List of the Temptations band members
This page is a chronology of the Motown singing group the Temptations. It lists the members of the group during all phases of the group's history. While the Temptations have frequently changed their lineup, the group has always employed a person for each of the following roles:
- main lead singer (e.g., David Ruffin)
- secondary lead and baritone singer (e.g., Paul Williams)
- first tenor lead singer (e.g., Eddie Kendricks)
- bass lead singer (e.g., Melvin Franklin)
- background second tenor and baritone w/ occasional lead (since 1961 Otis Williams has always held and continues to hold this role)
During their live performances, the 1st tenor who almost exclusively performs in falsetto and secondary leads have always been as predominant on stage as the group's official main lead/front man. Also, the 1st tenor position is always considered equal to the main lead position on studio recordings as well; the secondary lead was elevated to almost the same status in the studio from 1968 to 1972 and from 1993 onward.
The background/occasional lead role was originally that of another secondary lead singer before 1961.
The group has performed as a quintet throughout its history, with six exceptions:
- The Cavaliers' lineup (1955–57, 4 Members)
- The Primes' lineup (1958–60, 4 Members, later 3)
- April – May 1971 (4 Members, No 1st Tenor)
- The 1982 reunion lineup (7 Members)
- The later half of 1995, following the departure of Ray Davis (4 Members, No Bass)
- October 2019 to June 2020 following the departure of Larry Braggs (4 members, Terry Weeks singing lead, no replacement tenor)
Since 1976, the name "the Temptations" has been a registered trademark definitively owned by Otis Williams and (the estate of) Melvin Franklin.[1][2]
The Cavaliers
(1955–1957) |
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The Primes
(1957–1958) |
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(1958–1960) |
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Otis Williams & The Siberians/The El Domingoes
(1958–1959) |
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(1959) |
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The Distants
(1959) |
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(1959–1960) |
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The Elgins
(1960–1961) |
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The Temptations
- Members of the classic lineup are in bold.
(1960–1963) |
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(1964–1968) |
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(1968–1971) |
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(1971) |
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(1971) |
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(1971) |
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(1971–1975) |
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(1975–1977) |
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(1977–1980) |
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(1980–1982) |
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(1982) |
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(1982–1983) |
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(1983–1984) |
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(1984–1987) |
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(1987–1989) |
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(1989–1992) |
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(1992–1994) |
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(1995) |
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(1996–1997) |
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(1997–1998) |
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(1998–2003) |
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(2003) |
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(2003–2007) |
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(2007–2015) |
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(2016–2019) |
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(2019–2020) |
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(2020–2021) |
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(2021–2022) |
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(2022–present) |
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Timeline
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/timeline/mh7lw66fkcmoy24ehn4a7qix9n60ufe.png)
References
- ^ Ex-Temptations Singer Dennis Edwards Loses His Court Battle To Use 'Temptations' Name Archived 11 June 2008 at the Wayback Machine, a January 1999 Jet magazine article via findarticles.com
- ^ Williams, Otis and Romanowski, Patricia (1988, updated 2002). Pg. 181.
- v
- t
- e
- Otis Williams
- Ron Tyson
- Terry Weeks
- Tony Grant
- Jawan Jackson
- Melvin Franklin
- Eddie Kendricks
- Paul Williams
- Elbridge Bryant
- David Ruffin
- Dennis Edwards
- Ricky Owens
- Richard Street
- Damon Harris
- Glenn Leonard
- Louis Price
- Ali-Ollie Woodson
- Theo Peoples
- Harry McGilberry
- Barrington "Bo" Henderson
- Ray Davis
- G. C. Cameron
- Joe Herndon
- Bruce Williamson
- Larry Braggs
- Willie Green
- Mario Corbino
- Meet the Temptations
- The Temptations Sing Smokey
- The Temptin' Temptations
- Gettin' Ready
- The Temptations with a Lot o' Soul
- The Temptations Wish It Would Rain
- Cloud Nine
- Puzzle People
- Psychedelic Shack
- Sky's the Limit
- Solid Rock
- All Directions
- Masterpiece
- 1990
- A Song for You
- House Party
- Wings of Love
- The Temptations Do the Temptations
- Hear to Tempt You
- Bare Back
- Power
- The Temptations
- Reunion
- Surface Thrills
- Back to Basics
- Truly for You
- Touch Me
- To Be Continued...
- Together Again
- Special
- Milestone
- Phoenix Rising
- Ear-Resistible
- Awesome
- Legacy
- Still Here
- Temptations 60
- The Temptations in a Mellow Mood
- For Lovers Only
- Reflections
- Back to Front
- All the Time
- Temptations Live!
- Live at the Copa
- Live at London's Talk of the Town
- The Temptations in Japan
- Diana Ross & the Supremes Join the Temptations
- TCB
- The Temptations Show
- Together
- On Broadway
- The Temptations Christmas Card
- Give Love at Christmas
- Lost and Found: You've Got to Earn It (1962–1968)
- Greatest Hits
- Greatest Hits II
- Anthology
- Emperors of Soul
- The Ultimate Collection
- My Girl: The Very Best of the Temptations
- Psychedelic Soul
(US/UK Top 10)
- "My Girl"
- "Get Ready"
- "Ain't Too Proud to Beg"
- "Beauty Is Only Skin Deep"
- "(I Know) I'm Losing You"
- "All I Need"
- "You're My Everything"
- "I Wish It Would Rain"
- "I Could Never Love Another (After Loving You)"
- "Cloud Nine"
- "I'm Gonna Make You Love Me"
- "Run Away Child, Running Wild"
- "I Can't Get Next to You"
- "Psychedelic Shack"
- "Ball of Confusion (That's What the World Is Today)"
- "Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me)"
- "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone"
- "Masterpiece"
- "Let Your Hair Down"
- "Happy People"
- "Shakey Ground"
- "Treat Her Like a Lady"
- "The Motown Song"
- "My Girl" (reissue)
- Band members
- The Temptations (miniseries)
- Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of The Temptations
- Discography
- The Supremes
- The Undisputed Truth
- Smokey Robinson
- Norman Whitfield
- Barrett Strong
- Sly Stone
- George Clinton
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