The Temptations 1960 to 1978: Every Album, Every Song

As one of the greatest acts to come out of the Motown Record Corporation, the influence of the Temptations cannot be overstated. Their catalogue of classic hits and their performances have set the standard for all male groups that followed. The ’Classic Five’ line-up of Otis Williams, Melvin Franklin, Paul Williams, Eddie Kendricks and David Ruffin created a legacy that has endured to this day. Aided by William ’Smokey’ Robinson, and later Norman Whitfield, the group had hits such as ’Get Ready’, ’Ain’t Too Proud To Beg’, and, of course, ’My Girl’. This line-up only lasted four years, but they created such an impressive legacy and following that the group has been able to carry on until the present day. The introduction to the group of Dennis Edwards in 1968 coincided with a new style of music for the group, produced by Whitfield, dubbed ’psychedelic soul’, inspired by Sly & The Family Stone, that gave the group a second act of new hits. However, by 1972, only Otis Williams and Melvin Franklin would remain from the ’Classic Five’ line-up and the hits were becoming more elusive. This book explores their releases from their founding to 1978, when the group had endured further personnel changes and a change in record label. It examines the group’s triumphs and struggles during this period, and tells a remarkable story of persistence and longevity.