The Temptations and the Four Tops, The Temptations, and The Four Tops

The Temptations were and still are a hugely influential vocal group, who had an enormous following during the height of their success in the 60s and 70s. They are best recognised for their distinct choreography, harmonies and flashy wardrobe. The band has been cited as being enormously influential to the evolution of R&B and soul music in the modern music industry. Although only one original member remains in the line-up today, Otis Williams, the group continue to perform.

Consisting of five male vocalists and dancers, the group formed in 1960 in Detroit, Michigan under the name ‘The Elgins’. The original founding members were originally members of two rival Detroit vocal groups: Otis Williams, Elbridge "Al" Bryant, and Melvin Franklin were members of the group ‘Otis Williams & the Distants’. Meanwhile members Eddie Kendricks and Paul Williams were part of the group ‘The Primes’.

In 1964, Bryant was replaced by David Ruffin, who was the lead vocalist on a number of the group's biggest hits. Over the decades the group have spawned a large number of hits but some notable tracks include ‘My Girl’, ‘Ain’t Too Proud to Beg’ and ‘Get Ready’. The band’s line up continued to change dramatically as various members left the band and were consequently replaced. The current line-up is made up of original member Otis Williams, Ron Tyson, Joe Herndon, Terry Weeks and Bruce Williamson. Their music can be described as a combination of genres, primarily consisting of R&B, soul, funk, doo-wop and rock and roll.

The band are regarded as legends today: three of their most popular songs, ‘My Girl’, ‘Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me)’, and ‘Papa Was a Rollin' Stone’, were ranked as being amongst the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll. The Temptations were also ranked at number 68 on the prestigious Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 100 Greatest Artists of all time.

In 1953 while still attending high school Levi Stubbs and Lawrence Payton met Renaldo “Obie” Benson and Lawrence Payton at a friend’s birthday party where they sang together for the first time. Sensing that the group had something special they decided to stick together and named themselves The Four Aims before signing with Chess Records who suggested a change to avoid confusion with The Ames Brothers. The Four Tops were born although over seven years with Chess, Red Top, Riverside Records and Columbia Records the group failed to produce any hits until signing with Berry Gordy Jr.’s Motown record label subsidiary Workshop in 1963.

After appearing as backing vocals for the likes of The Supremes and Martha and the Vandellas, The Four Tops experiences their first hit single “Baby I Need Your Loving” in 1964. Narrowly missing out on the Top Ten the single made way for a string of other hits including “Ask the Lonely”, the No. 1 “I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch)” and the Top Five single “It’s the Same Old Song”. The ‘60s proved to be the Four Tops’ height of musical creativity with the 1966 singles “Something About You”, “Shake Me, Wake Me (When It’s Over)” and one of Motown’s greatest ever singles “Reach Out, I’ll Be There”.

Having had seven years of honing their skills before achieving a hit single meant Four Tops had an extremely tight and impressive live set. 1967 brought the singles “Standing in the Shadows of Love” followed by “Bernadette”, however writing and producing team Holland-Dozier-Holland left Motown and Workshop which left the band with an uncertain couple of years. Four Tops returned in 1970 with producer Frank Wilson with the singles “It’s All in the Game” and the cover “River Deep, Mountain High” in 1971.

Motown moved its headquarters in 1972 to Los Angeles and the Four Tops signed with ABC-Dunhill and produced the hits “Keeper of the Castle” and in 1973 “Ain’t No Woman (Like the One I’ve Got)” which proved the be the band’s last Top Five single. The rest of the ‘70s brought the group some success on the R&B singles chart, however it wasn’t until 1981 and signing with Casablanca that they resurfaced with the R&B No. 1 “When She Was My Girl”.

After resigning with Motown in 1983 the group toured relentlessly with the Temptations before issuing a number of albums that failed to perform well. In 1988 the Four Top’s earned their last Top 40 hit with “Indestructible” and were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1990. In more recent years the band has won other accolades including the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1997, the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1998, the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 1999 and a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2009.