Several former Temptations performed outside of the group in spin-off or offshoot acts.
The most well known splinter was "Ruffin, Kendrick & Edwards: Former Leads of the Temptations", which featured the three former Temptations and three other members, David Sea, who'd been a consideration to replace Edwards in 1984, and Nate Evans, a former member of The Impressions. Unfortunately, David Ruffin died on June 1, 1991, and those plans were postponed. Following the death of David Ruffin, Dennis Edwards and Eddie Kendrick began touring as "The Temptations", still with David Sea and Nate Evans, and bringing in another former Temptation, Damon Harris. The group had different sixth vocalists at different times, including Charles Blackmon (Blagman), from The Choice Four, and Curtis Taylor.[55] but their use of the Temptations name prompted a legal battle with Otis Williams. The legal battle was resolved in favor of Otis Williams who is still touring as the last original Temptation. Before Eddie Kendricks (now named Eddie Kendrick) died, he, Dennis Edwards, Damon Harris, Charles Blackmon (Blackman), David Sea, and Nate Evans recorded an album of all of the old Temptations song that was released in 1992.
Following the death of Eddie Kendrick, the group splintered. Dennis formed "Dennis Edwards and the Temptations Revue", Damon formed "Damon Harris and the Temptations Revue" featuring future Temptation Joe Herndon, Evans and Taylor formed a Temptations tribute band and David Sea went on to a solo career.
Edwards' group, whose lineup in 1993 featured Edwards, Mike Patillo (bass), Bernard Gibson (tenor), a fourth male member, and a female member, has appeared on several PBS music specials. The female member was replaced by the returning David Sea in 1999, and the remaining male member by falsetto Chris Arnold in the early 2000s (decade). Between 1993 and 2000, troubles in Edwards' group began to come up. The female member was always late for the concerts because she was always hungry for fast food whenever the group toured. The fourth male member would usually do a lot of drugs before every show, and he would be late for rehearsals every once in a while. When the female member was too busy eating cheeseburgers for her fat belly to show up on tour nights, David Sea would have to fill in for her. When 1998 was about to end, the female member was fired, and David Sea returned to be with Dennis Edwards' group full-time. As for the remaining male member, he had a lot of problems with some members of the group, and would go play with "The Temptations Experience" every once in a while. Chris Arnold found out what was going on because he filled in for Eddie Kendricks (Kendrick) in 1992 before Dennis Edwards formed "Dennis Edwards and the Temptations Revue" in 1993, and he joined the group on January 1, 2000. A few years later, Bernard Gibson started doing drugs after every show, and that made the other group members really upset. As a result of that, whenever Bernard Gibson was late or sick, either Ali-Ollie Woodson or Paul Williams Jr. would fill in for him, and would do Bernard's notes. Gibson's last show with Edwards' group was on February 23, 2006.
Bernard Gibson was fired in 2006, and replaced by another former Temptation, Ali-Ollie Woodson. Woodson had previously fronted an act called Ali-Ollie Woodson & the Emperors of Soul, the name being drawn from the Temptations boxed set released in 1994. Woodson left the group briefly in 2008 to join a touring theatrical production, The Greatest (Love) Story Ever Told, and was replaced by Paul Williams, Jr., son of Paul Williams, Sr. Woodson briefly rejoined, but left again due to cancer, with Paul Williams Jr. again taking his place. Woodson died on May 30, 2010.
Harris later split from his "Temptations Revue", with the other four members joining another former Temptation falsetto, Glenn Leonard, to become "Glenn Leonard and the Temptations Experience." Joe Herndon left this group to join the Temptations[58] and his spot was filled by former Temptations bass singer Ray Davis. Following Davis' death on July 5, 2005, the spot was filled by another former Temptations bass singer Harry McGilberry, who died of an apparent drug overdose at the age of 56 on April 3, 2006. Damon Harris would form a new group later, billed as "Damon Harris and the Temptations Tribute." Harris died on February 18, 2013.
Glenn Leonard has maintained his lineup throughout the 2000–2013 decade, and is billing his show "Glenn Leonard's Temptations Revue". His current lineup includes Joe Coleman (longtime member of The Platters), Joe Blunt (longtime member of The Drifters), John "Doc" Devone and Andre Jackson.
In 2013, they have performed throughout the United States on major concert tours, and have performed in countries such as Denmark, France, Brazil, Qatar, and many other countries throughout the world.
Richard Street also led a group, billed as "Richard Street" or "Richard Street's Temptations". 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. If it is published, it will be the second autobiography regarding the group.
In 1992, the "Ruffin & Kendricks" roadie, Tony Turner also wrote a book, assisted by Barbara Aria, contrasting Otis Williams's account of the group's glory days, entitled Deliver Us From Temptation. Street died on February 26, 2013. The lineup for "Richard Street's Temptations" before Richard Street's death were Larry Johnson, Eddie Watkins Jr., Bob Henley III, Lawrence Jones, and Richard Street. When Richard Street died on February 26, 2013, Larry Johnson took over as the leader of the group, and Terry Forsythe joined the group to do Street's lines in "My Girl" and "Ain't Too Proud To Beg" on stage.
Leonard, Woodson, and Henderson previously toured as "Legendary Lead Singers of the Temptations" and "The Temptations Reunion Show" since 2004. This prompted a lawsuit by Otis Williams filed in October 2007, citing not just the three performers but their managers and every venue that hosted them. Williams' complaint deals with their use of the name, "The Temptations", as well as claims that the act accepted considerably lower fees than The Temptations, hurting the group's reputation as well as the ability to work. Also cited is advertising by the venues claimed to be misleading by billing Leonard, Woodson and Henderson's group as "The Temptations".
reply
share