Otis Williams talks about The Temptations

[KnightD12]

Otis Williams
Real name is Otis Miles
Born October 30, 1941 Texarkana, Texas
Formed Otis Williams and The Siberians with Elbridge "Al" Bryant, James "Pee Wee" Crawford, Arthur Walton, and Vernard Plain. Plain was the lead singer.
Changed name to The Distants. The group consisted of Williams, Plain, Crawford, Bryant, and Melvin Franklin. Plain quit and Franklin brought in Richard Street as a replacement.
Formed a brother-like relationship with Melvin Franklin
He was the organizer and enforcer of the group.
Nickname was "O"



>

TMZ.com has reported that Otis Williams, the sole surviving original member of the Temptations, and who is still the leader of the group, is suing former Tempts Ali Woodson, Glenn Leonard and Bo Henderson, for using variations on the Temptations name in knock off groups or performances around the US. Woodson is now a member of The Temptations Revue feat. Dennis Edwards (who is apparently not being sued), but has also appeared in his own Emperors of Soul group as well as Legendary Lead Singers of the Temptations.

With a history of two dozen legitimate Temptations over the past 40+ years of performing, spinoff groups have been a regular issue that has bothered Williams. At one point in the 70s, members Eddie Kendrick and David Ruffin teamed with Edwards to form a sort of parallel universe version of the group that had its three most notable singers in it.

The suit comes as the current version of the original Temptations releases its newest disc, Back to Front, an album of remakes of classic soul songs.
Williams claims this is copyright infringement and that they are hurting his reputation by
accepting lesser billing and lesser fees.



I ran across this interview Otis did with Rinocast. That must be connected with the oldies label Rino Records. The interview totals about 1 hour and 5 mins. I`ve broken it down into more manageable segments. As you will see, Otis loves to talk about the Tempts. He gives interesting insights on the evolution and the inner workings of the group and their relationship with each other as well as Motown.

The last interview is one that David Ruffin did when he, along with Eddie Kendricks and Dennis Edwards were touring Europe. On the US leg of that tour, they recorded "Eddie, David & Dennis In Las Vegas" .



Eddie Kendrick(s) Died Oct.5th, 1992. On Their Last Live CD Together, "Live In Las Vegas", March 2nd, 1991, David Sea Was Also Performing With Eddie, David & Dennis. Ali Woodson Is Now Performing With Dennis Edwards & The Review!
One review of that CD......

An historic night
author: Andrew Claps
To be honest, I really wasn’t expecting much from this set, as I’ve heard from a couple of people that, by this time, Eddie’s and David’s voices were shot. Well, this album gives lie to that assertion, as both sound terrific—amazing given that Eddie was dying of cancer and David was decades deep into cocaine addiction and would be dead within months of this show—and Dennis Edwards more than holds his own and proves that he definitely belongs on the Mount Olympus of Tempts singers. If you’re a Tempts fan, you absolutely can’t miss this one. A VERY pleasant surprise.

Thank you Edie for your help with my first blog.

Now on to the interviews.

Otis 1.mp3

Otis 2.mp3

Otis 3.mp3

Otis 4.mp3

Otis 5.mp3

Otis 6.mp3

David Ruffin - Live Interview Part One.mp3

FROM THE CD EDDIE, DAVID AND DENNIS IN LAS VEGAS

Eddie David Dennis - Keep On Truckin.mp3

Eddie David Dennis - My Girl.mp3

Eddie David Dennis - Ain`t Too Proud To Beg.mp3

Eddie David Dennis - A Song For You.mp3

[Edie Antoinette]

Yep. In the left hand corner under the post. Comes in handy. You have alot of good stuff posted.

[KnightD12]

I didn`t even know we could share things on Facebook. Thanks Edie.

[Edie Antoinette]

I do that all the time! Then I think, like you---that it has to be re-shared. Too good not to. I'll share it to FB right now. It's outstanding!

[KnightD12]

I was just reading this and thinking, "Damn, this is good stuff'. Then I realized that I had posted this way back in the day. I just had to laugh out loud. Not to pat myself on the back, but this is a must read/hear for any Temptation fan. There is no school like Old School.

[KnightD12]

Thanks Sis. I got the BLOG Fever now. As soon as I find another person/subject that moves me, I`m gonna do more. I didn`t know Mike was gonna be up here that long. He was on Vacation! lol

[Boo]

YOU GO BOY !!!!! I HAVE BEEN BUSY SINCE LAST FRIDAY, MICHAEL LEFT TODAY ...I HAVEN'T READ THE WHOLE PAGE YET.....BUT LOOKING AT THE COMMENTS EVERYONE IS ENJOYING IT AND THINK IT'S GREAT ..AND I SEE THIS IS YOUR FRIST ONE ....MY HAT GOES OFF TO YOU...KEEP DOING WHAT YOU DO....

[KnightD12]

Thank you all for your comments. Yall gonna mess around and make me do another one soon. lol
I loved hearing Otis reminising about the Tempts. Found out a lotta stuff I didn`t know. And thanks Bevery for your contribution. That was mighty interesting indeed.

[BEVERLY]

HELLO, I'M RELATED TO MELVIN FRANKLIN, REAL NAME DAVID ENGLISH, HIS MOTHER MOMMA ROSE IS MY FATHER'S FIRST CONSIN, WHEN I WAS 18 YEARS OF AGE THATS WHEN I FOUND OUT MELVIN WAS MY CONSIN THE TEMPS WERE PROFORMING AT THE NIXON THEATER IN PHILADELPHIA, WHERE I LIVE JIMMY BISHOP WAS IN CHARGE MY FAMILY AND I WERE IN VITED AND BEFORE THE SHOW BEGAN MELVIN INTRODUCE US , LATER MY FATHER TOLD MELVIN THE HE AND DAVID RUFFINS WERE RELATED, THEY DIDN'T KNOW, MELVIN LIVED IN MOBILE AL WITH US AT TIMES, AND THE RUFFINS LIVED NEAR BY, MY FATHER NAME WAS CHARLES WILLIAMS, HE IS DECEASED NOW, BUT I DID GET TO TALK WITH MELVIN DOING THE TIME HE WAS AT THE NIXON THEY STAYED AT THE SHARTON HOTEL IN CENTER CITY I LOVED PAUL THANKS FOR LETTING ME SHARE THIS. MY NAME IS BEVERLY ANN WILLIAMS FOUST FROM PHILLY

[Shelley "SoleMann" King]

Now this is THE BLOG TO END ALL BLOGS...LOL...Very well put together, to much noise around me right now, so i will listen in the morning, but i want that Live in Las Vegas 1991, i gots to have it....LOL

Great job Brother Gene

[Edie Antoinette]

I need to go see what I can find over at Rino. They have a wonderful catalogue as I've gotten many great things from them, like The Manhattans and The Ebonys...I could go on.

Stuff like this makes my day Gene. Thanks again, from the heart..and ears..lol