You had to be of a certain age to remember the concern music fans had when it was announced that David Ruffin was leaving the Temptations to pursue a solo career. David was THE star, Eddie Kendricks’ occasional solos notwithstanding.
Fortunately, there was Dennis Edwards waiting in the wings. I recently heard an interview in which he said he was being paid by Motown as a stand-by. When the Contours needed a member, Dennis was recruited in 1967. The next year, he was a member of The Temptations.
Coincidentally, Norman Whitfield became the producer of the Tempts, and co-writer of their songs with Barrett Strong. The group was more like five lead singers, but still, Dennis stood out.
The box set of the Temptations is Emperors of Soul. As Dustbury knows, the first song of the renewed group, and the initial track on Disc 3, was Cloud Nine.
It ends with Papa Was a Rolling Stone. Dennis related in an interview that the long instrumental intro made him so angry that he barked out that first line, just the way Whitfield wanted.
I loved that stretch of music. I have all the albums, and I even picked up the CD Psychedelic Soul, covering that period and a little beyond, often with extended tracks, some from the albums, others previously unreleased.
Still, one of the two best concerts I ever saw was the Temptations reunion tour in 1982 at the Colonie Colosseum near Albany. Seven guys in the beginning., then the first five (Ruffin, Kendricks, Otis Williams, Melvin Franklin and Richard Street, subbing for the late Paul Williams), the middle five (Edwards for Ruffin), the then current five (Glenn Leonard for Kendricks), and finally back to the seven.
Dennis Edwards was the only “replacement” Temptation to get into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, unless you count David Ruffin replacing Elbridge Bryant before they hit big.
Dennis died just shy of his 75th birthday.
As someone who shared his birthday wrote, “He left us way more than just alone.”
Listen to
I Can’t Get Next To You, their 2nd #1 pop single in the US (after My Girl) – Dennis in the middle
Don’t Let The Joneses Get You Down
Ball of Confusion (Dennis is 2nd solo, after Eddie)
The Tempts put out some astonishingly good stuff during the Dennis Edwards days; I haven’t decided whether “Ball of Confusion” or “Runaway Child, Running Wild” is my favorite. (I am grateful to whoever decided the “Run Away Child” [sic] single ought to end just shy of five minutes, before the youngster starts crying for his mother; that was just too much for AM radio.)