The Temptations Biography, Photos and Posters

The Temptations

Biography

Started: 1960 as the Elgins
City and Country of Origin: Detroit, Michigan
Music Background:
Awards: Grammy 2000 Best Traditional R&B Vocal Album, Ear-Resistible; 1972 Best R&B Vocal Performance By A Duo, Group Or Chorus, "Papa Was A Rollin' Stone;" Best R&B Instrumental Performance, "Papa Was A Rollin' Stone;" 1968 Best Rhythm & Blues Performance By A Duo Or Group, Vocal Or Instrumental, "Cloud Nine;" 1989 inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Top Recordings: "The Way You Do the Things You Do," "My Girl," "Get Ready," "Ain't Too Proud to Beg," "Beauty is Only Skin Deep," "(I Know) I'm Losing You," "I Wish It Would Rain," "Cloud Nine," "I'm Gonna Make You Love Me," "Run Away Child, Running Wild," "I Can't Get Next to You," "Psychedelic Shack," "Ball of Confusion (That's What the World is Today)," "Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me)," "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone,"
The Temptations Biography: The Temptations, a singing group known for its choreography, distinct harmonies, are one of the most successful Black singing groups in music history. Over the years the group has undergone numerous lineup changes, losing members for various reasons while adding replacements only to morph into a new successful commercial sound. In fact, there have been 21 different members of the group throughout its history. The history of the group is quite complicated with different streams all contributing to help form the Motown singing sensation of the 1960s known as the Temptations.

The origianl group consisted of tenor/baritone Otis Williams, first tenor Elbridge "Al" Bryant and bass Melvin Franklin from The Distants; and first tenor/falsetto Eddie Kendricks and second tenor/baritone Paul Williams, no relation to Otis, from The Primes. The classic group that most people remember from the 60s consisted of all of the above with lead singer David Ruffin replacing Elbridge "Al" Bryant.

Both Eddie Kendricks and Paul Williams were teenagers who had moved to Detroit from Alabama to shape a career in the music business. They were part of a local group in the Detroit area called the Primes that was managed by Milton Jenkins, who also formed a female counterpart called the Primettes which consisted of junior high schoolers Florence Ballard, Mary Wilson, Diane Ross, and Betty McGlown. He hoped both groups would be a success, but had no idea that the talent he was managing would go on to fame and fortune as members of the Temptations and the Supremes. After a time Kendricks and Williams gave up their dream and returned to Alabama, but on a trip back to Detroit to visit relatives Kendricks contacted Otis Williams who needed 2 more members for his group the Distants for a 1961 audition with Motown Records. The group adopted the name The Elgins, but were forced to change the name when Berry Gordy discovered that there already existed another recording group called The Elgins. Otis Williams suggested The Temptations as the groups new name.

The early recording days for the new group brought little success with none of their first 7 recordings made between 1961-63 making the pop charts while "Dream Come True" rose all the way to number 22 on the R&B charts. The group worked with many members of the Motown creative team during that period, but seemed to have the best rapport with Smokey Robinson. Strangely, Bryant preferred his day job as a milkman to his job as a performer and soon became restless over the groups lack of success. It was at the 1963 Motown company Christmas party where Bryant had a temper tantrum that he was fired from the group and replaced by Whynot, Mississippi native David Ruffin, younger brother of Motown recording artist Jimmy Ruffin.

"The Way You Do the Things You Do" written by Robinson with Eddie Kendricks singing lead would become the groups first top 20 hit. Later that year Robinson co-wrote the hit single "My Girl" featuring David Ruffin as the lead which became the groups first number 1 hit single. This alignment became known as the Temptations "Classic 5" era and was the groups most successful period producing hit singles "It's Growing", "Since I Lost My Baby" and "My Baby" all with Ruffin singing lead.

In 1966, after "Ain't Too Proud to Beg" performed better than Smokey Robinson's "Get Ready" Norman Whitfield replaced Robinson as the groups main producer moving them away from the Robinson ballad-based influence towards an edgier sound. Nearly all the top 10 Temptation's hits prior to 1968 featured David Ruffin either as lead or co-lead singer with Eddie Kendricks. During this period Whitfield composed his music along with several lyricists like Roger Penzabene, Cornelius Grant, and Edward Holland, Jr. After Dozier left Motown in 1967 Barrett Strong began working with Whitfield and Penzabene on Temptation material. With the suicide death of Penzabene Strong became Whitfield's exclusive lyricist from "Please Return Your Love to Me" in July 1968 on through the end of 1972.

During the period between 1964-68 the Temptations went from music wannabes to internatinal recording stars appearing on television and in clubs like New York's Copacabana. All of this notoriety went straight to the head of lead singer David Ruffin who began demanding special treatment. He even had his own private limousine which he used to chauffer him and his girl friend Tammi Terrell to gigs rather than ride in the groups limo. he began missing rehearsals, group meetings and even concerts. He demanded top billing wanting the name of the group changed to "David Ruffin & the Temptations." He also became severely addicted to cocaine. When in 1968 he chose not to attend an engagement in Clevland, but instead to attend a performance by his new girlfriend Gail Martin daughter of singer Dean Martin, the group felt he had gone too far and drew up papers firing Ruffin. They replaced him with Dennis Edwards former lead singer of the Contours. At first Ruffin who was good friends with Edwards went along with the new arrangements, but soon after began showing up at Temptation's concerts often jumping on stage to sing lead with the group to the delight of the audience and the chagrin of Motown executives. Extra security guards were hired to keep Ruffin out of Temptation audiences. Ruffin sued Motown seeking a release from the label and Motown settled by offering him a solo singing contract.

Around 1968 the group, under Gordy's direction, did a number of collaborative ventures between the Temps and the Supremes, including a joint tour, 2 studio albums and 2 NBC television specials. The albums featured new lead singer Dennis Edward's first efforts as the new lead singer of the Temptations. The addition of Edwards coincided with Whitfield's new found passion for psychedelic-based material similar to that offunk band Sly & the Family Stone. "Cloud Nine" released in October 1968 was the first hit from the new genre and marked the end of the David Ruffin ballad era. The record made the top 10 and won Motown its first Grammy Best R&B Vocal Group Performance of 1969. The group would soon follow with a slew of Psychedelic-based hits like "Run Away Child, Running Wild" (a number-one R&B hit), "I Can't Get Next to You," "Psychedelic Shack," "Ball of Confusion (That's What the World is Today)."

Paul Williams suffered from sickle-cell disease and was frequently in poor health and by the late 60s he had developed a drinking problem. This combined with the sickle-cell disease made it difficult for him to continue with the group. As William's health failed Eddie Kendricks grew more distant from the group often fighting with Otis Williams and Melvin Franklin over the leadership of the group. He also struck up a friendship with David Ruffin who urged him to leave the group. During an engagement at the Copacabana in NOvember of 1960 Kendricks walked out during intermission and never returned. He agreed to leave the group. Before leaving he and Paul Williams sang lead on "Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me)" which would prove to be Kendricks' swan song for the Temptations. While the record climbed the charts the group negotiated his release. He signed a solo contract with Motown's Tamla imprint. In April of 1971 Paul Williams quit the group after being declared unfit to perform by doctors. He was replaced by Richard Street while he remained on the Temptation's payroll as an advisor. On August 17, 1973, he committed suicide.

Eddie Kendricks was replaced by 20 year old Damon Harris in May of 1971. Meanwhile the group continued to produce hit records under the guidance of Norman Whitfield with "Superstar (Remember How You Got Where You Are)" a subliminal message to both Ruffin and Kendricks. In 1972 Whitfield produced a 12 minute version of "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone" with an edited 7 minute version released as the single. The record landed in the top spot on the pop charts and number 5 on the R&B charts winning the groups its second Grammyfor Best R&B Performance by a Group. After this Whitfield stopped working with Strong and began writing the Temptation's material on his own. He produced long operatic pieced including the 1973 top 40 offering "Masterpiece" and several more similar pieces on the album Masterpiece. Tensions began to surface between the group and Whitfield who the group found arrogant. Citing his often tardiness for recording sessions they comp[lained to Berry Gordy who replaced him with Jeffrey Bowen.

Times were changing as were musical tastes and the Temptations fell on hard times. Their music stopped selling and in 1977 they left Motown for Atlantic Records. Shortly thereafter Dennis Edwards left the group to embark on a solo career. The groups Atlantic recordings with lead Louis Price fared no better than their recent Motown releases. In 1980 Berry Gordy resigned the group to a Motown recording contract. Edwards returned to the group replacing Price as lead singer. However, the group was still unable to break the pop top 40. A Temptations' reunion was planned and in 1982 Ruffin and Kendricks rejoined the group. The tour proved a success, but Kendricks voice had weakened after a life of chain smoking and Ruffin, still addicted to cocaine, missed a number of performances. After the tour they were both fired and began performing as a duo.

In 1992 Richard Street left the Temptations after 20 years with the group, he was replaced by Theo Peoples. Two years later Melvin Franklin was forced to leave the group because of failing health; he died on February 23, 1995 at the age of 52. The current Temptations lineup of Otis Williams, Ron Tyson, Terry Weeks, new lead singer G.C. Cameron from The Spinners, and new bass Joe Herndon continue to record and perform on tour. Their last album Reflections, was released on January 31, 2006.

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