Jimmy
was also considered for the slot, David was selected following his
performance with them in 1963. Bryant continued to perform in a number
of other local groups, and died at the age of 36 in Flagler County, Florida of liver cirrhosis on October 26, 1975.
The "Classic Five" Era
In January 1964, Smokey Robinson and Miracles bandmate Bobby Rogers co-wrote and produced "The Way You Do the Things You Do" with Eddie Kendricks on lead and the single became the Temptations' first Top 20 hit that April.
Shortly afterward, "The Way You Do The Things You Do" and several
pre-David Ruffin singles were compiled into the group's first album, Meet The Temptations, 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 "The Girl's Alright With Me",
all featured Kendricks on lead. However, producer Smokey Robinson saw
potential in the "mellow" yet "gruff" voice of David Ruffin, and thought
that if he could write the perfect song for his lead, then the group
could have a Top 10 hit.[13]
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, and is 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", all of which made it to the Top 20 in 1965. The 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 promised him that if Robinson's "Get Ready",
with Eddie Kendricks on lead, failed to chart in the Top 20, Whitfield
would be allowed to produce the next song. "Get Ready" subsequently
missed its mark, and Gordy issued the Whitfield-produced "Ain't Too Proud to Beg", with David Ruffin on lead, as the next single. "Ain't Too Proud to Beg" outperformed "Get Ready" on the Billboard charts, and Whitfield became the Temptations' new main producer. He began pulling the group away from the ballad-based productions espoused by Robinson, toward a harder-edged and brass-heavy soul sound reminiscent of James Brown.
Nearly all of the singles produced by Whitfield 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"[14] and the early 1967 hit "(Loneliness Made Me Realize) It's You That I Need". Other important singles from this period include "All I Need", produced by Frank Wilson, a Whitfield protégé, and the "You're My Everything", on which Kendricks and Ruffin share lead. Studio albums during the "Classic Five" period apart from Meet The Temptations include The Temptations Sing Smokey (1965), The Temptin' Temptations (1965), Gettin' Ready (1966), The Temptations with a Lot o' Soul (1967), and 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 in 1959, "Money (That's What I Want)", began working with Whitfield and Penzabene on Temptations material after Eddie Holland left Motown with the rest of the Holland-Dozier-Holland songwriting/production team in 1967. Two of the Whitfield-Strong-Penzabene collaborations, "I Wish It Would Rain" 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 became the sole collaborator of Norman Whitfield.
Exit David Ruffin, enter Dennis Edwards
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 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 fraternity.
By 1967, 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 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 & the Temptations. Ruffin was also causing friction with Berry Gordy by demanding an accounting of the group's earnings.
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
general 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),[15]
it was decided that he had crossed the line. The other four Temptations
drew up legal documentation, officially firing Ruffin from the group on
June 27, 1968.[16] The next day, Dennis Edwards, a singer formerly of the Contours that Eddie Kendricks and Otis Williams already had pegged as a potential Ruffin replacement,[17] 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'd appeared.[18]
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 once sung lead on.[18]
In a story recounted several times by Dennis Edwards,[17] though refuted by Otis Williams and Temptations road manager Don Foster,[19]
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 for the next night for
his "return" engagement, Edwards was kept on, and the prospect of
rehiring Ruffin ceased to be entertained.[17][19]
After Gaithersburg, Ruffin stopped attempting to bogart the
Temptations' concerts and instead turned his attention to the Motown
offices back in Detroit. He sued Motown in October 1968, seeking a
release from the label, but Motown countersued to keep the singer from
leaving and the case was eventually settled out of court.[20] The settlement required Ruffin to remain with Motown as a solo artist to finish out his initial contract.
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. (But it did hit #1 on the Cashbox chart, which reflected its strong sales). There was also a joint tour and two NBC television specials, TCB (aired December 9, 1968) and G.I.T. on Broadway (aired November 12, 1969).
Psychedelic soul
The addition of Dennis Edwards to the Temptations coincided with the
adoption of a new sound for the group by producer Norman Whitfield, and
in the fall of 1968, Whitfield began producing psychedelic-based material for the Temptations, derived primarily from the sound of funk band Sly & the Family Stone. This new style, which debuted with the Top 10 hit single "Cloud Nine"[14] 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 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 and the Supremes ("Reflections", "Love Child"), Marvin Gaye's version of "I Heard It Through the Grapevine", and the music of The 5th Dimension, The Undisputed Truth, and The Friends of Distinction. More Temptations psychedelic soul singles would follow 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 #33 Pop in the fall of 1970. The group's other
important albums from this period included Puzzle People (1969) and Psychedelic Shack (1970). Psychedelic Shack includes the original version of "War", later made famous by Edwin Starr.
Exit Eddie Kendricks and Paul Williams
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.[21]
As his physical and mental health began to decline sharply, it made
performing increasingly difficult. Williams began traveling with oxygen
tanks,[21] and the other four Temptations made valiant efforts to raid and drain his alcohol stashes.[21]
By 1969, Richard Street, lead singer of Motown act The Monitors and a former Distant, was touring with the group as a backup replacement for Williams.[21] For most shows, save for his solo numbers, Williams would dance and lip-sync
onstage 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 onstage.[22]
Eddie Kendricks became detached from the group after David Ruffin's
firing and as the health of Paul Williams continued to fail. In
addition, Kendricks 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. Kendricks 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.[23]
Kendricks lobbied strongly in 1970 to have the Temptations go on
"strike" - no performances, no recordings - until Berry Gordy and the
Motown staff would be willing to go over all group finances with
independent accountants.[23]
Otis Williams and Melvin Franklin strongly opposed this idea, and
regular group in-fighting between Kendricks, Otis Williams, and Franklin
grew from this disagreement.[23]
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.[23]
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.[24]
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 U.S. pop singles chart,
peaking at #1 two months later. By the time "Just My Imagination" topped
the charts, Kendricks had negotiated his release from the group and
signed a solo deal with Motown's Tamla label.
The Temptations originally hired Ricky Owens, 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.[25]
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 on December 6, 1996 at the age of 57.
Whitfield took the remaining Temptations quartet and re-recorded "It's Summer", the B-side to "Ball of Confusion (That's What the World Is Today)", 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
in 1971. Meanwhile, "It's Summer" peaked at #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.[26]
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),[27]
and worked when he could with the group as an adviser and
choreographer. After Williams had recovered enough to record again, he
recorded two sides in 1973 for a debut solo single. However, on August
17, 1973, Williams died in Detroit at the age of 34 from a gunshot
wound, his death ruled a suicide by the Wayne County coroner.
The Temptations in the early 1970s
In May 1971, The Temptations finally found a permanent replacement for the first tenor position in twenty-year-old 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 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, was the release of "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone", a magnum opus
written by Norman Whitfield and 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 #1 on the pop charts and #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 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
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 over the
vocals on many of his productions, and the declining singles and albums
sales as other sources of conflict, sought to change producers.[28]
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.[28]
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
Bowen's first LP with the Temptations was January 1975's A Song for You, which included a cover of the titular Leon Russell tune (popularized with soul audiences by Donny Hathaway), along with the pop Top 40/R&B number-one hits "Happy People" (featuring the Commodores as the instrumentalists) and "Shakey Ground" (featuring instrumentation by Parliament-Funkadelic's 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,[29] and his replacement was Washington, D.C. native Glenn Leonard, formerly of the Unifics.[30]
A number of producers, including Bowen, Brian Holland, James 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 (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.[31]
As time progressed, Bowen pushed Dennis Edwards further to the front of the group. This was evident on Wings of Love, where several tracks featured Edwards' vocal more prominently than the other Temptations' backing vocals.[32]
Otis Williams felt that this was hurting the group, accused Motown of
inattention, and cited this as the reason for the group's declining
sales and popularity. After The Temptations Do the Temptations was recorded in 1976, Edwards was fired from the group,[33] and with new lead Louis Price on board, they left Motown for Atlantic Records.[34]
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,[32]
and shortly afterwards, the Temptations met once again with Smokey
Robinson and Berry Gordy, who re-signed the group to Motown in 1980.[35]
Return to Motown and Reunion
Upon the return to Motown several lineup changes occurred. Louis
Price departed from the group and joined the Drifters. Dennis
Edwards—who had made an unsuccessful attempt at developing a solo career
during his three-year exit from the group—returned to the lineup. And
Berry Gordy co-wrote and produced "Power", the Temptations' first single
under the new contract. "Power", from the album of the same name,
hit #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 began planning a Temptations reunion tour in 1982.
Eddie Kendricks and David Ruffin agreed to rejoin the group for the new album, aptly titled Reunion, and its subsequent promotional tour. Rick James, Melvin Franklin's nephew and the Motown funk star who had previously used the Temptations as backup vocalists on his 1981 hit "Super Freak", 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 departed, and they began touring and performing together as a duo.
One more album, Surface Thrills,
released in 1983, featured a sharp departure in the group's sound by
incorporating elements of then-current rock. Following its release,
Glenn Leonard was let go and replaced by Ron Tyson, who was with the Philadelphia groups the Ethics and Love Committee.
Tyson had been a staff songwriter at Atlantic during the Temptations'
tenure at that label, and co-wrote several songs on the album Hear to Tempt You.
From the 1980s to the 1990s
By this time, the Temptations' releases were no longer performing
well on the pop charts, though some singles still made the R&B Top
20. "Love on My Mind Tonight," a single from Surface Thrills, charted at number 17.
The lineup of Franklin, Williams, Street, Tyson, and Edwards proved to be short-lived. The five performed on Motown 25 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 on
lead. "Sail Away," produced by a returning Norman Whitfield and
featuring Ron Tyson's first lead vocal, peaked at number 13. 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 native who had been a potential candidate
to replace Dennis Edwards back in 1977. Meanwhile, Edwards (who also had
his share of lead vocals on the Back to Basics album) was again fired in 1984, for missing rehearsals or showing up hungover. He then attempted a second solo career, scoring a hit with the 1984 single "Don't Look Any Further", 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
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 experienced similar
success in 1986 with the single "Lady Soul", another Top 5 R&B
smash.
Ollie 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.[35]
The Temptations ended their induction ceremony with a performance of
Paul Williams' signature song, "Don't Look Back", dedicated to his
memory.
After reuniting at the induction ceremony, and much to the chagrin of
Otis Williams and Motown, Edwards, Ruffin, and Kendrick made plans to
tour and record as "Ruffin, Kendricks and Edwards, Former Leads of The
Temptations". The tour was in fact carried out, but production on the
album was canceled when 50-year-old David Ruffin died in Philadelphia
after a cocaine overdose on June 1, 1991. Kendricks was diagnosed with lung cancer soon after; he continued to perform until his death on October 5, 1992 in his native Birmingham.
The Temptations in the 1990s
Richard Street missed a performance in 1992 after undergoing
emergency surgery to remove kidneystones. Otis Williams, 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 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.[36] 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[36]
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[37] due to health problems:[38] 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.
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 fortieth anniversary of Motown. Later that year, The Temptations released Phoenix Rising, vocally arranged by 1980s producer Narada Michael Walden, Claytoven Richardson, Theo Peoples, Tony Lindsey and Skyler Jett,
which became their first million-selling album in over twenty 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.
Peoples was fired from the group before the release of Phoenix Rising because of issues with drug addiction,[39] 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 the following year.
The Temptations TV miniseries
Main article: 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
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.[40] The miniseries was a ratings success and was nominated for five Emmy Awards, with Allan Arkush winning for Best Direction;[41] it was subsequently rerun on the VH-1 cable television network and released to 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 for a number of charges, including defamation.[42][43]
The lawsuits were consolidated, and the judges ruled in favor of the
defendants, and the ruling was upheld when the plaintiffs appealed in
2001.[43][44]
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.[41]
From 2000 to present
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. Bo Henderson was fired from the group in 2003, prompting a wrongful termination lawsuit.[45] 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;[46] 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. Later that year, the Temptations asked to be released from their Motown contract, and moved to another Universal Motown Records Group label, New Door Records. Their sole album with this lineup, Reflections,
was released on January 31, 2006, and contains covers of several
popular Motown songs, including Diana Ross & the Supremes' "Reflections", the Miracles' "Ooo Baby Baby", Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell's "Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing", and the Jackson 5's "I'll Be There".[47]
G. C. Cameron left the group in June 2007 to focus on his solo career.[48] He was replaced by new member Bruce Williamson. The new lineup recorded another album of soul covers, Back to Front,[49] released in October 2007. Former member Ali-Ollie Woodson died on May 30, 2010 after a long battle with leukemia.
This lineup still exists today and 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 technology.[50]
The Temptations received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award on February 9, 2013.[51]
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.[52]
Former member Damon Harris died on February 18, 2013 from prostate cancer at a Baltimore hospital.[53] Eight days later, former member Richard Street died of pulmonary embolism in Las Vegas, Nevada.[54]
On May 13, 2013, Ron Tyson confirmed a new album rumored by the name
of "Rulers of The Soul" was 2/3 of the way completed. He said this CD
would have more contemporary/mainstream feel, with major names featured,
such as Ne-Yo, Miguel, Drake, Mario Winans, and T.I.. An estimated winter 2014 release is the desired release date for the group's new project.[citation needed]
Splinter groups
Several former Temptations performed outside of the group in spin-off or offshoot acts.
Ruffin, Kendrick & Edwards
The most well known splinter was "Ruffin, Kendrick(s) & Edwards:
Former Leads of the Temptations", which featured the three former
Temptations and three other members, David Sea, who'd been a
consideration to replace Edwards in 1984, and Nate Evans, a former
member of The Impressions.
Unfortunately, David Ruffin died on June 1, 1991, and those plans were
postponed. Following the death of David Ruffin, Dennis Edwards and Eddie
Kendrick began touring as "The Temptations", still with David Sea and
Nate Evans, and bringing in another former Temptation, Damon Harris. The
group had different sixth vocalists at different times, including
Charles Blackmon (Blagman), from The Choice Four, and Curtis Taylor.[55]
but their use of the Temptations name prompted a legal battle with Otis
Williams. The legal battle was resolved in favor of Otis Williams who
is still touring as the last original Temptation. Before Eddie Kendricks
(now named Eddie Kendrick) died, he, Dennis Edwards, Damon Harris,
Charles Blackmon (Blackman), David Sea, and Nate Evans recorded an album
of all of the old Temptations song that was released in 1992. Everybody
loved the album, but their future recording sessions were put on hold
when Eddie Kendrick (Kendricks) died.
Dennis Edwards and Damon Harris form offshoot groups
Following the death of Eddie Kendrick, the group splintered. Dennis
formed "Dennis Edwards and the Temptations Revue", Damon formed "Damon
Harris and the Temptations Revue" featuring future Temptation Joe
Herndon, Evans and Taylor formed a Temptations tribute band[56] and David Sea went on to a solo career.
Edwards' group, whose lineup in 1993 featured Edwards, Mike Patillo
(bass), Bernard Gibson (tenor), a fourth male member, and a female
member, has appeared on several PBS
music specials. The female member was replaced by the returning David
Sea in 1999, and the remaining male member by falsetto Chris Arnold in
the early 2000s (decade). Between 1993 and 2000, troubles in Edwards'
group began to come up. The female member was always late for the
concerts because she was always hungry for fast food whenever the group
toured. The fourth male member would usually do a lot of drugs before
every show, and he would be late for rehearsals every once in a while.
When the female member was too busy eating cheeseburgers for her fat
belly to show up on tour nights, David Sea would have to fill in for
her. When 1998 was about to end, the female member was fired, and David
Sea returned to be with Dennis Edwards' group full-time. As for the
remaining male member, he had a lot of problems with some members of the
group, and would go play with "The Temptations Experience" every once
in a while. Chris Arnold found out what was going on because he filled
in for Eddie Kendricks (Kendrick) in 1992 before Dennis Edwards formed
"Dennis Edwards and the Temptations Revue" in 1993, and he joined the
group on January 1, 2000. A few years later, Bernard Gibson started
doing drugs after every show, and that made the other group members
really upset. As a result of that, whenever Bernard Gibson was late or
sick, either Ali-Ollie Woodson or Paul Williams Jr. would fill in for
him, and would do Bernard's notes. Gibson's last show with Edwards'
group was on February 23, 2006.
Bernard Gibson was fired in 2006,[57] and replaced by another former Temptation, Ali-Ollie Woodson. Woodson had previously fronted an act called Ali-Ollie Woodson & the Emperors of Soul, the name being drawn from the Temptations boxed set released in 1994. Woodson left the group briefly in 2008 to join a touring theatrical production, The Greatest (Love) Story Ever Told,
and was replaced by Paul Williams, Jr., son of Paul Williams, Sr.
Woodson briefly rejoined, but left again due to cancer, with Paul
Williams Jr. again taking his place. Woodson died on May 30, 2010.
Currently, "Dennis Edwards and the Temptations Revue" are working on
an album that should be out in the very near future. Of course, they
have yet started to perform any of their original songs live yet. A lot
of people believed that Edwards' group is closer to the original
Temptations than the actual Temptations with founder Otis Williams. They
have been booked more times than the actual Temptations, despite the
fact that they have yet been signed by a record label.
Glenn Leonard's Temptations Revue
Harris later split from his "Temptations Revue", with the other four
members joining another former Temptation falsetto, Glenn Leonard, to
become "Glenn Leonard and the Temptations Experience." Joe Herndon left
this group to join the Temptations[58] and his spot was filled by former Temptations bass singer Ray Davis. Following Davis' death on July 5, 2005, the spot was filled by another former Temptations bass singer Harry McGilberry,
who died of an apparent drug overdose at the age of 56 on April 3,
2006. Damon Harris would form a new group later, billed as "Damon Harris
and the Temptations Tribute." Harris died on February 18, 2013.
Glenn Leonard has maintained his lineup throughout the 2000–2013
decade, and is billing his show "Glenn Leonard's Temptations Revue" http://www.glennleonardpromo.com
His current lineup includes Joe Coleman (longtime member of The
Platters), Joe Blunt (longtime member of The Drifters), John "Doc"
Devone and Andre Jackson.
In 2013, they have performed throughout the United States on major
concert tours, and have performed in countries such as Denmark, France,
Brazil, Qatar, and many other countries throughout the world.
Richard Street's Temptations
Richard Street also led a group, billed as "Richard Street" or "Richard Street's Temptations".[59] 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. If it is published, it will be the second autobiography regarding the group.
In 1992, the "Ruffin & Kendricks" roadie, Tony Turner also wrote a
book, assisted by Barbara Aria, contrasting Otis Williams's account of
the group's glory days, entitled Deliver Us From Temptation.
Street died on February 26, 2013. The lineup for "Richard Street's
Temptations" before Richard Street's death were Larry Johnson, Eddie
Watkins Jr., Bob Henley III, Lawrence Jones,Curtis Taylor Dennis Iman
and Richard Street. When Richard Street died on February 26, 2013, Larry
Johnson took over as the leader of the group, and Terry Forsythe joined
the group to do Street's lines in "My Girl" and "Ain't Too Proud To
Beg" on stage.
"Legendary Lead Singers of The Temptations"
Leonard, Woodson, and Henderson previously toured as "Legendary Lead
Singers of the Temptations" and "The Temptations Reunion Show" since
2004. This prompted a lawsuit by Otis Williams filed in October 2007,
citing not just the three performers but their managers and every venue
that hosted them. Williams' complaint deals with their use of the name,
"The Temptations", as well as claims that the act accepted considerably
lower fees than The Temptations, hurting the group's reputation as well
as the ability to work. Also cited is advertising by the venues claimed
to be misleading by billing Leonard, Woodson and Henderson's group as
"The Temptations".[60]
Musical style
This section does not cite any references or sources. (February 2010) |
Unlike many other R&B groups, each member of the Temptations was a
lead singer of some capacity, and The Temptations' songs depended upon
the individual members' interaction as a group. Although the group
always had an appointed main lead singer who dominated most of the lead
vocals (from Paul Williams to David Ruffin, Dennis Edwards, and later
singers such as Louis Price, Ali-Ollie Woodson, and Terry Weeks), 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" (1961–1968)
Following their first 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 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 Sound".
Recordings made prior to 1966, such as "My Girl", were built around
songs with simple, direct lyrics supported by an R&B rhythm section
with orchestral strings and horns added for pop appeal. During this
period, each recording usually featured only one lead singer, usually
David Ruffin or Eddie Kendricks, although Paul Williams, Melvin
Franklin, and Otis Williams each had solo numbers of their own at
various times during this period.
Melisma
and other complicated vocalization techniques featured in the
arrangements of most other Motown groups of the period were essentially
eschewed by the Temptations for a more direct, yet obviously gospel-rooted
vocal approach, in order to make the songs more palatable for white
audiences. Creative control remained primarily in the hands of Smokey
Robinson. Although, individual members of the Temptations periodically
co-wrote some of their own songs, most frequently by Eddie Kendricks,
who 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 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, 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 (1968–1973)
When David 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".
Most other recordings from this period in 1968–1970 such as "Cloud
Nine" and "Psychedelic Shack" featured echoed vocal tracks, distorted guitar lines with prominent use of the wah-wah pedal, hard-hitting drums, and various stereo
and other sound effects. The majority of these songs feature at least
two lead singers and often, all five Temptations sang lead, trading bars
à la the Family Stone. Dennis Edwards, whose vocal style had a rougher,
more Southern-soul based sound than that of David Ruffin, was often
featured prominently on most of these recordings.
Inspired heavily by the concurrent works of Sly Stone, the lyrics for these songs centered primarily around then-current social issues such as integration, the Vietnam War,
and self-consciousness. In addition, in an attempt to get the social
message contained therein across to their audiences more clearly, many
of the psychedelic soul recordings of this period were presented in
mixes of extended length, often up to twice, triple or quadruple the
length of 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. At the insistence of Norman Whitfield, 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 Rolling Stone" was nearly seven
minutes, featuring an instrumental intro that was almost two minutes, a
rarity for songs of that era.
"Psychedelic soul" soon gave way to "cinematic soul", highlighting a
further series of lengthy recordings featuring detailed orchestration,
extended instrumental introductions and bridging passages. Often
focusing on lyrics about the ghettos and inner cities of black America, these songs were heavily influenced by the work of singer-songwriters Isaac Hayes and Curtis Mayfield.
Unlike Hayes and Mayfield however, the Temptations had no creative
control over their recordings, and were in no way fond of the twelve-
and thirteen-minute long songs being forced upon them by Norman
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)
In 1974, after Whitfield was dismissed as the producer for the
Temptations, the group altered its sound to accommodate a balance of
both up-tempo dance material as well as ballads. The vocal arrangements
began to again focus primarily on one lead singer per track, although
some leads were still being shared periodically. In addition, the
Temptations themselves, after fighting Motown and Berry Gordy for
creative control, began to write and produce some of their own material.
From this point on, the Temptations focused almost exclusively on songs
about romance. However, songs about social issues similar to the
recordings made during the tenure of Norman Whitfield were periodically
produced as well.
Temptations recordings of the mid `70's 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. In
addition, 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.
Although the group continues to feature dancing as an important
aspect of its act, as the ages of its members have increased, live shows
have focused on less intricate choreography.
Legacy and influence
With their tailored suits and detailed choreography, The Temptations
set the bar high for male soul and R&B groups of the period. Before
the Temptations became popular, most black vocal groups were rough,
high-energy acts featuring vocals which were more raw and dance
movements which were more improvisational. Only a few performers,
including contemporaries Marvin Gaye, Sam Cooke, and the Four Tops, showed the refined style that would be popularized by the Temptations.
Producer Berry Gordy insisted that all his acts be equally appealing
to both white as well as black audiences, and employed an extensive
creative team to help tailor Motown talent for the crossover success he
desired. Motown choreographer, Cholly Atkins,
along with Paul Williams created the trademark precise and energetic,
yet refined, dance steps used by the Temptations onstage. The most
famous of these, the "Temptation Walk", or "Temptation Strut", was
adapted from similar moves by the Flamingos and the Vibrations, from those two sources, Cholly Atkins and Paul Williams crafted the resulting signature dance routine.
Like other similar independent companies of the period, Motown was neither a member of ASCAP nor BMI,
preferring to stay independent and handling their own widely varied
distribution through thousands of "Mom & Pop" record stores and
small radio stations. Many singles that might have been charted higher
did not have the data for the Billboard charts
to evaluate, so it is quite possible that the Temptations sold more
than a "Gold Record" number of most of their early records. Their stage
work and depth of their lead singers made them legends throughout the
northern cities as well as the southern "chitlin' circuit", before being acknowledged by most radio disc jockeys as the strongest group around.
During the 1960's and 1970's, 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 to 1967 one of Daryl Hall's earliest bands was named The Temptones), and 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. Several more
recent soul and R&B vocal groups, including New Edition led by Johnny Gill, Jodeci, BLACKstreet, Dru Hill, and, most notably, Boyz II Men in the 1980's also showed significant influence from the Temptations.
It is interesting to note that during the early part of their career, their main competition came from Impressions featuring Curtis Mayfield; then during the phase of the group featuring alternating leads, competition came from Sam & Dave, the Chi-Lites. In their next phase, competition came from the O'Jays. In each case, each group alternated between love songs and songs with messages in their lyrics.
The 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"), Anthrax, Love and Rockets, 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 released a cover of "I'm Losing You" in 1971; in 1991, he collaborated with the Temptations on the single "The Motown Song".
The lives and careers of The Temptations were one of several inspirations for The Five Heartbeats, a 1991 film about a 1960's Motown-esque male group starring Robert Townsend, Michael Wright, Leon, and Harry J. Lennix.
In 2004, Rolling Stone magazine ranked The Temptations #67 on their list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time.[61] They received the Lifetime Achievement 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.
Personnel
- For a detailed listing of the various versions of The Temptations (and a timeline), see: List of The Temptations members.
The Primes
aka The Cavaliers
- Paul Williams (1955–1960)
- Eddie Kendricks (1955–1960)
- Kell Osborne (1955–1960)
- Wiley Waller (1955–1957)
The Distants
aka Otis Williams & the Distants, Otis Williams & the Siberians
- 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 (1960–1995)
- 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 (1971–1992)
- Damon Harris (1971–1975)
- Glenn Leonard (1975–1983)
- Louis Price (1977–1980)
- Ron Tyson (1983–present)
- Ali-Ollie Woodson (1984–1987, 1989–1997)
- Theo Peoples (1992–1998)
- Ray Davis (1994–1995)
- Harry McGilberry (1995–2003)
- Terry Weeks (1997–present)
- Barrington "Bo" Henderson (1998–2003)
- G. C. Cameron (2003–2007)
- Joe Herndon (2003–present)
- Bruce Williamson (2007–present)
Discography
Main article: The Temptations discography
U.S. and UK Top Ten singles
The following singles reached the Top Ten of the United States pop singles chart or the United Kingdom pop singles chart, or No. 1 on the US R&B chart.
Year | Song title | US Top 10 | UK Top 10 | R&B No. 1 |
---|---|---|---|---|
1965: | "My Girl" | 1 | 2 | 1 |
1966: | "Get Ready" | 29 | 10 | 1 |
1966: | "Ain't Too Proud to Beg" | 13 | 21 | 1 |
1966: | "Beauty Is Only Skin Deep" | 3 | 18 | 1 |
1966: | "(I Know) I'm Losing You" | 8 | 19 | 1 |
1967: | "All I Need" | 8 | – | 2 |
1967: | "You're My Everything" | 6 | 26 | 3 |
1967: | "I Wish It Would Rain" | 4 | 45 | 1 |
1968: | "I Could Never Love Another (After Loving You)" | 13 | 47 | 1 |
1968 | "Cloud Nine" | 6 | 15 | 2 |
1968: | "I'm Gonna Make You Love Me" (Diana Ross & the Supremes and the Temptations) |
2 | 2 | 1 |
1969: | "Run Away Child, Running Wild" | 6 | – | 1 |
1969: | "I Can't Get Next to You" | 1 | 13 | 1 |
1970: | "Psychedelic Shack" | 7 | 33 | 2 |
1970: | "Ball of Confusion (That's What the World Is Today)" | 3 | 7 | 2 |
1971: | "Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me)" | 1 | 8 | 1 |
1972: | "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone" | 1 | 14 | 5 |
1973: | "Masterpiece" | 7 | – | 1 |
1973: | "Let Your Hair Down" | – | – | 1 |
1974: | "Happy People" | – | – | 1 |
1975: | "Shakey Ground" | – | – | 1 |
1991: | "The Motown Song" (Rod Stewart featuring The Temptations) |
10 | – | – |
1992: | "My Girl" (reissue) | – | 2 | – |
Top Ten albums
The following albums reached the Top Ten on either the United States pop or R&B albums chart.
- 1965: The Temptations Sing Smokey (R&B #1)
- 1965: The Temptin' Temptations (R&B #1)
- 1966: Gettin' Ready (R&B #1)
- 1966: Greatest Hits (R&B #1) (US #5)
- 1967: Temptations Live! (R&B #1) (US #10)
- 1967: The Temptations with a Lot o' Soul (R&B #1) (US #7)
- 1967: The Temptations in a Mellow Mood (R&B #1)
- 1968: The Temptations Wish It Would Rain (R&B #1)
- 1968: The Temptations Show (R&B #2)
- 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)
- 1969: Cloud Nine (R&B #1) (US #4)
- 1969: Puzzle People (R&B #1) (US #5)
- 1969: Together (R&B #6)
- 1969: On Broadway (R&B #4)
- 1970: Psychedelic Shack (R&B #1) (US #9)
- 1970: Live at London's Talk of the Town (R&B #5)
- 1970: Greatest Hits, Vol. 2 (R&B #2)
- 1971: Sky's the Limit (R&B #2)
- 1972: Solid Rock (R&B #1)
- 1972: All Directions (R&B #1) (US #2)
- 1973: Masterpiece (R&B #1) (US #7)
- 1973: Anthology (R&B #5)
- 1973: 1990 (R&B #2)
- 1975: A Song for You (R&B #1)
- 1975: Wings of Love (R&B #3)
- 1976: The Temptations Do The Temptations (R&B #10)
- 1982: Reunion (R&B #2)
- 1984: Truly for You (R&B #3)
- 1986: To Be Continued (R&B #4)
Filmography
- 1973: Save the Children
- 1987: Happy New Year
- 2007: Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story
Television work
- 1985: The Fall Guy (TV episode "Rockabye Baby", February 13, 1985)
- 1985: The Love Boat (TV episode "Your Money or Your Wife/Joint Custody/The Temptations", October 5, 1985)
- 1986: Moonlighting (TV episode "Symphony in Knocked Flat", October 21, 1986)
- 1986: 227 (TV episode "Temptations", November 15, 1986)
- 1990: Murphy Brown (TV episode "Goin' to the Chapel, Part 2", May 21, 1990)
- 1990: performed CBS network's 1990–91 version of their Get Ready campaign with an updated version of "Get Ready".
- 1993: Getting By (TV episode "Reach for the Stars", November 23, 1993)
- 1996: New York Undercover (TV episode "Deep Cover", May 2, 1996)
- 2008: Friday Night with Jonathan Ross (TV appearance), March 7, 2008
- 2012: Dancing with the Stars (TV appearance), April 23, 2012 – Motown Week
Video and DVD releases
- 1991: The Temptations – Live in Concert
- 2004: 20th Century Masters – The Best of the Temptations
- 2006: Get Ready: The Definitive Performances - 1965–1972
- 2007: The Temptations – Live In London (1987)
References
- Graff, Gary (1988-08-29). The Temptations: Otis tells the group's tale. Detroit Free Press. Online version available from Internet Archive at [1]
- (2005). "The Temptations". Memorabletv.com. Retrieved on 2005-11-05.
- (2003). "The Temptations". ClassicMotown.com. Retrieved on 2005-11-05.
- (2005) Ankeny, Jason. "The Temptations". Allmusic. Retrieved on 2005-11-05.
- Hardin, Ritchie (July 17, 2004). "The Tangled History of The Temptations". The Ritchie Hardin Network. Archived from the original on 2005-10-18. Retrieved 2007-02-09.
- Williams and Romanowski (1988), pp. 26–30.
- Ribowsky (2010), pg. 232
- 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.
- Blair, Elizabeth (June 4, 2000). "Weekend Edition: 'My Girl'". NPR. Retrieved May 17, 2009.
- The Temptations interviewed on the Pop Chronicles (1970)
- Ribowsky (2010), pg. 171
- Ribowsky (2010), pg. 181
- Meros, Tom. "Dennis Edwards (Interview)".
- Ribowsky (2010), pg. 184-187
- Ribowsky (2010), pg. 187-188
- Ribowsky (2010), pg. 199-200
- Ribowsky (2010), pg. 165, 212, 217–222
- Interview with Richard Street, R&B Showcase Magazine Retrieved from [2] on May 13, 2010
- Ribowsky (2010), pg. 213-216, 219-221
- Interview with Eddie Kendricks, Urban Street. Retrieved from [3] on May 17, 2009
- Ribowsky (2010), Pg. 226
- Ribowsky (2010), Pg. 227
- Ribowsky (2010), Pg. 236
- 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
- Williams and Romanowski, (2002), p. 177
- Williams and Romanowski, (2002), p. 183
- Williams and Romanowski, (2002), pp. 178–182
- Williams and Romanowski, (2002), pp. 193–197
- "Ray Davis-The Original P Interview". Vermontreview.tripod.com. Retrieved 2008-11-08.
- "Ali and Harry together in concert". Thetemptations.com. Retrieved 2011-11-02.
- "Otis Williams". Otiswilliams.net. Retrieved 2008-11-08.
- wcao1234. "THEO PEOPLES VISITS LEE MICHAELS & HEAVEN 600".
- Zurawick, David (10-31-1998). "'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 Sun". Retrieved 02-17-213.
- Williams and Romanowski, pg. 236-239
- "Two Lawsuits Are Filed Against 'Temptations' Miniseries". Jet. April 5, 1999. Retrieved February 17, 2013.
- "RUFFIN-STEINBACK v. dePASSE (UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE SIXTH CIRCUIT)" (PDF). 2001-09-28. Retrieved 2013-02-17.
- "RUFFIN-STEINBACK v. dePASSE (United States District Court, E.D. Michigan, Southern Division.)" (PDF). 2000-02-03. Retrieved 2013-02-17.
- "Welcome to Glicker & Associates". Glickerlaw.com. Retrieved 2008-11-08.
- "Various Photos". The Temptations Photo Gallery. Retrieved 2007-02-06.
- 2005-11-28. "Temptations Record 15 Classics for Reflections". Universal Records press release, Retrieved on 2005-12-03.
- "GC Cameron's WHCR 90.3FM June 8, 2007 Interview with Maurice Watts". Mauricewatts.com. Retrieved 2008-11-08.
- "Amazon.com: Back to Front: The Temptations: Music". Amazon.com. Retrieved 2008-11-08.
- "The Temptations Turn to Auto-Tune on New Album". Spinner.com. 2010-05-05. Retrieved 2011-11-02.
- "The Recording Academy Announces 2013 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. 2013-02-09. Retrieved 2013-02-27.
- "Lifetime Achievement Award for The Temptations at Special Merit Awards Ceremony & Nominees Reception". Grammy.com. 2013-02-09. Retrieved 2013-02-27.
- 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.
- "Amazon.com: Papa Was a Rolling Stone: The Temptations: Music". Amazon.com. Retrieved 2008-11-08.
- Temptations Tribute Bands[dead link]
- "Key of Gee". Key of Gee. Retrieved 2011-11-02.
- Glenn Leonard bio (2004). Retrieved on 2006-11-18. Notice Joe Herndon, top right.
- "Invalid Website". Rummage.com.au. Retrieved 2008-11-08.
- Posted October 29, 2007 at 6:03PM by TMZ Staff. "Original Temptation Ain't Too Proud to Sue – TMZ.com – Entertainment News, Celebrity Gossip and Hollywood Rumors". Tmz.com. Retrieved 2008-11-08.
- "The Immortals: The First Fifty". Rolling Stone Issue 946. Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2007-02-05.
Bibliography
- George, Nelson. "Cool as They Wanna Be". The Temptations: Emperors of Soul [CD Box Set]. New York: 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 [CD Box Set]. New York: 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
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