The Temptations

Thanks to their fine-tuned choreography — and even finer harmonies — the
Temptations became the definitive male vocal group of the 1960s; one of Motown's
most elastic acts, they tackled both lush pop and politically charged funk with equal
flair, and weathered a steady stream of changes in personnel and consumer tastes
with rare dignity and grace. The Temptations' initial five-man lineup formed in Detroit
in 1961 as a merger of two local vocal groups, the Primes and the Distants. Baritone
Otis Williams, Elbridge (aka El, or Al) Bryant, and bass vocalist Melvin Franklin
were longtime veterans of the Detroit music scene when they joined together in the
Distants, who in 1959 recorded the single "Come On" for the local Northern label.
Around the same time, the Primes, a trio comprised of tenor Eddie Kendricks, Paul
Williams (no relation to Otis), and Kell Osborne, relocated to the Motor City from
their native Alabama; they quickly found success locally, and their manager even put
together a girl group counterpart dubbed the Primettes. (Later, three of the Primettes
— Diana Ross, Mary Wilson and Florence Ballard — formed the Supremes).
In 1961, the Primes disbanded, but not before Otis Williams saw them perform live,
where he was impressed both by Kendricks' vocal prowess and Paul Williams'
choreography skills. Soon, Otis Williams, Paul Williams, Bryant, Franklin, and
Kendricks joined together as the Elgins; after a name change to the Temptations,
they signed to the Motown subsidiary Miracle, where they released a handful of
singles over the ensuing months. Only one, the 1962 effort "Dream Come True,"
achieved any commercial success, however, and in 1963, Bryant either resigned or
was fired after physically attacking Paul Williams. The Tempts' fortunes changed
dramatically in 1964 when they recruited tenor David Ruffin to replace Bryant; after
entering the studio with writer/producer Smokey Robinson, they emerged with the
pop smash "The Way You Do the Things You Do," the first in a series of 37 career
Top Ten hits. With Robinson again at the helm, they returned in 1965 with their
signature song, "My Girl," a number one pop and R&B hit; other Top 20 hits that
year included "It's Growing," "Since I Lost My Baby," "Don't Look Back," and "My
Baby."

In 1966, the Tempts recorded another Robinson hit, "Get Ready," before forgoing
his smooth popcraft for the harder-edged soul of producers Norman Whitfield and
Brian Holland. After spotlighting Kendricks on the smash "Ain't Too Proud to Beg,"
the group allowed Ruffin to take control over a string of hits including "Beauty's Only
Skin Deep" and "(I Know) I'm Losing You." Beginning around 1967, Whitfield
assumed full production control, and their records became ever rougher and more
muscular, as typified by the 1968 success "I Wish It Would Rain." After Ruffin failed
to appear at a 1968 live performance, the other four Tempts fired him; he was
replaced by ex-Contour Dennis Edwards, whose less polished voice adapted
perfectly to the psychedelic-influenced soul period the group entered following the
success of the single "Cloud Nine." As the times changed, so did the group, and as
the 1960s drew to a close, the Temptations' music became overtly political; in the
wake of "Cloud Nine" — its title a thinly veiled drug allegory — came records like
"Run Away Child, Running Wild," "Psychedelic Shack," and "Ball of Confusion
(That's What the World Is Today)."

After the chart-topping success of the gossamer ballad "Just My Imagination
(Running Away With Me)" in 1971, Kendricks exited for a solo career. Soon, Paul
Williams left the group as well; long plagued by alcoholism and other personal
demons, he was eventually discovered dead from a self-inflected gunshot on August
17, 1973, at the age of 34. In their stead the remaining trio recruited tenors Damon
Harris and Richard Street; after the 1971 hit "Superstar (Remember How You Got
Where You Are)," they returned in 1972 with the brilliant number one single "Papa
Was a Rolling Stone." While the Tempts hit the charts regularly throughout 1973
with "Masterpiece," "Let Your Hair Down," and "The Plastic Man," their success as
a pop act gradually dwindled as the 1970s wore on. After Harris exited in 1975
(replaced by tenor Glenn Leonard), the group cut 1976's The Temptations Do the
Temptations, their final album for Motown. With Louis Price taking over for
Edwards, they signed to Atlantic, and attempted to reach the disco market with the
LPs Bare Back and Hear to Tempt You.

After Edwards returned to the fold (resulting in Price's hasty exit), the Temptations
re-entered the Motown stable, and scored a 1980 hit with "Power." In 1982, Ruffin
and Kendricks returned for Reunion, which also included all five of the current
Tempts; a tour followed, but problems with Motown, as well as personal
differences, cut Ruffin's and Kendricks' tenures short.
In 1983 Edwards left the group again to be replaced by Ali "Ollie" Woodson who
wrote "Treat Her Like A Lady" for their Truly For You album and it became a big hit.
In the years that followed, theTemptations continued touring and recording, although
by the 1990s they were essentially an oldies act; only Otis Williams, who published
his autobiography in 1988, remained from the original lineup. The intervening years
were marked by tragedy: after touring in the late '80s with Kendricks and Edwards
as a member of the "Tribute to the Temptations" package tour, Ruffin died on June 1,
1991, after overdosing on cocaine; he was 50 years old. On October 5, 1992,
Kendricks died at the age of 52 of lung cancer, and on February 23, 1995,
52-year-old Franklin passed away after suffering a brain seizure. In 1998, the
Temptations returned with Phoenix Rising; that same year, their story was also
the subject of a well-received NBC television miniseries. Ear-Resistable followed
in the spring of 2000 and a year after that Awesome.
In June 2003 former Spinner G.C. Cameron joined the Temptations, replacing 
Barrington Henderson. "Bo" as he is affectionately known joined the group in 1998 
and replaced fellow tenor Theo Peoples. He not only sang on the group's first RIAA 
certified Platinum album "Phoenix Rising," but helped the group win their third 
Grammy award for "Ear-Resistable." Cameron became the twentieth man to claim 
the title "Temptation".