The Temptations are an American vocal group that began in Detroit, Michigan, in 1961. They were originally called The Elgins and became well-known for their popular songs and albums with Motown from the 1960s to the mid-1970s. Working with producer Norman Whitfield, the group helped create a new music style called psychedelic soul, starting with their hit song "Cloud Nine" in 1968. This work was important in the development of R&B and soul music. The group was famous for their dance moves, unique singing styles, and fashion choices. They sold tens of millions of albums and are among the most successful music groups in history.

The group usually had five male singers and dancers, though the number of members changed briefly over time. The original members came from two competing Detroit singing groups: Otis Williams, Elbridge "Al" Bryant, and Melvin Franklin from (Otis Williams &) The Distants, and Eddie Kendricks and Paul Williams from The Primes. In 1964, Bryant was replaced by David Ruffin, who sang lead on many of the group's popular songs, including "My Girl" (1964), "Ain't Too Proud to Beg" (1966), and "I Wish It Would Rain" (1967). In 1968, Ruffin was replaced by Dennis Edwards, who helped the group create hits like "Cloud Nine" (1968), "I Can't Get Next to You" (1969), and "Ball of Confusion (That's What the World Is Today)" (1970). Kendricks and Paul Williams left the group in 1971, and later members included Richard Street, Damon Harris, Glenn Leonard, Ron Tyson, and Ali-Ollie Woodson. Woodson sang lead on the late-period hit "Treat Her Like a Lady" in 1984 and the theme song for the children's program Kids in Motion in 1987.

Throughout their career, the Temptations released four number-one songs on the Billboard Hot 100 and fourteen number-one songs on the R&B charts. They were the first Motown group to win a Grammy Award for "Cloud Nine" in 1969 and received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2013. The group won a total of four Grammy Awards. In 1989, members Edwards, Franklin, Kendricks, Ruffin, Otis Williams, and Paul Williams were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Three songs by the Temptations— "My Girl," "Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me)" (1971), and "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone" (1972)—are listed among the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll. In 2010, the Temptations were ranked No. 68 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the "100 Greatest Artists of All Time." In 2023, they were named No. 1 on Billboard magazine's list of the "100 Greatest R&B/Hip-Hop Artists Of All Time."

As of 2026, The Temptations continue to perform with Otis Williams, who is the group's last surviving original member. Williams owns the rights to the name "The Temptations."

History

Eddie Kendricks and Paul Williams began singing together in church when they were children in Birmingham, Alabama. When they were teenagers, they formed a doo-wop group in 1955 with Kell Osborne and Wiley Waller. They called themselves The Cavaliers.

After Wiley Waller left the group in 1957, the remaining three members moved to Detroit to try to become musicians. In Detroit, they changed their name to The Primes and were led by Milton Jenkins. The Primes became well known in the Detroit area for their detailed and precise performances. Jenkins later created a sister group called The Primettes, which later became known as The Supremes. Kendricks was already seen as a popular figure in Detroit, while Williams was praised for his deep voice.

At the same time, a teenager named Otis Williams from Texas moved to Detroit to live with his mother. By 1958, Williams was the leader of a vocal group called Otis Williams and the Siberians. The group included Elbridge "Al" Bryant, James "Pee-Wee" Crawford, Vernard Plain, and Arthur Walton. They recorded a song called "Pecos Kid" for a label run by radio host Senator Bristol Bryant. Soon after, the group changed its name to The El Domingoes. Later, Melvin Franklin from Montgomery, Alabama, replaced Arthur Walton as the bass singer, and Richard Street, who claimed to be Melvin Franklin's cousin, replaced Vernard Plain as the lead singer. The group signed with Johnnie Mae Matthews' Northern Records and changed their name again to The Distants.

The Distants recorded two songs for Northern Records: "Come On" (1959) and "Alright" (1960). "Come On" became a local hit, and the Warwick Records label began selling it nationally. After "Alright" was released, Matthews made Williams the group leader, and the group changed its name to Otis Williams & The Distants. During this time, both The Primes and The Distants were inspired by other vocal groups, including The Miracles, The Cadillacs, Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers, The Drifters, and The Isley Brothers. Although "Come On" was popular in Detroit, The Distants did not sell many records, and "Alright" was not very successful. After being offered a deal with Motown Records, The Distants left their contract with Northern Records. However, James "Pee-Wee" Crawford and Richard Street soon left the group, and the remaining members could no longer use the name "The Distants." Richard Street later formed another group called The Distants, which recorded for the Thelma label in the early 1960s.

Members of The Distants knew members of The Primes because both groups performed at the same events and talent shows. The Primes were seen as more polished and had stronger voices than The Distants. However, The Distants broke up in 1960 when Kell Osborne moved to California. Kendricks and Williams returned to Alabama after the group dissolved. While visiting relatives in Detroit, Kendricks called Otis Williams, who needed two more members for an audition at Berry Gordy's label. Williams offered Kendricks a chance to join the new group, which would also include Franklin and Bryant. Kendricks agreed to join only if he could bring Paul Williams with him. Otis Williams agreed, and Kendricks and Williams moved back to Detroit to join the new group.

The original name for the new group, which included Otis Williams, Melvin Franklin, Elbridge "Al" Bryant, Eddie Kendricks, and Paul Williams, was The Elgins. The group auditioned for Motown in March 1961. Berry Gordy, who was already impressed with some of the members, agreed to sign the group to Motown's Miracle Records. However, Gordy later found out that another group was already using the name "Elgins." The group discussed new names on the steps of the Hitsville U.S.A. studio. With suggestions from Billy Mitchell of Miracle Records, songwriter Mickey Stevenson, and group members Otis Williams and Paul Williams, the group chose the name The Temptations. The name "Elgins" was used again in 1965 when Gordy renamed a group called The Downbeats as The Elgins.

The Temptations' first two songs, "Oh Mother of Mine" and "Check Yourself," with Paul Williams on lead, were released on Miracle Records. After Gordy closed Miracle Records, the group was moved to Gordy Records. Eddie Kendricks sang lead on the group's first charted single, "(You're My) Dream Come True," which reached number 22 on the R&B chart in May 1962. Later that year, The Temptations began touring with the Motortown Revue. Between 1961 and 1963, the group released eight songs without much success.

During this time, Paul Williams and Eddie Kendricks shared lead singing duties, while Al Bryant, Otis Williams, and Melvin Franklin sometimes sang lead, as they did on the song "Isn't She Pretty." For a short time, the group almost changed their name to The Pirates and recorded "Mind Over Matter" and "I'll Love You Till I Die" under that name. However, the label and the group decided against it. One song, "Do You Love Me," was originally meant to be recorded by The Temptations. When Gordy could not contact the group, he produced a version for The Contours.

In 1963, The Temptations began working with Smokey Robinson as a producer and writer. Robinson's first song with the group was "I Want a Love I Can See," led by Paul Williams. The song did not chart but became a popular live performance. Some called the group "The Hitless Temptations" because they had no hits.

At the same time, David Ruffin followed the group around and wanted to join. During a local performance, Ruffin joined the group onstage and impressed them with his singing and dancing. Around the same time, Al Bryant became frustrated with the group's lack of success and preferred his job as a milkman over performing. After a conflict onstage during a Christmas performance, Bryant was fired from the group. David Ruffin was then brought in as his replacement in January 1964. R

Sound

The group's music is known for "silky soul vocals and smooth-stepping routines," and has been called psychedelic soul.

After their first Motown hit, the group changed their style many times over the years. They adapted to popular music trends while keeping their unique visual and vocal styles. Early Temptations songs, recorded with Motown's famous studio band, The Funk Brothers, showed the influence of producers Berry Gordy and Smokey Robinson. These songs combined black rhythm and blues with elements of white pop music, which later became known as the Motown Sound. Songs from before 1966, such as "My Girl," had simple lyrics and used an R&B rhythm section with orchestral strings and horns to appeal to pop audiences. During this time, most songs had one lead singer, usually David Ruffin or Eddie Kendricks, though other members also had solo songs at times.

In 1966, Norman Whitfield changed the group's style. He moved away from the one-lead-singer model and added influences from rougher soul music by artists like James Brown and Wilson Pickett. Whitfield and his writers created songs with changes in volume, short, sharp horn sounds, and complex harmonies that highlighted each singer's unique voice. On stage, this change was shown through the use of a special four-headed microphone stand invented by David Ruffin.

When Ruffin left and Sly and the Family Stone became popular, Whitfield changed the group's sound again. This time, the music became more progressive and helped define psychedelic soul. However, traditional ballads were still recorded as B-sides or album tracks, except for "Just My Imagination."

Songs like the album version of "Run Away Child, Running Wild" from Cloud Nine, "Take a Stroll Thru Your Mind" from Psychedelic Shack, and "Smiling Faces Sometimes" from Sky's the Limit each lasted at least eight minutes. At Whitfield's request, much of the extra time in these songs was filled with instrumentals without vocals. For example, the 1972 hit "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone" was nearly seven minutes long, with an instrumental intro lasting almost two minutes, which was unusual for songs of that time.

"Psychedelic soul" later became "cinematic soul," which included longer songs with detailed orchestration, extended instrumental parts, and lyrics about the struggles of Black communities in the United States. These songs were influenced by singer-songwriters Isaac Hayes and Curtis Mayfield.

Unlike Hayes and Mayfield, The Temptations did not have control over their recordings. They were not happy with the long, 12- and 13-minute songs Whitfield made them record, which were the focus of albums like Solid Rock, All Directions, and Masterpiece.

In 1974, after Whitfield left as producer, the group changed their sound again. They balanced fast, danceable songs with ballads. Vocal arrangements focused on one lead singer per track, though some songs still shared lead roles. The group also began writing and producing their own music after fighting Motown for creative control. From this point, they focused mostly on songs about love, though some songs about social issues were still made.

In the mid-1970s, The Temptations' music was heavily influenced by funk artists like Parliament-Funkadelic and Sly and the Family Stone. Members from these groups contributed to their music during this time. Their signature ballad style, which had been used less during Whitfield's time, was brought back with the rich, full arrangements of earlier songs produced by Smokey Robinson. After briefly trying disco in the late 1970s, The Temptations settled into a style of R&B rooted in adult contemporary music, which they continue to use today.

Legacy and influence

The Temptations have inspired many musical groups and artists, including The Jackson 5, The Stylistics, The Dramatics, Blue Magic, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, New Edition, Rod Stewart, Bob Dylan, Hall & Oates, and many others.

Jason Ankeny of AllMusic stated that The Temptations were "one of Motown's greatest and most powerful vocal groups of the 1960s, and pioneers of psychedelic soul during the early 1970s." He also said, "Because of their perfect harmonies, many popular songs, and carefully planned dance moves, the Temptations became the most famous vocal group of the 1960s. […] They performed both soft pop songs and songs with strong political messages with skill, and they handled many changes in group members and music trends over time with respect and dignity."

Berry Gordy wanted all Motown artists to appeal to both white and Black audiences. He used a large team of creative people to help Motown artists achieve success across different groups. Motown choreographer Cholly Atkins, along with Paul Williams, created the famous, precise, and energetic dance moves used by The Temptations on stage. The most well-known move, called the Temptation Walk or Temptation Strut, was based on similar dances by The Flamingos and The Vibrations. Atkins and Williams combined these ideas to create the group’s signature dance.

Like other independent music companies of the time, Motown was not part of the Recording Industry of America. Instead, Motown stayed independent and distributed its music through thousands of small record stores and radio stations. Because of this, songs by Motown artists like The Temptations did not receive official "gold" or "platinum" certifications from the RIAA until Motown joined the RIAA in 1977.

The Temptations’ songs have been performed by many musicians, including R&B singers like Otis Redding ("My Girl"), Bobby Womack ("I Wish It Would Rain"), and Luther Vandross ("Since I Lost My Baby"). White soul and reggae bands such as Rare Earth ("Get Ready"), UB 40 ("The Way You Do and The Things You Do"), and The Rolling Stones ("My Girl," "Ain't Too Proud to Beg," "Just My Imagination") also covered their songs. Mick Jagger collaborated with reggae artist Peter Tosh on ("Don't Look Back"). The Funk Brothers, Motown’s in-house band, recorded "My Girl," "Runaway Child Running Wild," and "Papa Was a Rolling Stone." Hall & Oates performed "My Girl" and "The Way You Do The Things You Do" with The Temptations on Live with Ruffin and Kendricks. Marcus Miller covered "Papa Was a Rolling Stone." British rock singer Rod Stewart released a version of "I'm Losing You" in 1971 and later collaborated with The Temptations on the single "The Motown Song" in 1991. In 2017, The Temptations and Otis Williams’ former protégé, Kyle Maack, recorded a version of "Treat Her Like a Lady" for Maack’s Shaky Ground EP, which also included two other Temptations songs.

In 2004, Rolling Stone magazine ranked The Temptations number 67 on its list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time. The group was inducted into the Michigan Rock and Roll Legends Hall of Fame in 2005. They received the Lifetime Achievement Grammy Award in 2013. On August 17, 2013, The Temptations were officially inducted into the R&B Music Hall of Fame at the inaugural ceremony held at the Waetejen Auditorium on the campus of Cleveland State University.

In 2018, the story of The Temptations inspired the jukebox musical Ain't Too Proud, which opened on Broadway in March 2019. The show was nominated for 11 Tony Awards at the 73rd Tony Awards and won for Best Choreography.

Group members

Also known as The Cavaliers – merged with The Distants

• Paul Williams (1955–1960; died in 1973)
• Eddie Kendricks (1955–1960; died in 1992)
• Kell Osborne (1955–1960; died in 2012)
• Wiley Waller (1955–1957)

Also known as Otis Williams & the Distants, Otis Williams & the Siberians – merged with The Primes

• Otis Williams (1957–1960)
• Elbridge "Al" Bryant (1957–1960; died in 1975)
• James "Pee-Wee" Crawford (1957–1959)
• Vernard Plain (1957–1958)
• Arthur Walton (1957–1958)
• Melvin Franklin (1958–1960; died in 1995)
• Richard Street (1958–1960; died in 2013)
• Albert "Mooch" Harrell (1959–1960)

• Otis Williams (1961–present)
• Ron Tyson (1983–present)
• Terry Weeks (1997–present)
• Tony Grant (2021–present)
• Jawan M. Jackson (2022–present)

• Melvin Franklin (1961–1995; died in 1995)
• Eddie Kendricks (1961–1971, 1982 reunion; died in 1992)
• Paul Williams (1961–1971; died in 1973)
• Elbridge "Al" Bryant (1961–1963; died in 1975)
• David Ruffin (1964–1968, 1982 reunion; died in 1991)
• Dennis Edwards (1968–1977, 1979–1983, 1987–1988; died in 2018)
• Ricky Owens (1971; died in 1995)
• Damon Harris (1971–1975; died in 2013)
• Richard Street (1971–1993; died in 2013)
• Glenn Leonard (1975–1983)
• Louis Price (1977–1980)
• Ali-Ollie Woodson (1984–1987, 1988–1996, 2002; died in 2010)
• Theo Peoples (1993–1998)
• Ray Davis (1993–1995; died in 2005)
• Harry McGilberry (1995–2003; died in 2006)
• Barrington "Bo" Henderson (1998–2003)
• G. C. Cameron (2003–2007, 2019)
• Joe Herndon (2003–2015)
• Bruce Williamson (2007–2015; died in 2020)
• Larry Braggs (2015–2019)
• Willie Greene (2015–2022)
• Mario Corbino (2020–2021)
• Kevin Lankford (Special Appearance)

Filmography

• 1973: Save the Children
• 1987: Happy New Year
• 1989: Who's Harry Crumb?
• 2007: Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story

• 1985: The Fall Guy (TV episode: Rockabye Baby, February 13, 1985)
• 1985: The Love Boat (TV episode: Your Money or Your Wife/Joint Custody/The Temptations, October 5, 1985)
• 1986: Moonlighting (TV episode: Symphony in Knocked Flat, October 21, 1986)
• 1986: 227 (TV episode: Temptations, November 15, 1986)
• 1990: Murphy Brown (TV episode: Goin' to the Chapel, Part 2, May 21, 1990)
• 1990: Participated in CBS network's 1990–91 version of their "Get Ready" campaign with an updated version of the song "Get Ready."
• 1993: Getting By (TV episode: Reach for the Stars, November 23, 1993)
• 1996: New York Undercover (TV episode: Deep Cover, May 2, 1996)
• 2008: Friday Night with Jonathan Ross (TV appearance, March 7, 2008)
• 2012: Dancing with the Stars (TV appearance, April 23, 2012 – Motown Week)
• 2024: Today Show (TV appearance, December 16, 2024)

• 1991: The Temptations – Live in Concert
• 2004: 20th Century Masters – The Best of the Temptations
• 2006: Get Ready: The Definitive Performances – 1965–1972
• 2007: The Temptations – Live in London (1987)

General bibliography

• George, Nelson (1994). "Cool as They Wanna Be". The Temptations: Emperors of Soul (CD box set). New York: Motown Record Co., L.P.
• George, Nelson (1985, revised in 2003). Where Did Our Love Go: The Rise and Fall of the Motown. London: Omnibus Press. ISBN 0-7119-9511-7.
• Posner, Gerald (2002). Motown: Music, Money, Sex, and Power. New York: Random House. ISBN 0-375-50062-6.
• Ribowsky, Mark (2010). Ain't Too Proud to Beg: The Troubled Lives and Enduring Soul of the Temptations. Hoboken, New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons. ISBN 978-0-470-26117-0.
• Weinger, Harry (1994). "Sunshine on a Cloudy Day". The Temptations: Emperors of Soul (CD box set). New York: Motown Record Co., L.P.
• Williams, Otis and Romanowski, Patricia (1988, updated in 2002). Temptations. Lanham, MD: Cooper Square. ISBN 0-8154-1218-5.