Everything about The Temptations totally explained
The Temptations (abbreviated as
"The Temps" or
"The Tempts") are a
Grammy-winning vocal group that achieved fame as one of the most successful acts to record for
Motown Records. The group's repertoire has included, at various times during its five-decade career,
R&B,
doo-wop,
funk,
disco,
soul, and
adult contemporary music.
Formed in
Detroit, Michigan in 1960 as
The Elgins, the Temptations have always featured at least four
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've 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 2007, the Temptations continue to perform and record for
Universal Records with only one original member, founder
Otis Williams, in its lineup.
The original group included members of two local Detroit vocal groups:
The Distants, which featured second
tenor/
baritone Otis Williams, first tenor
Elbridge "Al" Bryant and
bass Melvin Franklin; 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. Like its sister female 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 14 Billboard
R&B number-one singles. Their material has earned them three
Grammy Awards, while two more awards were conferred upon the
songwriters and
producers who crafted their 1972 hit "
Papa Was a Rollin' Stone".
History
The Primes
Childhood friends Eddie Kendricks, Paul Williams, Kel Osbourne, and Wiley Waller formed a doo-wop group called the Cavaliers in their hometown of
Birmingham, Alabama, 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
Florence Ballard,
Mary Wilson,
Diane (later Diana) Ross, and
Betty McGlown for the spin-off act. Eddie Kendricks was already becoming a local "Matinee Idol", and Paul Williams was known for his powerful baritone voice, having an adult style even as a teenager. 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 radio deejay Senator Bristol Bryant. The group soon signed with Northern Records, run by Johnnie 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).
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 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 (his cousin), and another cousin was none other than Jackie Wilson.
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. The single became the Temptations' first Top 20 hit that April. "The Way You Do The Things You Do" and several pre-David Ruffin singles were compiled onto the group's first album,
Meet The Temptations, released in 1964. While traveling as part of Motown's
Motortown Revue later that year Robinson and another fellow Miracle,
Ronnie White, wrote a song for the emotive Ruffin to sing lead on, which the group recorded in the fall of 1964. Released as a single on
December 24, 1964, "
My Girl", 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 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 stirring lead from Paul Williams, and was a
sleeper hit on the R&B charts and a standard for vocal groups playlists.
Norman Whitfield had requested the opportunity to write for the group. In 1966, he was given the opportunity- should Robinson's "
Get Ready" fail to chart in the Top 20, the next song would be his. "Get Ready" missed the mark, and Whitfield's "
Ain't Too Proud to Beg" was released. The song did well, and Whitfield was made the group's main producer. He began pushing the group away from 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 important singles from this period included the incredibly popular, "You're My Everything", on which Kendricks and 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 and guitarist 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 (who sang Motown's very first hit, 1960's "
Money (That's What I Want)") began working with Whitfield and Penzabene on Temptations material. Two of Whitfield/Strong/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 collaborator after Penzabene's
suicide 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 (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. 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. Additionally, Ruffin was demanding an accounting of the Temptations' earnings, which caused friction between him and Berry Gordy.
There was general agreement among the rest of group that Ruffin needed to be replaced. Otis Williams insists that Ruffin was given fair warning that if he didn't change his attitude he'd be fired. When Ruffin missed a June 1968 engagement at a Cleveland supper club in order to attend a show by his new girlfriend (
Dean Martin's daughter Gail), it was decided that he'd crossed the line. The other four Temptations drew up legal documentation firing Ruffin from the group, and
Dennis Edwards, formerly of the Contours, was hired to replace him. Edwards and Ruffin were good friends, and Ruffin at first went along with the changing of the guard. After a short time, however, Ruffin began turning up at 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 other Temptations' performances. Ruffin sued Motown in October 1968, seeking a release from the label, and Motown settled by offering Ruffin a solo recording deal.
Edwards' first album with the Temptations was
Live at the Copa, a live album recorded at the Copacabana nightclub. Later that year, Berry Gordy commissioned the first of a number of collaborations for the Temptations with Diana Ross & the Supremes. The results included 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
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, 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 Fifth 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", "
Ball of Confusion (That's What the World Is Today)". The formula began to wear thin when "Ungena Za Ulimwengu (Unite the World)", went to #33 Pop in the Fall of 1970.
Exit Eddie Kendricks and Paul Williams
During the late-1960s, Paul Williams' physical and mental health began to decline sharply. Williams suffered from both
depression and
sickle-cell disease, and also developed
alcoholism, all of which made it hard for him to continue performing. Oxygen tanks were kept in the wings of performance venue stages for Williams, and the other four Temptations made valiant efforts to raid and drain his alcohol stashes. 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 had fights with Otis Williams 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 ballad 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, Otis Williams, and Franklin during a November 1970 Copacabana engagement, Kendricks walked out in-between shows and didn't return. Both Franklin and Otis 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 U.S. 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.
Kendricks' original replacement was
Ricky Owens, from the
Los Angeles-based vocal group 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 re-recorded the single "It's Summer" without a fifth member. In April, Paul Williams quit the Temptations, after a medical declaration that he was unable to continue performing. Richard Street officially took his place, while Williams remained on the group's 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 died at age 34 in Detroit on
August 17,
1973. Williams' death was ruled a suicide.
The Temptations in the early 1970s
By May, The Temptations had found a permanent replacement first tenor 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. Among these were Top 40 hits such as "
Superstar (Remember How You Got Where You Are)" (1971), a message from the Temptations to Sly Stone, Diana Ross and the estranged David Ruffin and Eddie Kendricks, and "Take a Look Around" (1972).
The fall of 1972 saw the release of 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 eleven and ¾-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 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. 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
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 and
Billy Bass Nelson), 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 behavior and work ethic were deemed unprofessional. His replacement was
Washington, D.C. native
Glenn Leonard, formerly of the
Unifics.
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, and none of their associated singles entered the Billboard charts.
As time progressed, Bowen pushed Dennis Edwards further to the front. This was evident in on
Wings of Love, which features Edwards' voice more prominently than the other Temptations' backing vocals. Otis Williams felt that this was hurting the group; additionally, he accused Motown of inattention, and cited this as the reason for the group's declining sales and popularity. After
The Temptations Do the Temptations was recorded in 1976, Edwards was fired from the group, and with new lead
Louis Price on board, they left Motown for
Atlantic Records.
Success continued to elude the group at Atlantic, however. Their releases on Atlantic --
Hear to Tempt You (1977),
Bare Back (1978), and their associated singles -- failed to perform better than their last handful of Motown singles, and in 1979, Atlantic released the group from its contract.
Return to Motown and Reunion
Upon the return to Motown, Louis Price departed from the group and joined the Drifters. Dennis Edwards, who had been inactive for the previous three years despite remaining with Motown as a solo act, returned to the lineup. Berry Gordy co-wrote and produced the Temptations' first single under the new contract, "Power", from the
album of the same name. "Power" missed the Billboard Hot 100 Top 40, but hit number 11 on the R&B charts. Two years of underperforming 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
Reunion album and tour. Melvin Franklin's nephew, Motown
funk star
Rick James (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", which featured Ruffin, Kendricks, and Edwards on lead. The single went to number-six on the R&B charts. 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, and Ruffin, still addicted to drugs, 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.
One more album,
Surface Thrills, was released in 1983. It featured a sharp departure in the group's sound by incorporating elements of then-current rock. Following its release, Glenn Leonard left and was replaced by
Ron Tyson, who was with the Philadelphia groups
the Ethics and
Love Committee. Tyson had been a songwriter at Atlantic during the Temptations' time there, 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 they sometimes made the R&B Top 20. "Love on My Mind Tonight", a single from
Surface Thrills, made it to number 17. "Sail Away", produced by a returning Norman Whitfield and featuring Ron Tyson's first lead vocal, peaked at number 13.
Dennis Edwards was again fired in 1984, this time for missing rehearsals, or showing up
hungover. He attempted a second solo career, scoring a hit with the 1984 single
"Don't Look Any Further", a duet with
Siedah Garrett. His place in the Tempations was taken by
Ali-Ollie Woodson, a Detroit native who had been a potential candidate to replace Edwards back in 1977. The album
Back to Basics was released; it was the first album featuring Ron Tyson, and featured one track with Woodson, "Stop the World Right Here (I Wanna Get Off)". 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 and Fire members Al McKay and Ralph Johnson. The single became their biggest success on R&B radio in some time, reaching number-two on the R&B charts, and just missing the Pop Top 40. The group experienced similar success the following year with the single "Lady Soul", another Top 5 R&B smash.
On July 13th 1985, Eddie Kendricks and David Ruffin would achieve "World comeback" recognition for their performances with Pop/Rock superstars Daryl Hall and John Oates (Hall and Oates) in a performance given at the "Live Aid" concert in Philadelphia televised world wide. The segment with Kendricks and Ruffin included a Medley of "Get ready/The Way You Do the Things You Do/My Girl". The combination of Hall, Oates, Ruffin and Kendricks went on to perform the resurrected Hall and Oates hit (made popular by the English artist Paul Young), "Every Time You Go Away". This was the exact performance the singing quartet had just recorded live in a sold out performance for the "reopening" of the historic Apollo Theater. The medley released on Live at the Apollo for RCA, became a top 20 hit on the pop charts.
Ollie Woodson remained with the Temptations until 1987, when he was fired and replaced by an again-returning Dennis Edwards. The group recorded one album during Edwards' 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 to the present, and focusing on the lives of Williams and Melvin Franklin. An updated version of the book was published in 2002.
Edwards was fired for the third and final time in late 1989, with Woodson re-joining the lineup. Also that year, the Temptations were inducted into the
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, honoring 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 each other, although Otis Williams reported that Kendricks wouldn't speak to him during the ceremony. 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 for lead Ali-Ollie Woodson; he was released from the group in 1996 due to health problems, having suffered two battles with throat cancer. He was replaced by his fill-in from his first health concern, new member
Terry Weeks.
The new Temptations lineup, consisting of Otis Williams, Ron Tyson, Theo Peoples, and newcomers Harry McGilberry and Terry Weeks, debuted at the halftime show of
Super Bowl XXXII, which celebrated the fortieth 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 Peoples-led single "Stay", a number-one hit on the adult contemporary charts that featured a
sample from "My Girl". During the recording of
Phoenix Rising, however, Theo Peoples departed, and was replaced by
Barrington "Bo" Henderson. The completed album features both Henderson and Peoples (who later joined the
Four Tops) on different tracks.
The Temptations mini-series
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' former wife Josephine, Melvin Franklin's mother Rose Franklin, and David Ruffin's family, filed a joint lawsuit against Williams, Motown,
de Passe Entertainment,
Hallmark Entertainment, and NBC for a number of charges, including defamation of character. The judges ruled in favor of the defendants, and the ruling was upheld when the plaintiffs appealed in 2001. Williams later claimed that, although his book was used as the source material for the film, he didn't have a great deal of control over how the material was presented.
From 2000 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. 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". The Temptations were nominated for the 2007
Grammy Award for Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance, for their version of Gaye's "
How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved by You)" from
Reflections.
G.C. Cameron left the group in June 2007 to focus on his solo career. He was replaced by new member Bruce Williamson. The new lineup recorded another album of soul covers,
Back to Front, released in October 2007. Later on that year, the group performed with the vocal group Human Nature at
Hitsville USA performing "The Way You Do The Things You Do".
Splinter groups
Several former Temptations continue to perform outside of the group in spin-off or offshoot acts.
The most well known splinter was "Ruffin/Kendrick/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, Nate Evans, a former member of
The Impressions, and a female vocalist). Following David Ruffin's death, 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, from
The Choice Four, and Curtis Taylor. Their use of the Temptations name prompted a legal battle with Otis Williams.
Following Kendrick's death, the group splintered: Dennis formed "Dennis Edwards and the Temptations Review", Damon formed "Damon Harris and the Temptations Review" (featuring future Temptation Joe Herndon), David Sea went on to a solo career, and Evans and Taylor formed a Temptations tribute band. Edwards' group has appeared on several
PBS music specials. The lineup in 1993 was Edwards, Mike Patillo (bass), Bernard Gibson (tenor), a fourth male member, and a female member. 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. Bernard Gibson was fired in 2006, and replaced by another former Temptation, Ali-Ollie Woodson. Woodson previously fronted an act called
Ali-Ollie Woodson & the Emperors of Soul--
Emperors of Soul being the name of the 1994 Temptations
boxed set. Woodson left the group in 2008 (joining a Broadway review of
The Greatest Love Story Ever Told), and was replaced by Paul Williams, Jr., son of original Temptation Paul Williams.
Damon Harris split from his group in the late 1990s; the other four members then joined with another former Temptation, Glenn Leonard, to become "Glenn Leonard and the Temptations Experience." Joe Herndon left this group 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 (McGilberry died on
April 3,
2006). Damon Harris would form a new group later, billed as "Damon Harris and the Temptations Tribute."
Richard Street also leads a group, billed as "Richard Street" or "Richard Street's Temptations". Street is in the process of writing a book regarding his time with The Temptations entitled
Ball of Confusion. If it's published, it'll be the second autobiography regarding the group.
In 1992, "Ruffin & Kendricks" roadie,
Tony Turner, also wrote a book, assisted by Barbara Aria, contrasting Otis Williams' account of the group's glory days, entitled
Deliver Us From Temptation.
Leonard, Woodson, and Henderson have 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 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".
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 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"
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 signature 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 palatable 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 stand, 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 and 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 prominent 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. The hit version of their smash 1972 single "Papa Was a Rolling Stone" was nearly seven minutes long, with an instrumental intro that was almost two minutes long -- a rarity for songs of that era.
"Psychedelic soul" soon gave way to "cinematic soul": Long recordings with detailed orchestration and 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, the Temptations had no creative control over their recordings, and were not fond of the twelve 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 Parliament-Funkadelic and Sly and 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 Whitfield 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,
Sam Cooke, and the Four Tops, 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 the
Flamingoes and the Vibrations. From those two sources, Paul Williams crafted the group's signature dance routine.
Motown, like other independent companies, wasn't a member of
ASCAP or
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 didn't have the data for the
Billboard charts to evaluate, so it's quite possible that the Temptations probably sold more than a "Gold Record" number of most of their early records. Their stage work and lead singer depth made them legends throughout the northern cities and the southern "
chitlin' circuit", and were acknowledged by most radio
disc jockeys as the strongest group around.
During the 1960s and 1970s, a number of soul groups showed significant influence from the Temptations, among them the
Delfonics, the
Chi-Lites,
George Clinton's original
Parliaments, the
Dramatics, and Motown labelmates the
Jackson Five 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 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. It is interesting to note that during the early part of their career, their main competition came from Curtis Mayfield's
Impressions, then during the phase where they alternated leads, the Chi-Lites, and in their next phase, the
O'Jays. In each case, each group alternated between love songs and songs with messages in their lyrics.
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") and Mick Jagger's collaboration with reggae artist
Peter Tosh on ("Don't Look Back"). 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.
In 2004,
Rolling Stone Magazine ranked The Temptations #45 on their list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time.
Personnel
» For a detailed listing of the various versions of The Temptations (and a timeline), see: Temptations chronology.
The Primes
aka The Cavaliers
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 (1960–1995)
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
» For a detailed listing of albums and singles, see: Temptations discography.
U.S. and U.K. 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.
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)
1970: Psychedelic Shack (US #9)
1972: All Directions (US #2)
1973: Masterpiece (US #7)
Filmography
1973: Save the Children
1987: Happy New Year
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
Video and DVD releases
1991: The Temptations - Live in Concert
2004: 20th century Masters - The Best of the Temptations
2006: Get Ready: Definitive Performances - 1965-1972
2007: The Temptations - Live In London (1987)Further Information
Get more info on 'The Temptations'.
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