Music Appreciation
The Temptations
The Temptations is a popular American vocal group that was started in the 1960’s. The Temptations group was created in Detroit, Michigan in 1960, under the name, The Elgins. The members of the original group when it started were from two Detroit rival music groups; Paul Williams and Eddie Kendricks from the group, The Primes and Elbridge AL Bryant , Otis Williams, and Melvin Franklin from The Distants (Williams and Romanowski 178). The groups met at a house party organized by Janet Poole, a friend of The Distants. After they met at this party, the two groups merged and came up with a name, the Elgins after which they started a singing career in Detroit. The Temptations music group struggled to succeed and be recognized, but when they signed with Motown records, their singing career changed. In addition, they were able to change their name from the Elgins to The Temptations. The group had a hard time establishing themselves and becoming famous, but they were able to make it after releasing a number of single hits, which made it to the Grammy awards. The group line up changed as time passed by, but the good thing is that, they still remained in the limelight recording many hit songs. The music group The Temptations has paved way for the future of R&B and pop artists across the globe.
The group is known for their success with Motown records, and is considered as a prominent group that has contributed to the advancement of soul and R&B music. In addition, The Temptations are known for their flashy clothes, distinctive harmonies, and dance routines in the 1960’s and 70’s. In addition, they are known for their love songs, catchy sounds and their up beat songs which have kept their fans wanting more year by year. The Temptations recorded their first single ” Oh Mother of Mine” in 1961, but they got very little response from their fans (Williams and Romanowski 123). In 1962, their single ” Dream Come True” made a marginal hit, but still they were struggling to make it to the top. However, after some time, they were able to record songs that put them on the charts.
Sing Smokey is the album that put The Temptations in the glare of publicity. It was their second album and was produced by Smokey Robinson. The three hits of the album were The Way You Do The Things You Do, It’s Growing, and My Girl. The songs are love songs and this is the reason why the album was a hit and put them in the public eye, making them trendy and famous. After they started recording with Smokey Robinson, they started tabling Pop and R&B. Smokey Robinson changed the status of The Temptations when he started recording with them. They were able to produce a number of singles that made it to the charts, thus making them popular in the United States. The Temptations’ second album gave them a break through in the music industry up to date.
Bryant left the group in 1963 and was replaced by David Ruffin who came from Motown’s Miracle label. The Temptations continued recording their singles, and after recording ” The Way You Do the Things You Do,” the single charted Pop and R&B. As days went by, the group became celebrated and legendary as their songs trended on the R&B and Pop charts. In 1968 mid, Ruffin left the group and was replaced by Dennis Edwards and they started recording with the Supremes in 1970. In 1971, Kendricks left for a single career, while Paul Williams left due to health problems, but the group still moved on with recording their songs and keeping the flame of The Temptations burning with the new line up. More hits followed as the years passed by, and they left Smoke Robinson and started recording with Atlantic Records. Edwards left and was replaced by Louis Prince but their recording with Atlantic records did not bear any fruits. Later on, they returned to Motown for a Reunion album, which did not go well. In the 1990’s the line up changed, but the group continued to record hit singles as well as producing a television series called The Temptations that was based on the biography of Otis Williams, which was watched worldwide. In addition, they are still recording for Universal records with their one surviving member still on the line up and new singers. However, as much as the original members left the group and a new line up was generated, the music group Temptations still rocked their fans.
Having sold tens of millions of their albums across the globe, The Temptations are considered to be among the most successful music groups in the music history. In their career, The Temptations music group have released four Billboard Hot 100 number one singles and 14 R&B number one singles, which received them three Grammy Awards. The group, The Temptations was the first Motown group to ever receive a Grammy Award, and they changed how pop and R&B music was viewed in the society.
Over the years, The Temptations suffered a number of tragic losses of their members (Ribowsky 102). The death of Eddie Kendricks because of cancer, the suicide of Paul Williams in 1971, the death of David Ruffin in 1991 after becoming a drug addict, and they also lost Melvin Franklin from a brain seizure complication. Nonetheless, the members were replaced with new members and the group remained strong, regardless of the setbacks. Otis William has kept the flame burning for The Temptations with a new line up. The current lineup of The Temptations includes; Otis Williams, Joe Herndon, Terry Weeks, Bruce Williamson, and Ron Tyson. The group keeps The Temptations fire burning as they continue to record new singles day by day, thus entertaining their fans around the world. Otis William brings together the new line up of the Temptations.
Form the year 2000, The Temptations were inducted into a Vocal Group Hall of Fame and in 2001, they won a Grammy as the Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance. As of 2014, The Temptations has only one existing founder member, Otis Williams as the rest died or left from the act due to unavoidable circumstances (Ribowsky 56). However, the group is still performing despite the changes in the line up. Otis William is still working hard to keep the group they started 45 years ago and making sure that it does not lose the fame they strived to achieve over the years.
For over years, the music group The Temptations has remained a major picture in pop music. They have maintained a very unique vocal style that they started with, yet they still have adapted to the contemporary music trends, making it the best. The group has seen not less than 22 male vocalists pass through the line up with the most famous one spanning from 1964-1968 (Graff 107). During this time, The Temptations defined the Motown sounds and attained a bona fide success on the intercontinental mainstream. The Temptations will be remembered not only for their flashy suits, complex choreography, and enigmatic vocalists, but also for the essential role they played in the breakthrough of the Motown sounds. The group has retained their status in the music industry, despite the fact that it has only one original surviving member with the rest being new on the line up. They have maintained a steady profile on the US R&B charts for the last two decades.
The Temptations have set a high standard for male soul and R&B groups of the time. Their legacy and influence can still be felt in the music industry with their detailed choreography and flash suits. Initially, before The Temptations became famous, most singing groups were jagged and lacked fashion but after their popularity, the styles changed. In 2013, the group received a Lifetime Achievement Grammy Award ahead of their initiation to the R&B Music Hall of Fame in August 2013. The Temptations group legacy is still being carried by the new members who joined the group, as they adapt to the current new styles in Music industry. The group is the most iconic vocal group in America’s pop and R&B music and it’s a legendary group.
In conclusion, The Temptations are an American singing group from Motown formed in 1960. The group was formed in Detroit from a group of two rival struggling vocal groups in Detroit, The Primes, and The Distants, and they joined together to form a group called The Elgins, and later named The Temptations. The Temptations has been the most successful lauded male music group in the music industry. They have been charting hits for the last 40 years in Motown. Despite a number of setbacks and the loss of the original members, The Temptations music group has forged ahead with their only surviving original member Otis Williams at the helm. The group currently holds 13 gold and six platinum albums with their songs remaining on the charts (Graff 67). The Temptations is a group that has been faced with a number of challenges with a change of line ups every year, but the group has maintained its legacy.
The Temptations have switched labels a number of times from Motown to Atlantic, then they went back to Motown and ultimately to Universal records, but they have continued to release hit singles loved by pop music lovers around the world. Well-known for their flashy suits, distinct harmonies, and finely tune choreography, The Temptations are said to be an influential music group to many pop and R&B artists. They have set the standards of pop, and R&B music across the globe, thus bringing a change and living a mark in the music industry. The Temptations continue to rock the world with blazing musical trails in the 21st century as they maintain the formula started by their founder Otis Williams 50 years ago. The Temptations are one of the most successful music groups in the black music history formed in the 1960s, and still rocks up to date. Even though the line up of The Temptations has significantly changed over the years, Otis Williams is keeping the group alive and touring.
Works Cited
Graff, Gary. The Temptations: Otis tells the group’s tale. Michigan: Detroit Free Press, 1988. Print.
Ribowsky, Mark. Ain’t Too Proud to Beg: The Troubled Lives and Enduring Soul of the Temptations. Hoboken, New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons, 2010. Print.
Williams, Otis and Romanowski, Patricia. Temptations. Lanham, MD: Cooper Square, 2002. Print.
