musicradio77
05-08-2004, 01:13 PM
This week, Motown's 45th anniversary artists avatar of the week will feature a legendary would lead to the success of the Four Tops. The Temptations. The group started in the late-50's with the founder Otis Williams. He put a series of two different groups. First it was the Distants and then the Primes. While it was there, Diana Ross, Florence Ballard and Mary Wilson are the Primettes. The five members put together, they became the Elgins (not the later group who had their only hit back in the mid-60's with "Heaven Must Have Sent You" which was later become a remake by Bonnie Pointer back in 1979) and then it became the Temptations. The Temptations featuring Eddie Kendricks, Otis Williams, Paul Williams, Melvin Franklin and Elbridge Bryant. The group signed with Motown's Gordy label in 1962. Their early hits included "Dream Come True" and "Farewell My Love". After their impressive start, Elbridge left the group in 1963 and then replaced by David Ruffin. His first song with the group was "I Want a Love That I Can See" written by Smokey Robinson was a flop. In 1964, their first big record would put the group on top was "The Way You Do the Things You Do", It was a bonified hit. In 1965, the Temptations released the single which would put the group on the map was "My Girl" was their first #1 hit in the winter of '65. Following the success of the song, they released "It's Growing", "Since I Lost My Baby" and "My Baby", they were huge hits. In 1966, the song "Get Ready" was a success in which another group Rare Earth would later recorded the song a few years later in 1970. "Ain't Too Proud to Beg" was on a roll along with "Beauty Is Only Skin Deep", "You're My Everything" and "(I Know) I'm Losing You". In 1967, the group took a break from these big hits and released the album "The Temptations In a Mellow Mood". An album of standards featuring show tunes like "Ol' Man River" from "Showboat", "Hello Young Lovers" from "The King and I", "Somewhere" from "West Side Story", "That's Life" a remake of a Frank Sinatra song and "The Impossible Dream" from "Man of La Mancha". In 1968, they came back with "I Wish It Would Rain" and "I'll Never Love Another (After Loving You)". After these songs, David Ruffin left the group to go solo. David replaced by ex-Contour lead singer, Dennis Edwards. The first song with Dennis on lead was "Cloud Nine" which launched the era of psychadelic soul. That same year, the group joined the Supremes with "I'm Gonna Make You Love Me". Other songs included "Runaway Child, Running Wild", "Don't Let the Joneses Get you Down" and "I Can't Get Next to You" in 1969. As the Tempts entered the 70's, they released "Psychedelic Shack" and "Ball of Confusion". If it wasn't enough, the group released their #1 single "Just My Imagination" in 1971. After theie released, both Paul Williams and Eddie Kendricks left the group. First, Paul left because of drug problems and Eddie left to focus on his solo career. They replaced Richard Street and Damon Harris. In late 1972, "Papa Was a Rolling Stone" was a huge success along with "Masterpiece" the following year. In 1973, Paul Williams was killed with a gunshot wound. He was 34 years old. The group continued in the mid-70's with songs that didn't make any success at all. Dennis Edwards left and then came back later on. The group left Motown and went to Atlantic records to released albums, they failed. The group came back to Motown in the 80's with "Power", it was a giant flop. In 1983, they performed at a reunion with the Four Tops at a Motown's 25th anniversary TV special. Dennis Edwards left again in the 80's and went solo with his only hit "Don't Look Any Further". Ollie Woodson joined the group in 1984 with "Treat Her Like a Lady", it was a minor hit. In 1989, they released "All I Want For You", it wasn't a hit either. As the group entered the 90's, there are many surprises. In 1990, the group inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. In addition to that, there are many tragedies. David Ruffin died in 1991 of a drug overdose. The following year, Eddie Kendricks died of lung caner and then Melvin Franklin died of a brain seizure 3 years later in 1995. In 1998, the group released "Phoneix Rising" featuring the song "Stay" with a sample beat borrowed from "My Girl". As the group entered the millennium, they released "Ear-Resistable". The Temptations had a 2-part biographical mini-series on NBC back in 1998 in which it tells the story of the group. I remember back in 2002 where I went to see the Temptations performed in concert at the UPAC in Kingston, it was great. I have the Temptations T-Shirt home. The Temptations will forever be in our hearts.
TEMPTATIONS FOREVER.
TEMPTATIONS FOREVER.