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The Temptations music biography continued...

continue to perform well into the millennium. Throughout their career, they have sold over 22 million albums and are deemed one of the most successful groups in black music history. Despite their numerous line-up changes, the Temptations have managed to maintain their solid stature.

In 1961, two popular Detroit vocal groups the Primes and the Distants joined together to form The Elgins. The lineup included Otis Williams, Melvin Franklin, Elbridge Bryant, Eddie Kendricks, and Paul Williams. In March of the same year they auditioned for Berry Gordy of Motown Records and were quickly signed to the subsidiary, Miracle. Discovering that the name The Elgins was already being used, the group changed their name to the Temptations. They released two singles, "Oh Mother of Mine", and "Check Yourself" before the Miracle label closed and merged with the Gordy label. Following the release of seven unsuccessful singles, the Temptations finally placed on the R&B singles chart at number 22 in 1962 with "Dream Come True". In 1963, Bryant was fired from the group following a violent attack on band member Paul Williams and was replaced by David Ruffin in 1964. Soon afterwards, with the help of writer/producer Smokey Robinson, the Temptations issued the smash hit "The Way You Do the Things You Do" which charted on the Billboard Hot 100 at number eleven.

One year later their signature song, "My Girl" became a number one hit on both the pop and R&B charts initiating the successful "Classic 5" era. With David Ruffin's remarkable vocals on the lead along with the harmonies of Paul Williams, Kendricks, Franklin, and Otis Williams the group delivered their most memorable hits during this period. Subsequent singles, "It's Growing", "Since I Lost My Baby", "Don't Look Back", and "My Baby", all placed in the Top Twenty in 1965. The hit "Get Ready" in 1966 was their last with Robinson as Norman Whitfield quickly took over as main producer following the success of "Ain't Too Proud to Beg". He continued to produce Top Ten hits with the singles "Beauty is Only Skin Deep", "(I Know) I'm Losing You", "You're My Everything", and "All I Need". Whitfield eventually introduced a heavier version of soul similar to that of James Brown evident in the hit "I Wish it Would Rain".

The fame and attention of being in the spotlight began to alter Ruffin's demeanor. Believing that he was solely responsible for the group's success, he developed a superiority complex often missing rehearsals, meetings and concerts. In addition to his unfathomable behavior, Ruffin also acquired a cocaine dependency. He was eventually fired from the group and replaced with Dennis Edwards of The Contours in 1968. The end of the 1960s witnessed a transformation in the Temptations' style into "psychedelic soul" with the Top Ten hit "Cloud Nine" off of the album of the same title. The single earned Motown its first Grammy Award for Best R&B Vocal Group Performance in 1969. The hits persisted with the number one R&B single "Run Away Child, Running Wild", the number one pop hit "I Can't Get Next to You", as well as the noteworthy "Psychedelic Shack", "Ball of Confusion (That's What the World is Today)", and "Ungena Za Ulimwengu (Unite the World)".

Problems soon began to arise within the group as an unhappy Kendricks often argued with Otis and Melvin, which eventually led to his departure in 1970 following his walkout during the Copacabana performance. In the meantime, Paul Williams who suffered from sickle cell disease and alcoholism became unfit to perform and was often replaced by Richard Street. Following his doctor's request, Paul quit the group in 1971 as his health was deteriorating. Prior to the departure of Kendrick and Paul Williams, they had both recorded the lead vocals on the track "Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me)" which became a number one hit in March 1971.

The new version of the Temptations, Otis Williams, Dennis Edwards, Melvin Franklin, Damon Harris, and Richard Street, scored a major number one hit in 1972 with the twelve minute single "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone". The song later won the 1973 Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance by a Group. Realizing the astronomical success of "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone", producer Whitfield continued to create lengthy works such as the Top 40 hit "Masterpiece" in 1973, however shortly afterwards the hits were fewer and album sales were declining. Whitfield and the Temptations developed a tense relationship which led to his eventual departure. 1990 was the final album produced by Whitfield which featured the Top 30 single "Let Your Hair Down". Jeffrey Bowen immediately took over producing the 1975 album A Song for You. The album proved to be one of the group's strongest efforts featuring the two number one hit singles "Happy People" and "Shakey Ground". During the recording of the album, Damon Harris was fired for his unprofessional behavior and replaced with Glenn Leonard. The releases that followed such as House Party, Wings of Love, and The Temptations Do the Temptations proved to be major disappointments leading the group to leave Motown for Atlantic Records in 1977. Dennis Edwards left the band to pursue a solo career and was replaced by Louis Price. The Atlantic recordings showed not to revive their success. The Temptations, joined by Dennis Edwards, returned to Motown Records in 1980.

After several undermining releases, the Temptations planned a reunion tour and would be joined by former members Eddie Kendricks and David Ruffin. The Reunion tour kicked off in 1982 with an accompanying album. The single "Standing on the Top" peaked at number six on the R&B charts bringing the group back into the spotlight, however underlying personal differences caused Kendricks and Ruffin to leave the group a second time. For the next several years, the Temptations would simply become a thing of the past. With most of its members retired or deceased, Otis Williams remains an original of the group. In 1998, the reformed Temptations released Phoenix Rising, their first million dollar selling album in twenty years introducing new members Terry Weeks, Barrington "Bo" Henderson, Ron Tyson, and Harry McGilberry. The 1998 Temptations NBC miniseries also attributed to the group's reconfirmed fame. In 2000, the group released Ear-Resistible which earned a Grammy Award for Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance. Their final Motown record, Legacy, was issued in 2004 and their latest album Reflections was released two years later with New Door Records (from the Universal Motown Records Group label).