29 Facts About The Temptations

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.

The Temptations were the first Motown recording act to win a Grammy Award – for "Cloud Nine" in 1969 – and in 2013 received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.

Six of the Temptations were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1989.

The Temptations were ranked at number 68 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 100 Greatest Artists of all time.

In 1963, the Temptations began working with Smokey Robinson as producer and writer.

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The Temptations then consisted of Otis Williams, Melvin Franklin, Paul Williams, Eddie Kendricks, and David Ruffin; the success that followed the group resulted in what would, in later years, be frequently referred to as the "Classic Five" lineup.

The Temptations began pulling the group away from the ballad-based productions espoused by Robinson, toward a harder-edged and brass-heavy soul sound reminiscent of James Brown.

Outside of music, the Temptations were made honorary members of Phi Beta Sigma fraternity.

Ruffin was causing friction with Berry Gordy by demanding an accounting of the group's earnings; Motown partially acquiesced by allowing the Temptations to retain an outside accounting firm, but the firm did not have full access to the books from the Temptations' manager, International Talent Management, Inc – a subsidiary of Motown.

The Temptations sued Motown in October 1968, seeking a release from the label, but Motown countersued to keep the singer from leaving and the case was eventually settled out of court.

Edwards' first album with the Temptations was Live at the Copa, recorded at the group's return to the Copacabana nightclub.

Williams began traveling with oxygen tanks, and the other four The Temptations made valiant efforts to raid and drain his alcohol stashes.

The Temptations 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 lobbied strongly in 1970 to have the Temptations go on "strike" – no performances, no recordings – until Berry Gordy and the Motown staff were willing to go over all group finances with independent accountants.

The Temptations originally hired Ricky Owens, from the Los Angeles-based vocal group the Vibrations, to replace Kendricks.

In May 1971, the Temptations finally found a permanent replacement for the first tenor position in twenty-year-old Baltimore native Damon Harris.

The Temptations then attempted a second solo career, scoring a hit with the 1984 single "Don't Look Any Further", a duet with Siedah Garrett.

In 1989, The Temptations released the album Special, which included the soulful singles "Special" and "Soul to Soul".

The Temptations ended their induction ceremony with a performance of Paul Williams' signature song, Don't Look Back, dedicated to his memory.

The Temptations was replaced by new member Terry Weeks, who had served as his sub.

Later that year, the Temptations released Phoenix Rising, vocally arranged by 1980s producer Narada Michael Walden, Isaias Gamboa, Claytoven Richardson, Theo Peoples, Tony Lindsey and Skyler Jett, which became their first million-selling album in more than 20 years.

The Temptations were inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 1999.

Later that year, the Temptations asked to be released from their Motown contract, and moved to another Universal label, New Door Records.

The Temptations was replaced by Bruce Williamson, who first affiliated with the group a year earlier.

At the time of his death, Street was in the process of writing a book regarding his time with the Temptations entitled Ball of Confusion: My Life as a Temptin' Temptation.

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The Temptations had been battling with meningitis before his death.

The earliest The 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 known as the Motown Sound.

The Temptations were voted into the Michigan Rock and Roll Legends Hall of Fame in 2005.

In 2018, the story of the Temptations served as inspiration for the jukebox musical Ain't Too Proud, which opened on Broadway in March 2019.