Many wrote the Temptations off after they lost Ruffin, but the group continued to score Top 10 crossover hits into 1973. The group suffered again in 1971 when Kendricks left to pursue a solo career and Paul Williams left due to failing health related to his heavy drinking.
What are facts about the Temptations?
The Temptations
- Signed to Motown Records. The Temptations auditioned for Berry Gordy, and, impressed by their harmonizing, Gordy immediately offered them a contract on the spot.
- Scored First Number One. ...
- Pioneered Psychedelic Soul. ...
- Filed Lawsuit Against Former Member. ...
- Selected discography. ...
- Sources
Is Otis Williams of the Temptations still alive?
Otis Williams is a popular American vocalist who is currently appearing as a songwriter and a record producer. Also, Otis is recognized as the founder and last original surviving member of the Motown vocal group ‘ Temptations ’. He is definitely one of the few who is still alive of The Temptations vocal group.
How many children did Otis Williams of the Temptations have?
Williams bore no children from his second marriage to Ann Cain and also from his third marriage to Arleata "Goldie" Williams. He also shares a good bond with his step-daughter, Playboy model Elan Carter from his last marriage to Arleata. Otis Williams was born to his mother Hazel Louise Williams and to his father, Otis Miles.
Which members of the temptations are still alive?
- main lead singer (e.g., David Ruffin)
- secondary lead singer (e.g., Paul Williams)
- first tenor lead singer (e.g., Eddie Kendricks)
- bass lead singer (e.g., Melvin Franklin)
- background second tenor and baritone w/ occasional lead (since 1961 Otis Williams has always held and continues to hold this role)
Why did The Temptations break up?
Many wrote the Temptations off after they lost Ruffin, but the group continued to score Top 10 crossover hits into 1973. The group suffered again in 1971 when Kendricks left to pursue a solo career and Paul Williams left due to failing health related to his heavy drinking.
What was wrong with Paul from The Temptations?
Williams suffered from sickle-cell anemia, which frequently brought havoc on his physical health. In 1965, Williams began an affair with Winnie Brown, hair stylist for The Supremes and a relative of Supremes member Florence Ballard.
Is any of The Temptations still living?
(FOX 2) - Motown icon Otis Williams is the only last surviving original member of the legendary group The Temptations, who is still performing today.
What happened to the lead singer of The Temptations?
Just two years later, Ruffin, at 50 years of age, would collapse in a Philadelphia crack house. Hours later he was dropped off in front of a hospital, where he died of a drug overdose.
What's the net worth of the Temptations?
Over the years The Temptations have had over 20 members, but Williams remains the last original member....Otis Williams Net Worth.Net Worth:$8 MillionProfession:Singer, Songwriter, Record producerNationality:United States of America2 more rows
Who was the best Temptations lead singer?
In many ways, Paul Williams was the Temptations' unsung hero. He and Eddie Kendricks were their original lead singers, but when of the Motown group broke worldwide and became soul heroes with “My Girl” in 1964, it was David Ruffin's voice that rang out.
Who is the last surviving temptation?
Otis Miles Jr.Otis Miles Jr. Texarkana, Texas, U.S. Detroit, Michigan, U.S. Williams is the founder and last surviving original member of the Motown vocal group The Temptations, a group in which he continues to perform; he also owns the rights to the Temptations name.
Who is the only living temptation?
Otis Williams is one the co-founders of the Temptations, and the only member from the original lineup that is still living today.
Which temptation was in a wheelchair?
Melvin FranklinBirth nameDavid Melvin EnglishBornOctober 12, 1942 Montgomery, Alabama, U.S.OriginDetroit, Michigan, U.S.DiedFebruary 23, 1995 (aged 52) Los Angeles County, California, U.S.7 more rows
How old were the Temptations at death?
Paul Williams committed suicide in 1973 at the age of 34. Ruffin died in 1991 of a drug overdose at the age of 50. Eddie Kendricks, who sang lead on songs like "Just My Imagination," died in 1992 of lung cancer at the age of 52, and bass Melvin Franklin was the same age when he died in 1995 of heart failure.
How did Melvin from the Temptations passed away?
He was 52. Franklin died of heart failure, a week after he was admitted to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center following a series of seizures, hospital spokesman Ron Wise said.
Who are the current members of the Temptations?
David RuffinTenorOtis WilliamsTenorPaul WilliamsBaritoneMelvin FranklinBassEddie KendricksTenorDennis EdwardsTenorThe Temptations/Members
What happened to Paul Williams the boxer?
Although Paul Williams' boxing career was cut short by a motorcycle accident that paralyzed him from the waist down in May 2012, he still possesses immense knowledge of the sport and too much love for it to stay away. Four years after his accident, "The Punisher" has become a trainer.
Which temptation was in a wheelchair?
Melvin FranklinBirth nameDavid Melvin EnglishBornOctober 12, 1942 Montgomery, Alabama, U.S.OriginDetroit, Michigan, U.S.DiedFebruary 23, 1995 (aged 52) Los Angeles County, California, U.S.7 more rows
How did Melvin from The Temptations passed away?
He was 52. Franklin died of heart failure, a week after he was admitted to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center following a series of seizures, hospital spokesman Ron Wise said.
How old was blue from The Temptations when he died?
52 years (1942–1995)Melvin Franklin / Age at death
What was the music style of the Temptations?
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 bands Sly & the Family Stone and Funkadelic. 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 .
Why did Eddie Kendricks leave Motown?
Eddie Kendricks became detached from the group after David Ruffin's firing and as the health of Paul Williams continued to fail. He regularly picked fights with Otis Williams and Melvin Franklin, which often became violent, and in addition, he 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. He 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. Kendricks, being the only member to continue an alliance with Ruffin, also repeatedly suggested that Ruffin should be allowed back into the group, despite the other members' strong objections.
What was the original name of the Motown 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 re-surfaced at Motown in 1965, when Gordy renamed a quartet called the Downbeats as the Elgins .
Why did Ruffin leave the group?
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 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), the group decided that he had crossed the line. The other four Temptations drew up legal documentation, officially firing Ruffin on June 27, 1968. 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, was hired to take Ruffin's place.
Why did Paul Williams suffer from depression?
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. Having never previously consumed anything stronger than milk, he began to drink quite heavily, and it was hard to take, according to Otis Williams. As his physical and mental health began to decline sharply, it made performing increasingly difficult. Williams began traveling with oxygen tanks, and the other four Temptations made valiant efforts to raid and drain his alcohol stashes.
What are the songs of the Temptations?
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 ranked at number 68 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 100 Greatest Artists of all time.
Where are the temptations from?
The Temptations are an American vocal group from Detroit, Michigan, who released a series of successful singles and albums with Motown Records during the 1960s and 1970s.
What did the temptations suffer from?
He suffered from sickle-cell anemia as well as alcohol abuse, which served both as a coping mechanism for the punishing touring and recording schedule The Temptations had as well as the pain caused by his medical condition.
How did Paul Williams die?
He died of a gunshot wound in the head: a gun was in his hand. He was only wearing swimming trunks.". The official and public verdict of Paul Williams's was death due to suicide. uDiscover Music lays out the difficulties he faced that could have led to him to this point.
Where was the gun found in the Williams case?
First, Williams was shot on the left side of his head, but his gun was found in his right hand. In order to have shot himself, Williams would have had to angle his gun in an impractical manner. Second, a bottle found by his left had shattered, as if he had dropped it.
Did Paul Williams shoot down his girlfriend?
Online, the most common counter interpretation is that Paul Williams was caught with his pants down in his girlfriend's apartment by her partner, who proceeded to gun him down. But again, that cannot be substantiated, so the official story remains official, albeit with questions unanswered.
Why did Williams leave the group?
His doctor advised him to leave the group on the medical ground after a spot was found on his liver. The news was a bitter pill for Williams; leaving the group he founded worsened his problems.
What was the name of the band that changed their manager?
But that was not the end of their musical aspirations. The group changed their managers and soon rebranded as "The Temptations .” Before long, they became one of the biggest bands of their time, bringing out hits after hits.
Overview
History
Eddie Kendricks and Paul Williams started 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.
After Waller left the group in 1957, the remaining trio left Birmingham to break into the music business. The group settled in Detroit where they changed their …
Sound
Following their first Motown hit, the group altered 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 kn…
Legacy and influence
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 fro…
Group members
aka The Cavaliers
• Paul Williams (1955–60) (d. 1973)
• Eddie Kendricks (1955–60) (d. 1992)
• Kell Osborne (1955–60) (d. 2012)
Discography
Studio albums
• Meet the Temptations (1964)
• The Temptations Sing Smokey (1965)
• The Temptin' Temptations (1965)
Filmography
• 1973: Save the Children
• 1987: Happy New Year
• 1989: Who's Harry Crumb?
• 2007: Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story
Citations
1. ^ Graff, Gary (August 29, 1988). "The Temptations: Otis tells the group's tale", Detroit Free Press. Online version available from Internet Archive at [1]
2. ^ (2005). "The Temptations Archived 2005-03-20 at the Wayback Machine". Memorabletv.com. Retrieved November 5, 2005.
3. ^ (2003). "The Temptations Archived 2005-03-05 at the Wayback Machine". ClassicMotown.com. Retrieved November 5, 2005.