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21, 
02:43, 
2008-06-04 21:58:14 Description: Read Description Please! This is the eleventh track of the Lunar Two Eternal Blue Complete OST. This amazing anime style RPG series is one of my faves and is really well done and a great Anime/RPG (More) Read Description Please! This is the eleventh track of the Lunar Two Eternal Blue Complete OST. This amazing anime style RPG series is one of my faves and is really well done and a great Anime/RPG game series IMO The OST is really well done and features a lot of great songs from the game. As all of you I am sure are already aware I am a huge Video Game and Anime fan and a mega fan of Asian Esp Japanese Culture In general and this is a great Game series IMO. This game series IMO is one of the better Anime/RPG series but what else would you expect from WORKING DESIGNS, Remember thier games go to 11!. I have many fond memories from playing this game, I never played the SegaCD version and I got The Complete version for the PS1 and fell in love with the series immediately. The Music, The Character's, The Amazing Fmv's and Story. This series is just 100% Pure Epic Win IMO and the special pictures you can find always made me laugh ;) This one Weighs in at 24 tracks total. As always I hope you enjoy and feel free to comment and or rate.
This is track eleven and it is called Eternal Blue "Instrumental"
and it is 2:32 seconds.
Disclaimer!!! Absolutely none of this is my work! This and all other tracks are performed by Kadokawa Shoten/ Working Designs/ Noriyuki Iwadare and thier respected Composers/Musicans! I take absolutely no credit for this music whatsoever in any way shape and or form!
All I am trying to do is share this great music from these great Games and Anime and hope that others will enjoy it as much as I do. I wonder for how many people will it bring back memories? I can say for myself whenever I listen to these soundtracks esp of older games and anime It brings back a lot of great memories. Like finally beating that boss and Then finishing the game and that sense of wonder you got from just playing these great games and seeing these anime for the first time and hearing the great music. I dont know about you guys and gals but when I was younger a lot of times I would always check out the BGM feature on games and listen to what awesome songs these games had to offer sometimes over and over and over again. I guess I will always be a kid on the inside since I still do that to this day ;)
Please Feel Free To Comment and Rate If You Want To!
Btw a Great man named Aaron Influenced me to use his rules and they are...Haters,Spammers, And Flamers As Well as First Commenters Will Be Blocked! I am sorry I will accept Creative Criticism as long as its not negative IE "Man You Suck And This Video Sucks And This Song Sucks To And So Does Your Mom!" I am just not a negative and or hateful person So I would appreciate it if you would understand that and not be one either.
Thank You and Subscribe if you want to or just enjoy the music!
Btw The beginning song is by H.I.M. and is called "Join Me In Death" Which All Credit Goes To H.I.M. and Thier respected Composers/Musicians! (Less)
Channel: youtubeTags: 2EBC Blue Eternal Game Ghaleon Hiro Instrumental Jean Lemina Lucia Lunar Music Nall OST Ronfar Ruby Zophar
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33, 04:48, 2008-03-29 21:05:35 Description: Time to sing along!!! here is the lyrics
dj khaled)
dj khaled, we the best, nigga we the best man
{young jeezy}
Just got a hundered of that brown paper bag money
you niggas really wanna (More) Time to sing along!!! here is the lyrics
dj khaled)
dj khaled, we the best, nigga we the best man
{young jeezy}
Just got a hundered of that brown paper bag money
you niggas really wanna talk money?
shit real thats all i could tell em
just rap em up good so the dogs can't smell em cmon
brown paper bag(thank god for that) brown paper bag
thank god for those days, thank god for thoese nights
though it might seem wrong thank god for that white
they use to call me the pirex kid, aka young arm n hammer
in the kitchen with the pots yeah work the glass
hard on em pimp yeah i work the task
and when they came in we unpacked em all
broke em all down and unrapped em all
just two words nigga duffelbags i just know it so well
i cant help but brag, old man got 10 middle man got 3
and just yo luck the rap game got me hold up
{juelz santana}
here we go again just spent a hundred of that brown paper
bag money all on timbs, and that bad bitch is all on him
cuz the cars that he drives are all foreign
the game is mine im so far in im speakin with an axcent
jus cartwin, cant even relax in my room,
that brown paper bag money push my matress threw the roof
this for my niggas getitn brown paper bag money
this for my strippers gettin black plastic bag money
we talkin that bad money, that i.r.s can tax money ya dig me
rick ross
jus made a hundred of that brown paper bag money
i thank god for the meal he prepared for me
takin my fam and my lil dog money
thank god for that brown paper bag that
brown paper bag,
(thank god for that) boss
brown paper bag(cmon)
brown paper bag, boss
(thank god for that)brown paper bag(we the best)
the movement
jus pulled over in my cm5
big bottle on the dash, hope he let me slide
got 20 in the trunk u can bet me 5
20 minutes in they dump imma let these slide
we the best
look at what we drive got picnic tables on my lap gettin high
in the bac of that maybac and it cost five hundred thou
and a nigga, spent that wit a smile
stackin numbers that alarm and race
white house still hoover ricki ross a day
im that bin ladin boi ill bomb the state
i aint come to stay i gotta post bond today
2 million in the bag, i aint wanna brag
u dont kno the feelin wen the villain peelin in the jag
jus starin at the ceilin 10 women that u had
i was at the center now i see u feelin jus a fact ima boss
lil wayne
jus spent a 100 of that brown paper bag money
it feel good to b yung money cash money
rehab im addicted to fast money
i got stacks n rubberbands up in that
brown paper bag
(ya dig) brown paper bag
(my name is weezy yall) i here on behalf of umm young money cashmoney
people
i represent the 17th ward new orleans
brown paper bag brown paper bag(lets go)
practice makes perfect im relaxin at rehersal
imma muthaf**kin professional like hershal
Walker, tha talk of the game is I, but i wonder if they will still b talkin after i die
but thats not important
moneys more important
and understand i been in that water like i was snorklin
understand i been in that water lika imma dolphin
miami khaled took me in like a orphan
y did they started him,
now they cant park him
i go into the booth and jus change like clark kent
lamborghini dark tint
philly blunt cigar scent
im by myself and niggas run they mouths like auctions
t streetz my brotha
fefe's my brotha
and we stay on point like a f**kin box cutter
u heard wat i said muthf**ka did i studder
wit my brown paper bag, here to represent the hustle im out
fat joe
coka baby man u kno i already had money
definition of that brown paper bag money
try n front as if u in the jag money
for tha cash ill blast anybody that
brown paper bag(dat dat dat dat)
brown paper bag(thank god for that)
brown paper bag(coka baby cribs mania)brown paper bag( the very best)
yall niggas want coka music
the costra nostra flow show u how to do this
pen it so easy, a caveman can do it
nigga we simply the best dont confuse it
i confuse it, critics b hatin
best album yet but give me the same ratin
im waitin top of rap rushmore
etched in stone ?top puns war
unsure anythings possible
4mil spent bought out the art possible,
im picasso in the versace suit,
dont worry my nigga khaled i got u,
not jus cuz i want to cuz i got to, put the squad on ya
back did the impossible
its only logical i spit from the heart,
brown paper bag who else for joe 2 guard that
brown paper bag brown paper bag (Less)
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354, 06:29, 2008-04-17 13:01:55 Description: You love this music Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, George Harrison, and John Lennon Beatles Soundtrack (partials) 0:00 - 0:13 Twist & Shout 0:14 - 0:29 I Feel Fine 0:29 - 0:41 We Can Work It Out (More) You love this music Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, George Harrison, and John Lennon Beatles Soundtrack (partials) 0:00 - 0:13 Twist & Shout 0:14 - 0:29 I Feel Fine 0:29 - 0:41 We Can Work It Out 0:41 - 0:54 I Wanna Hold Your Hand 0:54 - 1:10 Love Me Do 1:10 - 1:21 She Loves You 1:21 - 1:39 Yes It Is 1:40 - 1:55 I Will 1:56 - 2:20 All My Loving 2:20 - 2:44 Birthday 2:45 - 3:10 Lucy in the Sky 3:10 - 3:26 Sgt. Pepper 3:26 - 3:42 I Am the Walrus 3:42 - 3:57 Magical Mystery Tour 3:57 - 4:13 Yes it Is (again) 4:13 - 4:24 She Loves You (again) 4:24 - 4:44 Ticket to Ride 4:44 - 5:05 Paperback Writer 5:05 - 5:30 Hey Jude 5:30 - 5:52 Get Back 5:53 - 6:02 I need help here, no idea what this one is 6:02 - 6:29 Ob La Di Ob La Da [ above is courtesy of HappyDaze01. Thx HaDz01"!] Origin Liverpool, England Rock/Pop - Years active 1960--1970 Parlophone, Capitol, Apple, Vee-Jay, Polydor, Swan, Tollie Related to Tony Sheridan, The Quarrymen, The Plastic Ono Band, The Dirty Mac, Wings, Traveling Wilburys, Rory Storm and the Hurricanes, Ringo Starr All-Starr Band, Billy Preston Members - Ever to Date John Lennon Paul McCartney George Harrison Ringo Starr Former members Stuart Sutcliffe Pete Best The Beatles were an English rock band from Liverpool whose members were John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr. They are the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed band in the history of popular music. The Beatles are the best-selling musical act of all time in the United States of America, according to the Recording Industry Association of America, which certified them as the highest selling band of all time based on American sales of singles and albums. In the United Kingdom, The Beatles released more than 40 different singles, albums, and EPs that reached number one. This commercial success was repeated in many other countries: their record company, EMI, estimated that by 1985 they had sold over one billion discs and tapes worldwide. In 2004, Rolling Stone Magazine ranked The Beatles #1 on their list of 100 Greatest Artists of All Time. According to that same magazine, their innovative music and cultural impact helped define the 1960s,[2] and their influence on pop culture can still be felt today. The Beatles led the mid-1960s musical "British Invasion" into the United States. Although their initial musical style was rooted in 1950s rock and roll and homegrown skiffle, the group explored genres ranging from Tin Pan Alley to psychedelic rock. Their clothes, styles, and statements made them trend-setters, while their growing social awareness saw their influence extend into the social and cultural revolutions of the 1960s. 1957--1960: Formation The Quarrymen In March 1957, John Lennon formed a skiffle group called The Quarrymen whilst attending Quarry Bank Grammar School in Liverpool.[6] Lennon and the Quarrymen met guitarist Paul McCartney at the Woolton Garden Fête held at St. Peter's Church on 6 July 1957.[7] On 6 February 1958, the young guitarist George Harrison was invited to watch the group (who played under a variety of names) at Wilson Hall, Garston, Liverpool.[8] McCartney had become acquainted with Harrison on the morning school bus ride to the Liverpool Institute, as they both lived in Speke. At McCartney's insistence, Harrison joined the Quarrymen as lead guitarist[9] after a rehearsal in March 1958, overcoming Lennon's initial reluctance because of Harrison's young age.[10] Members continually joined and left the lineup during that period, and in January 1960 Lennon's art school friend Stuart Sutcliffe joined on bass.[11] Lennon and McCartney both played rhythm guitar and the group had a high turnover of drummers. The Quarrymen went through a progression of names — "Johnny and the Moondogs", "Long John and the Beatles", "the Silver Beetles" (derived from Larry Parnes' suggestion of "Long John and the Silver Beetles") — before settling on "The Beatles". There are many theories as to the origin of the name and its unusual spelling. It is usually credited to Lennon, who said that the name was a combination word-play on the insects "beetles" (as a reference to Buddy Holly's band, the Crickets) and the word "beat". Cynthia Lennon suggests that Lennon came up with the name Beatles at a "brainstorming session over a beer-soaked table in the Renshaw Hall bar."[12] Lennon, who was well known for giving multiple versions of the same story joked in a 1961 Mersey Beat magazine article that "It came in a vision — a man appeared on a flaming pie and said unto them, 'From this day on you are Beatles with an A'".[13] During an interview in 2001, Paul McCartney took credit for the peculiar spelling of the name, saying that "John had the idea of calling us the Beetles, I said, 'how about the Beatles; you know, like the beat of the drum?' At the time, everyone was stoned enough to find it hilarious. It's funny how history is made." [14] In May 1960 The Beatles toured northeast Scotland as a back-up band with singer Johnny Gentle.[15] They met Gentle an hour before their first gig, and McCartney referred to the tour as a great experience for the band.[16] For the tour the often drummerless group secured the services of Tommy Moore, who was considerably older than the others.[17] Soon after the tour, however, feeling the age gap was too great Moore left the band and went back to work in a bottling factory as a fork-lift truck driver.[18] Norman Chapman was the band's next drummer, but was called up for National Service in a few weeks. His departure posed a significant problem as the group's unofficial manager, Allan Williams, had arranged for them to perform in clubs on the Reeperbahn in Hamburg, Germany.[19] 1960--1970: The Beatles Hamburg On 15 August 1960, McCartney invited Pete Best to become the group's permanent drummer. He had watched Best play with the Blackjacks[20] in the Casbah Club, owned by Pete's mother, Mona Best. This was a cellar club in West Derby, Liverpool, where The Beatles had played and often visited.[21] In the documentary The Compleat Beatles, Williams said that Best "played not too cleverly, but passable." The Beatles started playing in Hamburg at the Indra and Kaiserkeller bars. They were required to play six or seven hours a night, seven nights a week. Shortly after they began performing at a new venue, the "Top Ten Club",[22] Harrison was deported for having lied to the German authorities about his age.[23] A week later, having started a small fire at their living quarters while vacating it for more luxurious rooms, McCartney and Best were arrested, charged with arson, and deported.[24] Lennon followed the others to Liverpool in mid-December. The reunited Beatles played their first engagement on 17 December 1960 at the Casbah Club and returned to Hamburg in April 1961. Whilst playing at the Top Ten Club they were recruited by singer Tony Sheridan to act as his backing band on a series of recordings for the German Polydor Records label,[25] produced by famed bandleader Bert Kaempfert.[19] Kaempfert signed the group to its own Polydor contract at the first session on 22 June 1961. On 31 October Polydor released the recording "My Bonnie (Mein Herz ist bei dir nur)", which appeared on the German charts under the name "Tony Sheridan and the Beat Brothers", a generic name used for whoever happened to be in Sheridan's backup band.[26] In addition to the legend that this record led to the group's eventual meeting with Brian Epstein, it also resulted in their first mention in the American press. Around the beginning of 1962, Cashbox mentioned "My Bonnie" as the debut of a "new rock and roll team, Tony Sheridan and the Beat Brothers". A few copies were also pressed under the Decca label for U.S. disc jockeys, as American Decca had a distribution deal with Polydor parent Deutsche Grammophon.[27] (This was ironic, considering that by this time the then-unaffiliated British Decca had turned down the group's attempt to gain a recording contract.) When the group returned to Liverpool, Sutcliffe stayed on in Hamburg with his new German fiancee Astrid Kirchherr, [28] and McCartney took over bass duties.[29] Their third stay in Hamburg was from 13 April to 31 May 1962, when they opened The Star Club.[19] Upon their arrival they were informed of Sutcliffe's death from a brain haemorrhage.[30] Epstein took over as the group's manager in January 1962 and led The Beatles' quest for a British recording contract. Epstein had been manager of the record department at North End Music Store (NEMS), an offshoot of his family's furniture store. He played on the status of NEMS as a major record dealer to gain access to producers and recording company executives. In a now-famous exchange, Decca Records A&R executive Dick Rowe turned Epstein down flat, informing him that "Guitar groups are on the way out, Mr. Epstein."[31] While Epstein was negotiating with Decca, he also approached EMI marketing executive Ron White.[32] White (who was not himself a record producer) in turn contacted EMI producers Norrie Paramor, Walter Ridley, and Norman Newell, all of whom declined to record The Beatles.[33] White did not approach EMI's fourth staff producer — George Martin — who was on holiday at the time.[34] Record contract After failing to impress Decca Records, Epstein went to the HMV store on Oxford Street in London to transfer the Decca tapes to discs. There, recording engineer Jim Foy referred him to Sid Coleman, who ran EMI's publishing arm. When Coleman heard the demo tapes he suggested taking the tapes to George Martin, who, Coleman explained, "does comedy records" and headed the Parlophone label at EMI. Epstein eventually met with Martin, who signed the group to EMI on a one-year renewable contract and scheduled their first recording session on 6 June at EMI's Abbey Road studios in north London.[35] Martin had not been particularly impressed by the band's demo recordings,[36] but he instantly liked them as people when he met them. He concluded that they had raw musical talent, but said (in later interviews) that what made the difference for him was their wit and humour.[37] Martin did have a problem with Pete Best, [36] whom he criticised for not being able to keep time. He privately suggested to Epstein that the band use another drummer in the studio. Best was good-looking and popular with the group's fans, but the three founding members had become increasingly unhappy with his drumming and his personality.[citation needed] There was speculation by some that Best's popularity[38] with fans was another source of friction. In addition, Epstein had become exasperated with his refusal to adopt the distinctive hairstyle as part of their unified look. Best also had missed a number of engagements because of illness. The three founding members enlisted Epstein to dismiss Best - which he did on 16 August 1962.[39] They asked Ringo Starr (born Richard Starkey), the drummer for one of the top Merseybeat groups, Rory Storm and the Hurricanes, to join the band, as Starr had performed occasionally with The Beatles in Hamburg.[40] The first recordings of Lennon, McCartney, Harrison, and Starr together were made as early as 15 October 1960, in a series of demonstration records privately recorded in Hamburg while acting as the backing group for singer Lu Walters.[41] Starr played on The Beatles' second EMI recording session on 4 September 1962, but Martin hired session drummer Andy White for their next session on 11 September.[42] Their recording contract paid them one penny for each single sold, which was split amongst the four Beatles — one farthing per group member.[43] This royalty rate was further reduced for singles sold outside the UK, on which they received half of one penny (again split between the whole band) per single. Martin said later that it was a "pretty awful" contract.[43] Their publishing contract with Dick James Music (DJM) was also standard for the time: songwriters received the statutory minimum of 50% of the gross monies received, with the publisher retaining the other 50%.[citation needed] The Beatles' first EMI session on 6 June did not yield any releasable recordings but the September sessions produced a minor UK hit, "Love Me Do", which peaked on the charts at number 17.[44] ("Love Me Do" reached the top of the U.S. singles chart over 18 months later in May 1964.) On 26 November they recorded their second single "Please Please Me", which reached no. 2 in the official UK charts and no. 1 in the NME chart. Three months later they recorded their first album (also titled Please Please Me). The band's first televised performance was on the People and Places programme transmitted live from Manchester by Granada Television on 17 October 1962.[45] As The Beatles' fame spread, the frenzied adulation of the group, predominantly from teenage female fans, was dubbed 'Beatlemania'. In November 1963 The Beatles appeared on the Royal Variety Performance and were photographed with Marlene Dietrich, who also appeared on the show.[citation needed] America Although the band experienced huge popularity in the UK record charts from early 1963, EMI's American operation, Capitol Records, declined to issue the singles "Please Please Me" and "From Me to You (their first official no. 1 hit in the UK)".[46] Vee-Jay Records, a small Chicago label, issued the singles as part of a deal for the rights to another performer's masters. Art Roberts, music director of Chicago powerhouse radio station WLS, placed "Please Please Me" into radio rotation in late February 1963 making it the first time a Beatles record was heard on American radio. Vee-Jay's rights to The Beatles were later cancelled for non-payment of royalties.[47] In August 1963, Philadelphia-based Swan Records released "She Loves You", which also failed to receive airplay. A testing of the song on Dick Clark's TV show American Bandstand produced laughter from American teenagers when they saw the group's distinctive hairstyles. New York disc jockey Murray the K featured "She Loves You" on his '1010 WINS record revue' show in January.[48] In early November 1963, Brian Epstein persuaded Ed Sullivan to present The Beatles on three editions of his show in February, and parlayed this guaranteed exposure into a record deal with Capitol Records. Capitol committed to a mid-January release for "I Want to Hold Your Hand",[49] On 7 December 1963 a clip of The Beatles was shown on the CBS Evening News (the story originally had been scheduled to air on 22 November and was aired on the CBS Morning News but was pre-empted by the assassination of John F. Kennedy). The clip inspired a teenage girl in Washington, D.C. to request a Beatles song on a local radio station. The station secured an imported copy of "I Want to Hold Your Hand" — forcing Capitol Records to release the song ahead of schedule on 26 December. Several New York radio stations — first WMCA, then WINS (AM) and WABC — began playing "I Want to Hold Your Hand" on its release day. The Beatlemania that had started in Washington was duplicated in New York and quickly spread to other markets. The record sold one million copies in just ten days, and by 16 January, Cashbox magazine had certified the record number one (in the edition marked 23 January). On 3 January 1964 a film of The Beatles performing "She Loves You" was aired on the late-night Jack Paar Show. Beatlemania crosses the Atlantic On 7 February 1964, a crowd of four thousand fans at Heathrow Airport waved to The Beatles as they took off for their first trip to America as a group.[51] They were accompanied by photographers, journalists (including Maureen Cleave) and Phil Spector, who had booked himself on the same flight.[52] The pilot had radioed ahead, and as they prepared to land said, "Tell the boys there's a big crowd waiting for them." Kennedy International Airport had never experienced such a crowd, estimated at about 3,000 screaming fans.[53] After a press conference (where they first met Murray the K) they were put into limousines and driven to New York. On the way McCartney turned on a radio and listened to a running commentary: "They [The Beatles] have just left the airport and are coming to New York City..."[54] After reaching the Plaza Hotel, they were besieged by fans and reporters. Harrison had a temperature of 102 the next day and was ordered to stay in bed, so Neil Aspinall replaced him for the first television rehearsal.[55] Their first live American television appearance was on the The Ed Sullivan Show on 9 February 1964. The next morning practically every newspaper wrote that The Beatles were nothing more than a "fad", and "could not carry a tune across the Atlantic".[56] Their first American concert appearance was at Washington Coliseum in Washington, D.C. on 11 February.[57] After The Beatles' huge success in 1964, Vee-Jay Records and Swan Records took advantage of their previously secured rights to The Beatles' early recordings and reissued the songs, all of which reached the top ten the second time around. (MGM and Atco also secured rights to The Beatles' early Tony Sheridan-era recordings and had minor hits with "My Bonnie" and "Ain't She Sweet", the latter featuring John Lennon on lead vocal.) In addition to Introducing... The Beatles, which was essentially The Beatles' debut British album with some minor alterations, Vee-Jay also issued an unusual LP called The Beatles Vs The Four Seasons. This 2-LP set paired Introducing... The Beatles and The Golden Hits Of The Four Seasons, another successful act that Vee-Jay had under contract, in a 'contest' (the back cover featured a 'score card'). Another unusual release was the Hear The Beatles Tell All album, which consisted of two lengthy interviews with Los Angeles radio disc jockeys (side one was titled "Dave Hull interviews John Lennon," while side two was titled "Jim Steck interviews John, Paul, George, Ringo"). No Beatles music was included on this interview album, which turned out to be the only Vee Jay Beatles album Capitol Records could not reclaim. The Vee-Jay/Swan-issued recordings eventually ended up with Capitol, who issued most of the Vee-Jay material on the American-only Capitol release The Early Beatles, with three songs left off this final US version of the album. ("I Saw Her Standing There" was issued as the American B-side of "I Want to Hold Your Hand," and also appeared on the Capitol Records album Meet The Beatles. "Misery" and "There's a Place" were issued as a Capitol "Starline" reissue single in 1964, and reappeared on the 1980 Rarities compilation album.) The early Vee-Jay and Swan Beatles records command a high price on the record collectors' market, and all have been copiously bootlegged.[58] The Swan tracks ("She Loves You" and "I'll Get You") were issued on the Capitol LP The Beatles' Second Album. (Swan also issued the German-language version of "She Loves You," called "Sie Liebt Dich." This song later appeared (in stereo) on Capitol's US version of the Rarities compilation album.) In mid-1964 the band undertook their first appearances outside of Europe and North America. They toured Australia and New Zealand without Ringo Starr, who was ill and temporarily replaced by session drummer Jimmy Nicol. In Adelaide they were greeted by over 300,000 people who turned out at Adelaide Town Hall.[59] In June 1965, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II appointed the four Beatles Members of the Order of the British Empire, MBE. The band members were nominated by Prime Minister Harold Wilson (who also was the M.P. for Huyton, Liverpool).[60] The appointment — at that time primarily bestowed upon military veterans and civic leaders — sparked some conservative MBE recipients to return their insignia in protest.[61] The first two were returned on 14 June, before The Beatles received theirs on 26 October 1965.[62] On 15 August that year, The Beatles performed the first stadium concert in the history of rock, playing at Shea Stadium in New York to a crowd of 55,600.[63] Their sixth album, Rubber Soul, was released in early December 1965. It was hailed as a major leap forward in the maturity and complexity of the band's music.[64] Backlash and controversy In July 1966, when The Beatles toured the Philippines, they unintentionally snubbed the nation's first lady, Imelda Marcos, who had expected the group to attend a breakfast reception at the Presidential Palace.[65] When presented with the invitation, Brian Epstein politely declined on behalf of the group, as it had never been the group's policy to accept such "official" invitations.[66] The group soon found that the Marcos regime was unaccustomed to accepting "no" for an answer. After the 'snub' was broadcast on Philippine television and radio, all of The Beatles' police protection disappeared. The group and their entourage had to make their way to Manila airport on their own. At the airport, roadie Mal Evans was beaten and kicked, and the band members were pushed and jostled about by a hostile crowd.[67] Once the group boarded the plane, Epstein and Evans were ordered off, and Evans said, "Tell my wife that I love her."[68] Epstein was forced to give back all the money that the band had earned while they were there before being allowed back on the plane.[69] Almost as soon as they returned from the Philippines, an earlier comment by Lennon made in March that year launched a backlash against The Beatles from religious and social conservatives in the United States. In an interview with British reporter Maureen Cleave,[70] Lennon had offered his opinion that Christianity was dying and that The Beatles were "more popular than Jesus now."[71] Afterwards, a radio station in Birmingham, Alabama, ran a story on burning Beatles records, in what was considered to be a joke. However, many people affiliated with rural churches in the American South started taking the suggestion seriously. Towns across the United States and South Africa started to burn Beatles records in protest. Attempting to make light of the incident, McCartney said, "They've got to buy them before they can burn them." Under tremendous pressure from the American media, Lennon apologised for his remarks at a press conference in Chicago on August 11, the eve of the first performance of what turned out to be their final tour.[72] The group's two-year series of Capitol compilations also took a strange twist in the United States when one of their publicity shots, used for a Yesterday and Today album and a poster promoting the UK release of "Paperback Writer", created an uproar, as it featured the band draped in meat and plastic dolls. Thousands of these copies had to be withdrawn. Years later, the cover shot was linked with the group's interest in German expressionism.[72] Elvis Presley disapproved of The Beatles's anti-war activism and open use of drugs, later asking President Nixon to ban all four members of the group from entering the United States. Peter Guralnick writes, "The Beatles, Elvis said, [...] had been a focal point for anti-Americanism. They had come to this country, made their money, then gone back to England where they fomented anti-American feeling."[73] Guralnick adds, "Presley indicated that he is of the opinion that The Beatles laid the groundwork for many of the problems we are having with young people by their filthy unkempt appearances and suggestive music while entertaining in this country during the early and middle 1960s."[74] Despite Elvis' remarks, Lennon still had some positive feeling towards him: "Before Elvis, there was nothing."[75] The studio years The Beatles at their last concert, Candlestick Park.In April 1966, the group began recording what would be their most ambitious album to date, Revolver. During the recording sessions for the album, tape looping and early sampling were introduced in a complex mix of ballad, R&B, soul and world music. The Beatles performed their last concert before paying fans at Candlestick Park in San Francisco on 29 August 1966.[72] McCartney asked Tony Barrow to tape the event, but the 30-minute tape he used ran out halfway through the last song. The concert lasted a little under 35 minutes.[76] From then on, The Beatles concentrated on recording. Less than seven months after recording Revolver, The Beatles returned to Abbey Road Studios on 24 November 1966 to begin the 129-day recording sessions for their eighth album, Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, released on 1 June 1967. On 25 June 1967, The Beatles became the first band globally transmitted on television—before an estimated 400 million people worldwide. The band appeared in a segment within the first-ever worldwide TV satellite hook-up, a show titled Our World. The Beatles were transmitted live from Abbey Road Studios, and their new song "All You Need Is Love" was recorded live during the show. The band's business affairs began to unravel after manager Brian Epstein died of an accidental prescription drug overdose on 27 August 1967 at the age of 32. At the end of 1967, they received their first major negative press in the UK with disparaging reviews of their surrealistic TV film Magical Mystery Tour.[77] Part of the criticism arose because colour was an integral part of the film, but in 1967 few viewers in the UK had colour televisions. The film's soundtrack, which features one of The Beatles' few instrumental tracks ("Flying"), was released in the United Kingdom as a double EP, and in the United States as a full LP (the LP is now the official version). The group spent the early part of 1968 in Rishikesh, Uttar Pradesh, India, studying transcendental meditation with the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi.[78] Upon their return, Lennon and McCartney went to New York to announce the formation of Apple Corps. The middle of 1968 saw the band busy recording the double album The Beatles, popularly known as The White Album because of its plain white cover. These sessions saw deep divisions opening within the band, with Starr temporarily walking out. The band carried on, with McCartney recording the drums on the songs "Martha My Dear", "Wild Honey Pie", "Dear Prudence" and "Back in the USSR". Among the other causes of dissension were that Lennon's new girlfriend, Yoko Ono, was at his side through almost all of the sessions, and that the others felt that McCartney was becoming too dominating.[79] Internal divisions within the band had been a small but growing problem during their early years; most notably, this was reflected in the difficulty that George Harrison experienced in getting his own songs onto Beatles albums. On the business side, McCartney wanted Lee Eastman, the father of his then-girlfriend Linda Eastman, to manage The Beatles, but the other members wanted New York manager Allen Klein. All past Beatles' decisions had been unanimous, but this time the four could not agree. Lennon, Harrison and Starr felt the Eastmans would put McCartney's interests before those of the group. In 1971 it was discovered that Klein, who had been appointed manager, had stolen £5 million from The Beatles' holdings. Years later, during the Anthology interviews, McCartney said of this time, "Looking back, I can understand why they would feel that he [Lee Eastman] was biased against them." Their final live performance was on the rooftop of the Apple building in Savile Row, London, on 30 January 1969, the next-to-last day of the difficult Get Back sessions. Most of the performance was filmed and later included in the film Let It Be. While the band was playing, the local police were called because of complaints about the noise. Although the group was simply asked to end their performance, the band members later remarked in the Anthology video that they were disappointed they were not arrested — pointing out that the police hauling the band members off in handcuffs would have been "an appropriate ending" for the film. The Beatles recorded their final album, Abbey Road, in the summer of 1969. The completion of the song "I Want You (She's So Heavy)" for the album on 20 August was the last time all four Beatles were together in the same studio. Their final new song was Harrison's "I Me Mine", recorded 3 January 1970 and released on the Let It Be album. It was recorded without Lennon, who was in Denmark when the song was recorded.[80] Breakup John Lennon announced his departure to the rest of the group on 20 September 1969 but agreed that no announcement was to be publicly made until a number of legal matters were resolved. In March 1970 the Get Back session tapes were given to American producer Phil Spector, who had produced Lennon's solo single "Instant Karma!". Spector's "Wall of Sound" production values went against the original intent of the record, which had been to record a stripped-down live performance. McCartney was deeply dissatisfied with Spector's treatment of "The Long and Winding Road", and unsuccessfully attempted to halt release of Spector's version of the song. McCartney publicly announced the break-up on 10 April 1970, a week before releasing his first solo album, McCartney. Pre-release copies included a press release with a self-written interview explaining the end of The Beatles and his hopes for the future.[81] On 8 May 1970, the Spector-produced version of Get Back was released as Let It Be, followed by the documentary film of the same name. The Beatles' partnership was finally dissolved in 1975.[82] 1970--present: After The Beatles Ringo Starr, 1968 Shortly before and after the official dissolution of the group, all four Beatles released solo albums, including Lennon's John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band, McCartney's McCartney, Starr's Sentimental Journey, and Harrison's All Things Must Pass. Some of their albums featured contributions by other former Beatles; Starr's Ringo (1973) was the only one to include compositions and performances by all four, albeit on separate songs. Other than an unreleased jam session in 1974 (later bootlegged as A Toot and a Snore in '74), Lennon and McCartney never recorded together again. In the wake of the expiration in 1975 of The Beatles' contract with EMI-Capitol, the American Capitol label, rushing to cash in on its vast Beatles holdings and freed from the group's creative control, released five LPs: Rock 'n' Roll Music (a compilation of their more uptempo numbers), The Beatles at the Hollywood Bowl (containing portions of two unreleased shows at the Hollywood Bowl), Love Songs (a compilation of their slower numbers), Rarities (a compilation of tracks that either had never been released in the U.S. or had gone out of print), and Reel Music (a compilation of songs from their films). There was also a non-Capitol-EMI release of a show from the group's early days at the Star Club in Hamburg captured on a poor-quality tape. Of all these post-breakup LPs, only the Hollywood Bowl LP had the approval of the group members. Upon the American release of the original British CDs in 1986, these post-breakup Capitol American compilation LPs were deleted from the Capitol catalogue. John Lennon was shot and killed by Mark David Chapman on 8 December 1980 in New York City. Shortly afterward, in 1981, the three surviving Beatles reunited to record "All Those Years Ago", released as a George Harrison solo single. Its original lyrics had been rewritten as a tribute to Lennon. The BBC has a large collection of Beatles recordings, mostly comprising original studio sessions from 1963 to 1968. Much of this material formed the basis for a 1988 radio documentary series The Beeb's Lost Beatles Tapes. In 1989, many outtakes from The Beatles sessions appeared on the radio series The Lost Lennon Tapes. Later, in 1994, the best of the BBC sessions were given an official EMI release on Live at the BBC. In 1988 The Beatles were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a group (not as individual performers) during their first year of eligibility.[83] On the night of their induction, Harrison and Starr appeared to accept their award along with Lennon's widow Yoko Ono and his two sons. McCartney stayed away, issuing a press release citing "unresolved difficulties" with Harrison, Starr, and Lennon's estate. Solo Beatles later inducted were Lennon in 1994, McCartney in 1999 and Harrison in 2004. Collage of the various covers of the Anthology seriesIn February 1994, the three surviving Beatles reunited to produce and record additional music for a few of Lennon's home recordings. "Free as a Bird" premiered as part of The Beatles Anthology series of television documentaries and was released as a single in December 1995, with "Real Love" following in March 1996. These songs were also included in the three Anthology collections of CDs released in 1995 and 1996, each of which consisted of two CDs of never-before-released Beatles material. Klaus Voormann, who had known The Beatles since their Hamburg days and had previously illustrated the Revolver album cover, directed the Anthology cover concept. 450,000 copies of Anthology 1 were sold on its first day of release. In 2000, a compilation album named 1 was released, containing almost every number-one single released by the band from 1962 to 1970. The collection sold 3.6 million copies in its first week (selling 3 copies a second) and more than 12 million in three weeks worldwide. The collection also reached number one in the United States and 33 other countries and had sold 25 million copies by 2005 (about the ninth best selling album of all time). George Harrison during this time showed his socio-political consciousness and earned respect for his contribution for arranging the Concert For Bangladesh in New York in August 1971 along with sitar maestro Ravi Shankar. Harrison died of lung cancer on 29 November 2001. More recently, in 2006, George Martin and his son Giles Martin remixed original Beatles recordings to create a soundtrack to accompany Cirque du Soleil's theatrical production Love. Musical evolution The Beatles' constant demands to create new sounds on every new recording, combined with George Martin's arranging abilities and the studio expertise of EMI staff engineers such as Norman Smith, Ken Townshend and Geoff Emerick, all played significant parts in the innovative sounds of the albums Rubber Soul (1965), Revolver (1966) and Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (1967). The Beatles continued to absorb influences long after their initial success, often finding new musical and lyrical avenues by listening to their contemporaries. Among those influences were Bob Dylan, who influenced songs such as "You've Got to Hide Your Love Away" and "Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)".[84] Other contemporary influences included the Byrds and the Beach Boys, whose album Pet Sounds was a favourite of McCartney's.[85] Along with studio tricks such as sound effects, unconventional microphone placements, tape loops, double tracking and vari-speed recording, The Beatles began to augment their recordings with instruments that were unconventional for rock music at the time. These included string and brass ensembles as well as Indian instruments such as the sitar as in Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown) and the swarmandel as in Strawberry Fields Forever. They also used early electronic instruments such as the Mellotron, with which McCartney supplied the flute voices on the intro to "Strawberry Fields Forever", and the ondioline, an electronic keyboard that created the unusual oboe-like sound on "Baby You're a Rich Man". Beginning with the use of a string quartet (arranged by George Martin with input from McCartney) on "Yesterday" in 1965, The Beatles pioneered a modern form of art song, exemplified by the double-quartet string arrangement on "Eleanor Rigby" (1966), "Here, There and Everywhere" (1966) and "She's Leaving Home" (1967). A televised performance of Bach's Brandenburg Concerto No. 2 directly inspired McCartney's use of a piccolo trumpet on the arrangement of "Penny Lane". The Beatles moved towards psychedelia with "Rain" and "Tomorrow Never Knows" from 1966, and "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds", "Strawberry Fields Forever" and "I Am the Walrus" from 1967. Influence on popular culture Lifestyle The Beatles' lifestyles were greatly altered by their success and the income they earned. The availability of the first oral contraceptive and illegal drugs changed many people's opinions — including The Beatles' — about life, marriage, and sexual relationships.[86] Recreational drug use In Hamburg, The Beatles used "prellies" (Preludin) both recreationally and to maintain their energy through all-night performances.[87] McCartney would usually take one, but Lennon would often take four or five.[87] Bob Dylan introduced them to cannabis during a 1964 visit to New York.[88] McCartney remembered them all getting "very high" and giggling.[89] The Beatles occasionally smoked a spliff in the car on the way to the studio during the filming of Help!, which often made them forget their lines.[90] In April 1965, Lennon and Harrison were introduced to LSD by an acquaintance, dentist John Riley.[91] Lennon in particular became an avid "tripper", claiming in a 1970 interview in Rolling Stone to have taken LSD hundreds of times. McCartney was more reluctant to try the drug, but finally did so in 1966 and was the first Beatle to talk about it in the press. The Beatles added their names to an advertisement in The Times, on 24 July 1967, which asked for the legalisation of cannabis, the release of all prisoners imprisoned because of possession, and research into marijuana's medical uses. The advertisement was sponsored by a group called Soma, and was signed by 65 people, including Brian Epstein, Graham Greene, R.D. Laing, 15 doctors, and two MPs.[92] On a sailing trip to Greece, in 1967, the whole band sat around on the boat and took acid.[93] Meditation On 24 August 1967, The Beatles met the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi at the London Hilton, and a few days later went to Bangor, in North Wales, to attend a weekend 'initiation' conference.[94] There, the Maharishi gave each of them a mantra.[95] Their time in early 1968 at the Maharishi's ashram in India was highly productive from a musical standpoint, as practically all of the songs that would later be recorded for The White Album and Abbey Road were composed there by Lennon, McCartney, and Harrison.[78] Discography Further information: List of Beatles songs by singer, The Beatles record sales, worldwide charts, The Beatles bootlegs, and List of Beatles hit singles Official CD catalogue In 1987, EMI released all 12 of The Beatles' studio albums — as originally released in the UK — on CD worldwide. (North American releases were on EMI's American subsidiary Capitol Records). It was a considered decision by Apple Corps to standardise The Beatles catalogue throughout the world. Because there were tracks that had been released in the UK on singles and EPs that had not been released on the original UK albums, in order for all their recordings to be available on CD it was necessary to create three further CDs that would contain the missing tracks. One CD was of a 1967 US compilation album that featured the 6-track 1967 UK EP Magical Mystery Tour and the various singles released in that year. The other two CDs were new compilations that gathered together all the other singles, EP tracks and recordings from 1962--1970 that had not been issued on the original British studio albums. Magical Mystery Tour - 8 August 1987[96] Past Masters, Volume One - 7 March 1988 Past Masters, Volume Two - 7 March 1988 According to EMI and the Guinness Book of Records, The Beatles have sold in excess of one billion units (1,010,000,000, including cassettes, records, CDs and bootlegs). Beginning in 2004, the US album configurations were released as a series of box sets from Capitol Records (The Capitol Albums, Volume 1 & Volume 2); these included both stereo and mono versions based on the mixes that were prepared for vinyl at the time of their original 1960s releases. Song catalogue In 1963 Lennon and McCartney agreed to assign their song publishing rights to Northern Songs, a company created by music publisher Dick James. The company was administered by James' own company Dick James Music. Northern Songs went public in 1965, with Lennon and McCartney each holding 15% of the company's shares whilst Dick James and the company's chairman, Charles Silver, held a controlling 37.5%. In 1969, following a failed attempt by Lennon and McCartney to buy the company, James and Silver sold Northern Songs to British TV company Associated TeleVision (ATV), from which Lennon and McCartney received stock. In 1985, after a short period in which the parent company was owned by Australian business magnate Robert Holmes à Court, ATV Music was sold to Michael Jackson for a reported $47 million (trumping a joint bid by McCartney and Yoko Ono), including the publishing rights to over 200 songs composed by Lennon and McCartney. A decade later Jackson and Sony merged its music publishing businesses. Since 1995, Jackson and Sony/ATV Music Publishing have jointly owned most of the Lennon-McCartney songs recorded by The Beatles. Sony later reported that Jackson had used his share of their co-owned Beatles' catalogue as collateral for a loan from the music company. Meanwhile, Lennon's estate and McCartney still receive their respective songwriter shares of the royalties. (Despite his ownership of most of the Lennon-McCartney publishing, Jackson has only recorded one Lennon-McCartney composition himself, "Come Together" which was featured in his film Moonwalker.) Although the Jackson-Sony catalogue includes most of The Beatles' greatest hits, four of their earliest songs had been published by one of EMI's publishing companies prior to Lennon and McCartney signing with Dick James — and McCartney later succeeded in personally acquiring the publishing rights to "Love Me Do", "Please Please Me", "P.S. I Love You" and "Ask Me Why" from EMI. Harrison and Starr did not renew their songwriting contracts with Northern Songs in 1968, signing with Apple Publishing instead. Harrison later created Harrisongs, his own company which still owns the rights to his post-1967 songs such as "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" and "Something". Starr also created his own company, called Startling Music. It holds the rights to his two post-1967 songs recorded by The Beatles, "Don't Pass Me By" and "Octopus's Garden". The future of The Beatles catalogue The Beatles are but a few of the major artists (aside from Led Zeppelin and Garth Brooks) who have not to date allowed their entire recorded catalogue to be available through major online music services (iTunes, Napster, etc.). This may be due to the massive royalty fees demanded by the group. As a result, The Beatles' music (both officially and unofficially released) has been made available through illegal music search engines such as eMule and BearShare, and have apparently raised the ire of the entire music industry. However, sure signs that official online distributions may be coming is the fact that the video for Tomorrow Never Knows/Within You Without You (the remix from their album Love) is currently being distributed (as of June, 2007) via Napster, and many Internet radio networks (such as Pandora Internet Radio and Live365.com) are allowing Beatles songs to be broadcasted over the world wide web. There has been talk of negotiations to make such an official online distribution schedule possible. Officials at Apple Corps have hinted at this, as they have confirmed that the entire Beatles catalog has been digitally remastered for online distribution. On film Main article: The Beatles on film The Beatles appeared in several films, all of which featured associated soundtrack albums. The band played themselves in two films directed by Richard Lester, A Hard Day's Night (1964) and Help! (1965). The group produced and starred in the hour-long television movie Magical Mystery Tour (1967), while the documentary Let It Be (released 1970) followed the recording sessions for the Get Back project in early 1969. In addition, the psychedelic animated film Yellow Submarine (1968) followed the adventures of a cartoon version of the band; the members did not provide their own voices, appearing only in a brief live-action epilogue. Other projects Anthology Main article: The Beatles Anthology Love Main article: Love (Cirque du Soleil) Instrumentation Rickenbacker, Gretsch, Epiphone, Gibson, Fender, and C.F. Martin & Company guitars Höfner, Fender and Rickenbacker basses Vox, Fender, and Selmer amplifiers Premier and Ludwig drums Zildjian cymbals Steinway, and Blüthner pianos Hammond, Vox and Lowrey electric organs Fender Rhodes, Wurlitzer, and Hohner Pianet electric pianos Moog Modular synthesiser Mellotron Polyphonic Keyboard Neumann, AKG, and STC microphones Bill Stoll Stollco video tampa fl (Less)
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9, 03:35, 2008-04-17 15:07:27 Description: Charles Edward Anderson "Chuck" Berry (born 18 October 1926, St. Louis, Missouri) is an iconic and influential American guitarist, singer and songwriter. Chuck Berry is an influential (More) Charles Edward Anderson "Chuck" Berry (born 18 October 1926, St. Louis, Missouri) is an iconic and influential American guitarist, singer and songwriter. Chuck Berry is an influential figure and one of the pioneers of rock & roll music. According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's website, "While no individual can be said to have invented rock and roll, Chuck Berry comes the closest of any single figure to being the one who put all the essential pieces together."[1] Cub Koda wrote, "Of all the early breakthrough rock & roll artists, none is more important to the development of the music than Chuck Berry. He is its greatest songwriter, the main shaper of its instrumental voice, one of its greatest guitarists, and one of its greatest performers."[2] John Lennon was more succinct: "If you tried to give rock and roll another name, you might call it 'Chuck Berry'."[3] Berry was among the first musicians to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on its opening in 1986. He received Kennedy Center Honors in 2000 in a "class" with Mikhail Baryshnikov, Plcido Domingo, Angela Lansbury, and Clint Eastwood. In 2004, Rolling Stone ranked Chuck Berry #5[4] on their list of The Immortals: The First Fifty.[5] He was also ranked 6th on Rolling Stone's 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time.[6] (Less)
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10, 03:42, 2008-04-17 15:07:29 Description: Charles Edward Anderson "Chuck" Berry (born 18 October 1926, St. Louis, Missouri) is an iconic and influential American guitarist, singer and songwriter. Chuck Berry is an influential figure (More) Charles Edward Anderson "Chuck" Berry (born 18 October 1926, St. Louis, Missouri) is an iconic and influential American guitarist, singer and songwriter. Chuck Berry is an influential figure and one of the pioneers of rock & roll music. According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's website, "While no individual can be said to have invented rock and roll, Chuck Berry comes the closest of any single figure to being the one who put all the essential pieces together." Cub Koda wrote, "Of all the early breakthrough rock & roll artists, none is more important to the development of the music than Chuck Berry. He is its greatest songwriter, the main shaper of its instrumental voice, one of its greatest guitarists, and one of its greatest performers." John Lennon was more succinct: "If you tried to give rock and roll another name, you might call it 'Chuck Berry'." Berry was among the first musicians to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on its opening in 1986. He received Kennedy Center Honors in 2000 in a "class" with Mikhail Baryshnikov, Plcido Domingo, Angela Lansbury, and Clint Eastwood. In 2004, Rolling Stone ranked Chuck Berry #5[4] on their list of The Immortals: The First Fifty.[5] He was also ranked 6th on Rolling Stone's 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time. (Less)
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15, 03:29, 2008-04-17 15:07:33 Description: Charles Edward Anderson "Chuck" Berry (born 18 October 1926, St. Louis, Missouri) is an iconic and influential American guitarist, singer and songwriter. Chuck Berry is an influential figure (More) Charles Edward Anderson "Chuck" Berry (born 18 October 1926, St. Louis, Missouri) is an iconic and influential American guitarist, singer and songwriter. Chuck Berry is an influential figure and one of the pioneers of rock & roll music. According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's website, "While no individual can be said to have invented rock and roll, Chuck Berry comes the closest of any single figure to being the one who put all the essential pieces together." Cub Koda wrote, "Of all the early breakthrough rock & roll artists, none is more important to the development of the music than Chuck Berry. He is its greatest songwriter, the main shaper of its instrumental voice, one of its greatest guitarists, and one of its greatest performers." John Lennon was more succinct: "If you tried to give rock and roll another name, you might call it 'Chuck Berry'." Berry was among the first musicians to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on its opening in 1986. He received Kennedy Center Honors in 2000 in a "class" with Mikhail Baryshnikov, Plcido Domingo, Angela Lansbury, and Clint Eastwood. In 2004, Rolling Stone ranked Chuck Berry #5[4] on their list of The Immortals: The First Fifty.[5] He was also ranked 6th on Rolling Stone's 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time. (Less)
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867, 02:36, 2008-04-17 15:09:52 Description: The Temptations (often abbreviated as "The Tempts" or "The Temps") are an American Motown singing group whose repertoire has included doo-wop, soul, psychedelia, funk, disco, (More) The Temptations (often abbreviated as "The Tempts" or "The Temps") are an American Motown singing group whose repertoire has included doo-wop, soul, psychedelia, funk, disco, R&B, and adult contemporary. Formed in Detroit, Michigan in 1960 as The Elgins, the Temptations have always featured five African American male vocalists/dancers. The group, known for its recognizable choreography, distinct harmonies, and onstage suits, has been said to be as influential to soul as the Beatles are to rock.[1] Having sold an estimated 22 million albums by 1982,[2] The Temptations are one of the most successful groups in music history[3] and were the definitive male vocal group of the 1960s.[4] In addition, they have the second-longest tenure on Motown (behind Stevie Wonder), as they were with the label for a total of 40 years: 16 years from 1961 to 1977, and 24 more from 1980 to 2004 (from 1977 to 1980, they were signed to Atlantic Records). As of 2007, the Temptations continue to perform and record for Universal Records with only one original member, founder Otis Williams, in its lineup. The original group included members of two local Detroit vocal groups: The Distants, which featured second tenor/baritone Otis Williams, first tenor Elbridge "Al" Bryant and bass Melvin Franklin; and first tenor/falsetto Eddie Kendricks and second tenor/baritone Paul Williams (no relation to Otis) from The Primes. Among the most notable future Temptations were lead singers David Ruffin and Dennis Edwards (both of whom became successful Motown solo artists after leaving the group), Richard Street (another former Distant), Damon Harris, Ron Tyson, Ali-Ollie Woodson, Theo Peoples, and G.C. Cameron. Like its sister female group, the Supremes, the Temptations' lineup has changed frequently over the years. Over the course of their career, the Temptations have released four Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles and 14 Billboard R&B number-one singles. Their material has earned them three Grammy Awards, while two more awards were conferred upon the songwriters and producers who crafted their 1972 hit "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone". History The Primes Childhood friends Eddie Kendricks, Paul Williams, Kel Osbourne, and Wiley Waller formed a doo-wop group called the Cavaliers in their hometown of Birmingham, Alabama, in 1955.[5] Reduced to a trio after Waller left the group in 1957, Kendricks, Williams, and Osbourne left Birmingham in order to break into the music business. After first moving to Cleveland, they settled in Detroit. The Primes, as the doo-wop trio was now called, were well-known around Detroit for their meticulous performances.[6] Group manager Milton Jenkins even created a sister group for the Primes called the Primettes, recruiting Florence Ballard, Mary Wilson, Diane (later Diana) Ross, and Betty McGlown for the spin-off act.[5] The Distants Otis Williams had moved from his native Texarkana, Texas to Detroit as a young boy, to live with his mother.[7] By 1958, he was the leader of Otis Williams & the Siberians, a doo-wop group that included Williams, his friend Elbridge "Al" Bryant, James "Pee-Wee" Crawford, Vernard Plain, and Arthur Walton.[8] This quintet recorded the single "Pecos Kid" backed with "All of My Life" for a label run by local radio deejay Senator Bristol Bryant.[8] The single never took off outside the local Detroit market, and the Siberians changed their name to The El Domingoes shortly afterward.[5] At this time, more changes took place. Montgomery, Alabama native Melvin Franklin replaced Arthur Walton as the bass singer, and Franklin's cousin Richard Street replaced Vernard Plain as lead singer.[9] The group soon signed with Northern Records, run by Johnnie Mae Matthews, who renamed the group The Distants. The Distants recorded two singles for Northern, "Come On" (1959, featuring additional background vocals by the Andantes), and "Alright" (1960).[9] Between these two releases, Albert "Mooch" Harrell replaced Pee-Wee Crawford.[9] "Come On" was a local hit for the Distants, and the Warwick label picked the record up for national distribution.[9] After the release of "Alright", Matthews appointed Williams the group leader, and the group was renamed Otis Williams & the Distants.[10] [edit] Influences and colleagues The Primes and the Distants were but two of dozens of local male vocal acts, the most famous of which was the Miracles, led by Smokey Robinson. The Miracles were known for their stage show, and their pop success was something for which both groups strived.[11] Other important inspirations included the Cadillacs, Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers, the Drifters, and the Isley Brothers.[12] The various members of The Primes and the Distants who would later become part of the Temptations met a number of their later Motown bandmates, labelmates, and producers during the early part of their careers. Melvin Franklin had been a member of the recording group the Voice Masters, which also included among its ranks Lamont Dozier and David Ruffin.[9] The musicians at the recording session for the Distants' "Come On" included James Jamerson on bass; the Andantes on background vocals; and Norman Whitfield on tambourine.[9] A promotional image of the original early 1960s Temptations lineup. Clockwise from top right: Otis Williams, Paul Williams, Melvin Franklin, Eddie Kendricks, and Elbridge "Al" Bryant. [edit] Forming the Temptations Although "Come On" was a local success in the Detroit area, the Distants never saw much of their share from the record sales, and the second single was not as successful. After receiving an offer from Berry Gordy of Motown Records, the group got out of its contract with Matthews and left Northern. At the same time, it lost Mooch Harrell, Richard Street, and the rights to use its name. Street would front a new group of Distants for the local Thelma label during the early 1960s. The Distants were acquainted with the Primes, as both groups made the same rounds to local record hops, talent shows, and concerts. The two groups were friendly rivals. The Primes disbanded in 1960 when Kel Osbourne moved to California, and Eddie Kendricks and Paul Williams returned to Alabama. While in Detroit visiting relatives, Kendricks called Otis Williams who, needing two more members for an audition for Gordy, offered Kendricks a place in the Distants. Kendricks agreed, with one condition -- that he could bring Paul Williams with him. Otis Williams agreed, and Kendricks and Paul Williams moved back to Detroit to join the group. The new lineup of Otis Williams, Franklin, Bryant, Kendricks, and Paul Williams took on the name The Elgins and auditioned for Motown in March 1961. Gordy agreed to sign the group to his Miracle Records imprint, but discovered just before signing that there was already a singing group called the Elgins. The quintet quickly began tossing about ideas for a new name on the steps of Motown's Hitsville U.S.A. headquarters. On a suggestion from Miracle Records employee Billy Mitchell and Otis Williams, The Temptations became the group's new moniker. The "Elgins" name would re-surface at Motown in 1965, when Gordy renamed a quartet called The Downbeats as The Elgins. The Temptations released two singles on Miracle, "Oh Mother of Mine" and "Check Yourself", before it was closed and merged with the Gordy label (to avoid confusion with the Miracles singing group). All seven of the Temptations' singles released between 1961 and 1963 failed to make it onto the U.S. pop singles charts; the 1962 single "Dream Come True" made it to number 22 on the R&B chart. Paul Williams and Kendricks split most of the leads during this period, with Bryant, Otis Williams, and Franklin occasionally singing lead. Many songwriter and producer teams had been trying to craft a hit for the Temptations, including Berry Gordy, Mickey Stevenson, Clarence Paul, and Norman Whitfield. Gordy had in fact written the song "Do You Love Me" for The Temptations in 1961, but when he was unable to get ahold of the group, he recorded the song with the Contours instead. Miracles lead singer/songwriter/producer Smokey Robinson produced his first Temptations single, the Paul Williams-led "I Want a Love I Can See", in 1963, and proved to have the best rapport with the group. Elbridge Bryant, who preferred his day job as a milkman to performing, soon became restless and uncooperative. After a performance at the 1963 Motown company Christmas party, Bryant was fired from the group. His replacement was Meridian, Mississippi native David Ruffin, younger brother of Motown artist Jimmy Ruffin. Though both Ruffin brothers were considered, David was given an edge over Jimmy thanks to his performance skills, which David displayed when he joined the Temptations on-stage during a local Detroit performance earlier that year.[13] The "Classic Five" lineup of the Temptations, circa 1965. Left to right: Melvin Franklin, Eddie Kendricks, Otis Williams, Paul Williams, and David Ruffin. The "Classic Five" era In January 1964,Miracles members Smokey Robinson and Bobby Rogers co-wrote and produced "The Way You Do the Things You Do" with Kendricks on lead; the single became the Temptations' first Top 20 hit that April. While traveling as part of Motown's Motortown Revue later that year, Robinson and fellow Miracle Ronnie White wrote a song for the emotive Ruffin to sing lead on, which the group recorded in the fall of 1964. Released as a single on December 24, 1964, "My Girl", became the Temptations' first number-one pop hit in March 1965, and is their signature song to this day. David Ruffin's emergence as lead singer gave way to the Temptations' most successful period, today referred to as the "Classic Five" era, during which Ruffin, Kendricks, Franklin, Otis Williams, and Paul Williams recorded many of the group's most familiar hits. After the success of "My Girl", Ruffin sang lead on the next three Temptations singles: "It's Growing", "Since I Lost My Baby" and "My Baby", all of which made it to the Top 20 in 1965. The b-side to "My Baby", "Dont Look Back", featured a lead from Paul Williams, and was a sleeper hit on the R&B charts. In 1966, Norman Whitfield became the Temptations' new main producer, after his "Ain't Too Proud to Beg" performed better than Robinson's "Get Ready" on the U.S. pop charts. Whitfield began pushing the group away from Robinson's ballad-based production towards a harder-edged and brass-heavy soul sound reminiscent of the work of James Brown. Nearly all of the pre-1968 Whitfield-produced Temptations singles featured David Ruffin on lead vocals, including the R&B number-one/pop Top 10 hits "Beauty Is Only Skin Deep" and "(I Know) I'm Losing You". Other singles from this period included "You're My Everything", on which Eddie Kendricks and David Ruffin share lead vocals, and "All I Need", produced by Whitfield's protg Frank Wilson. Whitfield's writing partners during this period included Roger Penzabene, Temptations road show manager/guitarist Cornelius Grant, and Edward Holland, Jr.. After Eddie Holland left Motown with the rest of the Holland-Dozier-Holland songwriting/production team in 1967, Barrett Strong (who sang Motown's first hit, 1960's "Money (That's What I Want)") began working with Whitfield and Penzabene on Temptations material. Two of Whitfield/Strong/Penzabene's collaborations, "I Wish It Would Rain" and "I Could Never Love Another (After Loving You)", became hits in 1968. Strong became Whitfield's sole collaborator after Penzabene's suicide in December 1967. Exit David Ruffin Between 1964 and 1968, the Temptations went from unknown hopefuls to international stars. The group appeared frequently on television shows such as American Bandstand and The Ed Sullivan Show, and catered to middle America with a pop standards album (The Temptations in a Mellow Mood, 1967) and performances at the Copacabana in New York City and other such supper clubs. Outside of music, the Temptations were made honorary members of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. Initially laid back and even-keeled, by 1967 David Ruffin felt that he was almost single-handedly responsible for the group's success. He demanded special treatment, riding to and from gigs in a private mink-lined limousine with his then-girlfriend, singer Tammi Terrell (known for her duets with Marvin Gaye), instead of in the group limousine the other four Temptations used. Ruffin missed a number of rehearsals, concerts, and group meetings; and began regularly using cocaine. After seeing how Motown had made Diana Ross the focus of the Supremes by renaming the group Diana Ross & the Supremes, Ruffin demanded that his group be renamed, as well -- to David Ruffin & the Temptations. Additionally, Ruffin was demanding an accounting of the Temptations' earnings, which caused friction between him and Berry Gordy. There was general agreement among the rest of group that Ruffin needed to be replaced. Otis Williams insists that Ruffin was given fair warning that if he did not change his attitude he would be fired. When Ruffin missed a June 1968 engagement at a Cleveland supper club in order to attend a show by his new girlfriend (Dean Martin's daughter Gail), it was decided that he had crossed the line. The other four Temptations drew up legal documentation firing Ruffin from the group, and Dennis Edwards, formerly of the Contours, was hired to replace him. Edwards and Ruffin were good friends, and Ruffin at first went along with the changing of the guard. After a short time, however, Ruffin began turning up at Temptations shows, jumping onstage during performances of the songs he once sang lead on and stealing the spotlight. The audiences were delighted, but the Temptations and Motown were frustrated and embarrassed. Extra security guards were hired to prevent Ruffin from attending other Temptations' performances. Ruffin sued Motown in October 1968, seeking a release from the label, and Motown settled by offering Ruffin a solo recording deal. Beginning in 1968, Berry Gordy commissioned a number of collaborations for the Temptations with Diana Ross & the Supremes. The results included a joint tour, two studio albums (Diana Ross & the Supremes Join the Temptations, which featured the number-two hit single "I'm Gonna Make You Love Me", and Together), and two NBC television specials, TCB (aired December 9, 1968) and G.I.T. on Broadway (aired November 12, 1969). The tracks for Diana Ross & the Supremes Join the Temptations included Dennis Edwards' first studio recordings with the Temptations. Psychedelic soul Dennis Edwards' addition to the Temptations coincided with producer Norman Whitfield's adoption of a new sound for the group. In the fall of 1968, Whitfield began producing psychedelic-based material for the Temptations, derived primarily from the sound of funk band Sly & the Family Stone. This new style, which debuted with the Top 10 hit single "Cloud Nine" in October 1968, was a marked departure from the David Ruffin-era ballads. The instrumentation was funkier, the beat was hard-driving, and all five Temptations traded lead vocals, similar to Sly & the Family Stone. "Cloud Nine", the centerpiece of the group's landmark Cloud Nine LP, was a Top 10 hit and won Motown its first Grammy Award, for Best R&B Vocal Group Performance of 1969. The blending of the Motown sound and psychedelic rock sound resulted in a new subgenre of music called "psychedelic soul", also evident in the work of Diana Ross and the Supremes ("Reflections", "Love Child"), Marvin Gaye's version of "I Heard It Through the Grapevine", and the music of the Fifth Dimension and War. More Temptations psychedelic soul singles would follow in 1969 and 1970, among them "Runaway Child, Running Wild" (a number-one R&B hit), "I Can't Get Next to You" (a number-one pop hit), "Psychedelic Shack" , "Ball of Confusion (That's What the World Is Today)", and "Ungena Za Ulimwengu (Unite the World)". Exit Eddie Kendricks and Paul Williams During the late-1960s, Paul Williams' physical and mental health began to decline sharply. Williams suffered from both depression and sickle-cell disease, and also developed alcoholism, all of which made it hard for him to continue performing. Oxygen tanks were kept in the wings of performance venue stages for Williams, and the other four Temptations made valiant efforts to raid and drain his alcohol stashes. By 1969, former Distant Richard Street, now lead singer of Motown act The Monitors, was touring with the group as a backup replacement for Williams. For most shows, Street would sing Williams' parts (save for his solo numbers) from offstage behind a curtain, while Williams danced and lip-synched onstage. At other shows, and during most of the second half of 1970, Street took Williams' place onstage. As Paul Williams' health failed, Eddie Kendricks became detached from the group. He regularly picked fights with Otis Williams and Melvin Franklin over the group's leadership. In addition, Kendricks was uncomfortable with the psychedelic soul material the group was now performing, preferring the ballad material from the earlier days. Kendricks rekindled his friendship with David Ruffin, who persuaded him to quit the Temptations and go solo. After another confrontation between himself, Otis Williams, and Franklin during a November 1970 Copacabana engagement, Kendricks walked out in-between shows and did not return. Both Franklin and Otis Williams agreed at this time that Kendricks would be leaving the group. Before Kendricks officially left the Temptations, he and Paul Williams recorded the lead vocals for "Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me)", a lush, wistful ballad that became Kendricks' Temptations swan song. Released as a single in January 1971, "Just My Imagination" began steadily climbing the U.S. pop singles chart. By the time "Just My Imagination" hit number-one in March, Kendricks had negotiated his release from the group and signed a solo deal with Motown's Tamla imprint. Kendricks' original replacement was Ricky Owens, from the Los Angeles-based vocal group the Vibrations. However, Owens gave poorly-received performances during the few shows he performed with the group, and he was dropped after only a few weeks. During most of the spring of 1971, the Temptations remained a quartet, and re-recorded the single "It's Summer" without a fifth member. In April, Paul Williams quit the Temptations, after a medical declaration that he was unable to continue performing. Richard Street officially took his place, while Williams remained on the group's payroll as an advisor and choreographer. After Williams had recovered enough to perform again, Motown made plans for a Paul Williams solo career, but he died at age 34 in Detroit on August 17, 1973. Williams' death was ruled a suicide. The Temptations in the early 1970s By May, The Temptations had found a permanent replacement first tenor in twenty-year-old Baltimore native Damon Harris. Otis Williams, Edwards, Franklin, Street, and Harris continued recording and performing, and Norman Whitfield continued producing hits for them. Among these were Top 40 hits such as "Superstar (Remember How You Got Where You Are)" (1971), a message from the Temptations to the estranged David Ruffin and Eddie Kendricks, and "Take a Look Around" (1972). The fall of 1972 saw the release of Whitfield's magnum opus, "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone". Originally a three-minute record written and produced for the Undisputed Truth, Whitfield took the sombre tune and created a sprawling, dramatic eleven and -minute version for the Temptations. An edited seven-minute version was released as a single in September 1972, hitting number-one on the pop charts and number-five on the R&B charts. In 1973, "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone" won the Temptations their second Grammy for Best R&B Performance by a Group. Whitfield and arranger/conductor Paul Riser won the award for Best R&B Instrumental Performance with the instrumental version of "Papa" on the single's b-side, and Whitfield and Barrett Strong won the songwriters' Grammy for Best R&B Song. After "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone", Whitfield stopped working with Barrett Strong, and began writing the Temptations' material on his own. The success of "Papa" led Whitfield to create more elongated, operatic pieces, including the Top 40 hit "Masterpiece" (1973) and several of the tracks on the resulting Masterpiece album. Tensions developed between Whitfield and the group, who found Whitfield arrogant and difficult to work with. The group cited his habitual tardiness, his emphasis of the instrumental tracks over the vocals on many of his productions, and the declining singles and albums sales as other sources of conflict. Otis Williams complained about Whitfield's actions and the Temptations' stagnant sales to Berry Gordy, who intervened and reassigned them to Jeffrey Bowen, co-producer of the 1967 In a Mellow Mood album. The final Norman Whitfield-produced Temptations album, 1990, was released in late 1973, and included the Top 30 single "Let Your Hair Down". Whitfield left Motown shortly afterwards, and in 1975 established Whitfield Records, taking with him the Undisputed Truth, Willie Hutch, and Rose Royce, who performed the instrumental track for "Let Your Hair Down". Dry spell Bowen's first LP with the Temptations was January 1975's A Song for You, which included a cover of the titular Leon Russell tune (popularized with soul audiences by Donny Hathaway), along with the pop Top 40/R&B number-one hits "Happy People" (featuring the Commodores as the instrumentalists) and "Shakey Ground" (featuring instrumentation by Funkadelic's Eddie Hazel and Billy Bass Nelson), and "Glasshouse", the group's final Top 40 Pop hit. Damon Harris was fired from the group during the recording of A Song for You, as his behavior and work ethic were deemed unprofessional.[14] His replacement was Washington, D.C. native Glenn Leonard, formerly of the Unifics.[15] A number of producers, including Bowen, Brian Holland, James Carmichael, and even the Temptations themselves tried producing hits for the next three LPs, House Party (November 1975), Wings of Love (March 1976), and The Temptations Do the Temptations (August 1976). None of these recordings were as commercially successful as A Song for You, and none of their singles entered the Billboard Hot 100 Top 40.[16] As time progressed, Bowen pushed Dennis Edwards further to the front. This was evident in on Wings of Love, which features Edwards' voice more prominently than the other Temptations' backing vocals.[17] Otis Williams felt that this was hurting the group, and after The Temptations Do the Temptations was recorded in 1976, Edwards was fired from the group.[18] His replacement was Louis Price. The Temptations left Motown for Atlantic Records, citing Motown's inattention as the reason for their declining sales and popularity.[19] However, the group's releases on Atlantic -- Hear to Tempt You (1977), Bare Back (1978), and their associated singles -- failed to perform better than their last handful of Motown singles, and in 1979 Atlantic released the group from its contract.[17] Shortly afterwards, the Temptations met with Smokey Robinson and Berry Gordy, and the group re-signed with Motown in 1980.[20] ] Return to Motown and Reunion Upon the return to Motown, Louis Price departed from the group and joined the Drifters. Dennis Edwards, who had been inactive for the previous three years despite remaining with Motown as a solo act, returned to the lineup. Berry Gordy co-wrote and produced the Temptations' first single under the new contract, "Power", from the album of the same name. "Power" missed the Billboard Hot 100 Top 40, but hit number 11 on the R&B charts. Two years of underperforming singles and albums followed, including an eponymous album with Philadelphia-based producer Thom Bell, until Motown began planning a Temptations reunion tour in 1982. Eddie Kendricks and David Ruffin agreed to rejoin the group for the Reunion album and tour. Melvin Franklin's nephew, Motown funk star Rick James (who had previously used the Temptations as backup vocalists on his 1981 hit "Super Freak"), wrote, produced, and guested on the Reunion album's lead single, "Standing on the Top", which featured Ruffin, Kendricks, and Edwards on lead. The single went to number-six on the R&B charts. While the ensuing Reunion tour with all seven Temptations (Ruffin, Kendricks, Otis Williams, Franklin, Edwards, Richard Street, and Glenn Leonard) was financially successful, it ended up being a stressful venture: Kendricks' voice had weakened after decades of chain smoking, and Ruffin, still addicted to drugs, missed a number of the performances. At the conclusion of the Reunion tour, Ruffin and Kendricks were fired, and they began touring and performing together as a duo. One more album, Surface Thrills, was released in 1983. It featured a sharp departure in the group's sound by incorporating elements of then-current rock. Following its release, Glenn Leonard left and was replaced by Ron Tyson. Tyson had been a songwriter at Atlantic during the Temptations' time there, and co-wrote several songs on the album Hear To Tempt You. [edit] From the 1980s to the 1990s By this time, the Temptations' releases were no longer performing well on the pop charts, though they sometimes made the R&B Top 20. "Love on My Mind Tonight", a single from Surface Thrills, made it to number 17. "Sail Away", produced by a returning Norman Whitfield and featuring Ron Tyson's first lead vocal, peaked at number 13. Dennis Edwards was again fired in 1984, this time for missing rehearsals, or showing up hungover. He attempted a second solo career, and his place was taken by Ali-Ollie Woodson, who had been a potential candidate to replace Edwards back in 1977. The album Back to Basics was released; it was the first album featuring Ron Tyson, and featured one track with Woodson, "Stop the World Right Here (I Wanna Get Off)". Woodson's first lead on a single was 1984's "Treat Her Like a Lady", co-written by himself and Otis Williams, and co-produced by Al McKay and Ralph Johnson, formerly of Earth, Wind and Fire. The single became their biggest success on R&B radio in some time, reaching number-two on the R&B charts, and just missing the Pop Top 40. The group experienced similar success the following year with the single "Lady Soul", another Top 5 R&B smash. On July 13th 1985, Eddie Kendricks and David Ruffin would achieve "World comeback" recognition for their performances with Pop/Rock superstars Daryl Hall and John Oates(Hall and Oates) in a performance given at the "Live Aid" concert in Philadelphia televised world wide. The segment with Kendricks and Ruffin included a Medley of "Get ready/The way you do the things you do/My Girl. The combination of Hall, Oates, Ruffin and Kendricks went on to perform the resurrected Hall and Oates hit (made popular by the English artist Paul Young), "Every time you go away". This was the exact performance the singing quartet had just recorded live in a sold out performance for the "reopening" of the historic Apollo Theater. The medley recorded on "Live at the Apollo" for RCA, became a top 20 hit on the pop charts. Ollie Woodson remained with the Temptations until 1987, when he was fired and replaced by an again-returning Dennis Edwards. The group recorded one album during Edwards' third tenure, Together Again, released in late 1987. The following year, Otis Williams published his autobiography, Temptations, co-written with Patricia Romanowski, chronicling the careers of the group from the Primes/Distants days to the present, and focusing on the lives of Williams and Melvin Franklin. An updated version of the book was published in 2002. Edwards was fired for the third and final time in late 1989, with Woodson re-joining the lineup. Also that year, the Temptations were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, honoring Edwards, Franklin, Otis Williams, David Ruffin, Eddie Kendricks (now performing as "Eddie Kendrick"), and, posthumously, Paul Williams. Most of the Temptations, present and former, showed no ill feelings towards each other, although Otis Williams reported that Kendricks would not speak to him during the ceremony. [21] The Temptations ended their induction with Paul Willaims' signature song, "Don't Look Back", dedicated to his memory. After reuniting at the induction ceremony, Edwards, Ruffin, and Kendrick made plans to tour and record as "Ruffin/Kendrick/Edwards, Former Leads of The Temptations". The tour was carried out, much to the chagrin of Otis Williams and Motown, but production on an album was terminated when Ruffin, age 50, died on June 1, 1991 in Philadelphia after a drug overdose. Kendrick was diagnosed with lung cancer but continued to perform; he died on October 5, 1992 at the age of 52, in his native Birmingham. The Temptations in the 1990s From the 1990s on, the Temptations' lineup began to change more frequently than before. Richard Street missed a performance in 1992 after undergoing emergency surgery to remove kidney stones. Otis Williams was not aware of Street's surgery, and called him, angry about Street's absence. Street felt Williams was unsympathetic, and as a result, he left the group in 1993 after twenty-two years. His replacement was St. Louis native Theo Peoples. Two years later, Melvin Franklin was forced to stop performing because of failing health. He died on February 23, 1995 at the age of 52, after suffering a brain seizure. Ray Davis from Parliament/Funkadelic came on as new bass, and the group recorded the pop standards album For Lovers Only, which contained two tracks led by Melvin Franklin. Davis left shortly after completing the album, due to a throat cancer diagnosis. The group continued as a quartet for a short time, before recruiting bass Harry McGilberry, a former member of The Futures. For Lovers Only would also be the last for lead Ali-Ollie Woodson; he was released from the group in 1996 due to health problems, having suffered two battles with throat cancer. He was replaced by his fill-in from his first health concern, new member Terry Weeks. The new Temptations lineup, consisting of Otis Williams, Ron Tyson, Theo Peoples, and newcomers Harry McGilberry and Terry Weeks, debuted at the halftime show of Super Bowl XXXII, which celebrated the 40th anniversary of Motown. In 1998, The Temptations released Phoenix Rising, their first million-selling album in over twenty years. The album was anchored by the Theo Peoples-led single "Stay", a number-one hit on the adult contemporary charts that featured a sample from The Temptations' "My Girl". During the recording of Phoenix Rising, however, Theo Peoples departed, and was replaced by Barrington "Bo" Henderson. The completed album features both Henderson and Peoples (who later joined the Four Tops) on different tracks. A scene from the 1998 Temptations NBC miniseries. The Temptations mini-series Main entry: The Temptations (miniseries). Nineteen ninety-eight also saw the debut of The Temptations, a four-hour television miniseries based on Otis Williams' Temptations autobiography. It was broadcast in two parts on NBC on November 1 and November 2, 1998. The miniseries was a ratings success and won an Emmy award for Best Direction; it was subsequently rerun on the VH-1 cable television network and released to VHS and DVD. Otis Williams' former wife Josephine, Melvin Franklin's mother Rose Franklin, and David Ruffin's family, jointly filed a lawsuit against Williams, Motown, de Passe Entertainment, Hallmark Entertainment, and NBC for a number of charges, including defamations of character. The judges ruled in favor of the defendants, and the ruling was upheld when the plaintiffs appealed in 2001. Williams later claimed that, although his book was used as the source material for the film, he did not have a great deal of control over how the material was presented. From 2000 to the present day The Temptations were inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 1999. In 2001, their 2000 album Ear-Resistible won the group its third Grammy, this one for Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance. Three classic Temptations songs, "My Girl", "Ain't Too Proud to Beg", and "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone", are among The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll. Bo Henderson was fired from the group in 2003, prompting a wrongful termination lawsuit [22]. His replacement was former Spinners lead G.C. Cameron. The lineup of Cameron, Otis Williams, Ron Tyson, Harry McGilberry, and Terry Weeks recorded for a short time before Harry McGilberry was dismissed;[23] his replacement was former Spaniels bass Joe Herndon. McGilberry died on April 3, 2006, at age 56. The group's final Motown album, Legacy, was released in 2004. Later that year, The Temptations asked to be released from their Motown contract, and moved to another Universal Motown Records Group label, New Door Records. Their latest album, Reflections, was released on January 31, 2006, and contains covers of several popular Motown songs, including Diana Ross & the Supremes' "Reflections", the Miracles' "Ooo Baby Baby", Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell's "Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing", and the Jackson 5's "I'll Be There".[24] The Temptations were nominated for the 2007 Grammy Award for Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance, for their version of Gaye's "How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved by You)" from Reflections. G.C. Cameron left the group in June of 2007 to focus on his solo career.[25]. The current lineup is Otis Williams, Ron Tyson, Terry Weeks, Joe Herndon, and new member Bruce Williamson. Splinter groups Several former Temptations continue to perform 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, Nate Evans, a former member of The Impressions, and a female vocalist). Following David Ruffin's death, 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 and Curtis Taylor.[26] This prompted a legal battle with Otis Williams. Following Kendrick's death, the group splintered: Dennis formed "Dennis Edwards and the Temptations Review," Damon formed "Damon Harris and the Temptations Review" (featuring future Temptation Joe Herndon), David Sea went on to a solo career[27], and Evans and Taylor formed a Temptations tribute band[28]. Dennis Edwards' group tours to this day. The group has appeared on several PBS music specials. The lineup is Edwards, David Sea (baritone, returning in 1999), Mike Patillo (bass since 1993), Chris Arnold (first tenor/falsetto, joined post-2000)[29], and another former Temptation, Ali-Ollie Woodson. Woodson previously fronted an act called Ali-Ollie Woodson & the Emperors of Soul--Emperors of Soul being the name of the 1994 Temptations boxed set. He replaced Bernard Gibson[30][31] in 2007; Gibson was an original 1993 addition, and was in the group for all of their PBS performances. Damon Harris split from his group in the late 1990s; the other four members then joined with another former Temptation, Glenn Leonard, to become "Glenn Leonard and the Temptations Experience." Joe Herndon left this group to join the Temptations[32] His spot was filled by former Temptations bass Ray Davis, and, following Davis' death on July 5, 2005, Harry McGilberry, another former Temptations bass (McGilberry died on April 3, 2006). Damon Harris would form a new group later, billed as "Damon Harris and the Temptations Tribute." Richard Street also leads a group, billed as "Richard Street" or "Richard Street's Temptations"[33]. Street is 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. [edit] Musical style The Temptations' songs depended upon the individual members' interaction as a group; unlike many other R&B groups, each member of the Temptations was a lead singer of some capacity. Although the group always had an appointed main lead singer who dominated most the lead vocals (from Paul Williams to David Ruffin, Dennis Edwards, and later singers such as Louis Price, Ali-Ollie Woodson, and Terry Weeks), that singer was never given more of a promotional push than the other members. Co-lead songs, with two or more of the singers sharing the lead vocals, are common in the Temptations catalog, particularly among the psychedelic-era recordings of the late 1960s/early 1970s The "Motown Sound" The group would alter their style several times over the years following their first Motown hit, adapting to the popular styles of the day while retaining their signature visual and vocal styles. The earliest Temptations recordings reflect the influence of producers Berry Gordy and Smokey Robinson, featuring a blend of black rhythm and blues and white pop music that came to be later identified as the "Motown Sound". Backed by Motown's stalwart studio band, the Funk Brothers, pre-1966 Temptations recordings were built around songs (usually ballads like "My Girl") with simple, direct lyrics supported by an R&B rhythm section with orchestral strings and horns added for pop appeal. During this period, each recording usually featured only one lead singer, usually David Ruffin or Eddie Kendricks, although Paul Williams, Melvin Franklin, and Otis Williams each had solo numbers of their own at various times. Like most Motown groups, melisma and other complicated vocalization techniques were eschewed by the Temptations for a more direct, yet obviously gospel-rooted vocal approach, to make the songs more palpable for white audiences. Creative control remained primarily in Smokey Robinson's hands, although the Temptations, most frequently Eddie Kendricks, periodically co-wrote some of their material. Kendricks also handled the vocal arrangements for all of the Temptations' material. In 1966, Norman Whitfield changed the group's dynamic, moving them away from the previous one lead singer model and adding elements derived from the rougher soul of artists like James Brown, Wilson Pickett, and the performers at Stax Records. Whitfield and his lyricists crafted Temptations songs with shifts of dynamics, syncopated horn stabs, and more intricate harmony arrangements which spotlighted each singer's unique vocal range. Onstage, this change was reflected in the group's use of a custom-made four-headed microphone, which allowed each member freedom to perform without having to all crowd around one or two microphones. Under Whitfield's control, the Temptations retained their white pop appeal, but also gained popularity amongst black audiences as well. Psychedelic and cinematic soul When David Ruffin was replaced by Dennis Edwards, and Sly and the Family Stone became popular, Whitfield again restructured the Temptations' sound, this time driving the group almost completely into a "psychedelic soul" sound. Recordings from this period (such as "Cloud Nine" and "Psychedelic Shack") featured echoed vocal tracks, distorted guitar lines with prominent use of the wah-wah pedal, hard-hitting drums, and various stereo effects and sound effects. The majority of these songs feature at least two lead singers; often, all five Temptations sang lead, trading bars a la the Family Stone. Dennis Edwards, whose vocal style had a rougher, more Southern-soul based sound than David Ruffin's, was featured prominently on most of these recordings. The lyrics for these songs, inspired heavily by Sly Stone's concurrent works, centered primarily around social issues such as integration, the Vietnam War, and self-consciousness. Ballads in the group's traditional style were still being recorded as b-sides and album fillers (the exception being "Just My Imagination"). Many of the psychedelic soul recordings were presented in extended-length mixes longer than the typical three-minute Motown song. Tracks such as the album version of "Run Away Child, Running Wild" from Cloud Nine, "Take a Stroll Thru Your Mind" from Psychedelic Shack, and "Smiling Faces Sometimes" from Sky's the Limit, all run at least eight minutes in length. Much of the running time for each song consists of instrumental passages without vocals, at Whitfield's insistence. The hit version of their smash 1972 single "Papa Was a Rolling Stone" was nearly seven minutes long, with an instrumental intro that was almost two minutes long -- a rarity for songs of that era. "Psychedelic soul" soon gave way to "cinematic soul": Long recordings with detailed orchestration and extended instrumental introductions and bridging passages, oten focusing on lyrics about the ghettos and inner cities of black America. These songs were heavily influenced by the work of singer/songwriters Isaac Hayes and Curtis Mayfield. Unlike Hayes and Mayfield, the Temptations had no creative control over their recordings, and were not fond of the twelve and thirteen-minute long songs that Norman Whitfield was now producing for them. Whitfield's contributions were the focal point of Temptations albums such as Solid Rock, All Directions, and particularly Masterpiec. From funk to disco to adult contemporary After Whitfield was dismissed as the Temptations' producer in 1974, the group altered its sound to accommodate a balance of both up-tempo dance material and ballads. The vocal arrangements began to again focus primarily on one lead singer per track, although leads were still being periodically shared. In addition, the Temptations themselves, after fighting Motown and Berry Gordy for creative control, began to write and produce some of their material. From this point on, the Temptations focused almost exclusively on songs about romance; songs about social issues similar to the Whitfield-era recordings were periodically recorded as well. Mid-1970s Temptations recordings focused significantly on funk music influences from artists such as Parliament Funkadelic and Sly and the Family Stone; members of both acts contributed to Temptations material during this period. The group's ballads, reduced to filler material during much of the Whifield period, were restored to the lush sound of the earlier Smokey Robinson-produced hits. After a brief diversion into disco in the late-1970s, the Temptations settled into an adult contemporary-rooted form of R&B, a style in which they continue to record. As the ages of its members increased, the Temptations' live shows have focused on less intricate choreography, although dancing remains an important aspect of the group's act. Legacy and influence The Temptations, with their tailored suits and detailed choreography, set the bar for male soul and R&B groups. Before the Temptations became popular, most black vocal groups were rough, high-energy acts with rawer vocals and more improvisational dance movements. Only a few performers, including contemporaries Marvin Gaye, Sam Cooke, and the Four Tops, showed the refined style that would be popularized by the Temptations. Berry Gordy insisted his acts be equally appealing to white and black audiences, and employed a creative team to help tailor Motown talent for crossover success. Paul Williams and Motown choreographer Cholly Atkins created the Temptation's trademark precise and energetic, yet refined, dance steps. The most famous of these, the "Temptation Walk", or "Temptation Strut", was adapted from similar moves by the Flamingoes and the Vibrations. From those two sources, Paul Williams crafted the group's signature dance routine. During the 1960s and 1970s, a number of soul groups showed significant influence from the Temptations, among them the Delfonics, the Stylistics, George Clinton's original Parliaments, the Dramatics, and Motown labelmates the Jackson Five. These acts, and others, showed the influence of the Temptations in both their vocal performances and their onstage choreography. Several more recent soul and R&B vocal groups, including the Johnny Gill-led version of New Edition, Jodeci, BLACKstreet, Dru Hill, and, most notably, 1990s Motown act Boyz II Men, also showed significant influence from the Temptations. Temptations songs have been covered by scores of musicians, from R&B singers such as Luther Vandross ("Since I Lost My Baby"), to pop vocalists such as Bette Midler ("Just My Imagination"), to rock bands such as Rare Earth ("Get Ready"), Duran Duran ("Ball of Confusion (That's What the World Is Today)") and the Rolling Stones ("Ain't Too Proud to Beg"). In 1991, British singer Rod Stewart collaborated with the Temptations on the single "The Motown Song". The lives and careers of The Temptations were one of several inspirations for Robert Townsend's 1991 film about a 1960s Motown-esque male group, The Five Heartbeats. In 2004, Rolling Stone Magazine ranked The Temptations #67 on their list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time.[34] (Less)
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267, 03:11, 2008-04-17 15:10:22 Description: The Temptations (often abbreviated as "The Tempts" or "The Temps") are an American Motown singing group whose repertoire has included doo-wop, soul, psychedelia, funk, disco, (More) The Temptations (often abbreviated as "The Tempts" or "The Temps") are an American Motown singing group whose repertoire has included doo-wop, soul, psychedelia, funk, disco, R&B, and adult contemporary. Formed in Detroit, Michigan in 1960 as The Elgins, the Temptations have always featured five African American male vocalists/dancers. The group, known for its recognizable choreography, distinct harmonies, and onstage suits, has been said to be as influential to soul as the Beatles are to rock.[1] Having sold an estimated 22 million albums by 1982,[2] The Temptations are one of the most successful groups in music history[3] and were the definitive male vocal group of the 1960s.[4] In addition, they have the second-longest tenure on Motown (behind Stevie Wonder), as they were with the label for a total of 40 years: 16 years from 1961 to 1977, and 24 more from 1980 to 2004 (from 1977 to 1980, they were signed to Atlantic Records). As of 2007, the Temptations continue to perform and record for Universal Records with only one original member, founder Otis Williams, in its lineup. The original group included members of two local Detroit vocal groups: The Distants, which featured second tenor/baritone Otis Williams, first tenor Elbridge "Al" Bryant and bass Melvin Franklin; and first tenor/falsetto Eddie Kendricks and second tenor/baritone Paul Williams (no relation to Otis) from The Primes. Among the most notable future Temptations were lead singers David Ruffin and Dennis Edwards (both of whom became successful Motown solo artists after leaving the group), Richard Street (another former Distant), Damon Harris, Ron Tyson, Ali-Ollie Woodson, Theo Peoples, and G.C. Cameron. Like its sister female group, the Supremes, the Temptations' lineup has changed frequently over the years. Over the course of their career, the Temptations have released four Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles and 14 Billboard R&B number-one singles. Their material has earned them three Grammy Awards, while two more awards were conferred upon the songwriters and producers who crafted their 1972 hit "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone". History The Primes Childhood friends Eddie Kendricks, Paul Williams, Kel Osbourne, and Wiley Waller formed a doo-wop group called the Cavaliers in their hometown of Birmingham, Alabama, in 1955.[5] Reduced to a trio after Waller left the group in 1957, Kendricks, Williams, and Osbourne left Birmingham in order to break into the music business. After first moving to Cleveland, they settled in Detroit. The Primes, as the doo-wop trio was now called, were well-known around Detroit for their meticulous performances.[6] Group manager Milton Jenkins even created a sister group for the Primes called the Primettes, recruiting Florence Ballard, Mary Wilson, Diane (later Diana) Ross, and Betty McGlown for the spin-off act.[5] The Distants Otis Williams had moved from his native Texarkana, Texas to Detroit as a young boy, to live with his mother.[7] By 1958, he was the leader of Otis Williams & the Siberians, a doo-wop group that included Williams, his friend Elbridge "Al" Bryant, James "Pee-Wee" Crawford, Vernard Plain, and Arthur Walton.[8] This quintet recorded the single "Pecos Kid" backed with "All of My Life" for a label run by local radio deejay Senator Bristol Bryant.[8] The single never took off outside the local Detroit market, and the Siberians changed their name to The El Domingoes shortly afterward.[5] At this time, more changes took place. Montgomery, Alabama native Melvin Franklin replaced Arthur Walton as the bass singer, and Franklin's cousin Richard Street replaced Vernard Plain as lead singer.[9] The group soon signed with Northern Records, run by Johnnie Mae Matthews, who renamed the group The Distants. The Distants recorded two singles for Northern, "Come On" (1959, featuring additional background vocals by the Andantes), and "Alright" (1960).[9] Between these two releases, Albert "Mooch" Harrell replaced Pee-Wee Crawford.[9] "Come On" was a local hit for the Distants, and the Warwick label picked the record up for national distribution.[9] After the release of "Alright", Matthews appointed Williams the group leader, and the group was renamed Otis Williams & the Distants.[10] [edit] Influences and colleagues The Primes and the Distants were but two of dozens of local male vocal acts, the most famous of which was the Miracles, led by Smokey Robinson. The Miracles were known for their stage show, and their pop success was something for which both groups strived.[11] Other important inspirations included the Cadillacs, Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers, the Drifters, and the Isley Brothers.[12] The various members of The Primes and the Distants who would later become part of the Temptations met a number of their later Motown bandmates, labelmates, and producers during the early part of their careers. Melvin Franklin had been a member of the recording group the Voice Masters, which also included among its ranks Lamont Dozier and David Ruffin.[9] The musicians at the recording session for the Distants' "Come On" included James Jamerson on bass; the Andantes on background vocals; and Norman Whitfield on tambourine.[9] A promotional image of the original early 1960s Temptations lineup. Clockwise from top right: Otis Williams, Paul Williams, Melvin Franklin, Eddie Kendricks, and Elbridge "Al" Bryant. [edit] Forming the Temptations Although "Come On" was a local success in the Detroit area, the Distants never saw much of their share from the record sales, and the second single was not as successful. After receiving an offer from Berry Gordy of Motown Records, the group got out of its contract with Matthews and left Northern. At the same time, it lost Mooch Harrell, Richard Street, and the rights to use its name. Street would front a new group of Distants for the local Thelma label during the early 1960s. The Distants were acquainted with the Primes, as both groups made the same rounds to local record hops, talent shows, and concerts. The two groups were friendly rivals. The Primes disbanded in 1960 when Kel Osbourne moved to California, and Eddie Kendricks and Paul Williams returned to Alabama. While in Detroit visiting relatives, Kendricks called Otis Williams who, needing two more members for an audition for Gordy, offered Kendricks a place in the Distants. Kendricks agreed, with one condition -- that he could bring Paul Williams with him. Otis Williams agreed, and Kendricks and Paul Williams moved back to Detroit to join the group. The new lineup of Otis Williams, Franklin, Bryant, Kendricks, and Paul Williams took on the name The Elgins and auditioned for Motown in March 1961. Gordy agreed to sign the group to his Miracle Records imprint, but discovered just before signing that there was already a singing group called the Elgins. The quintet quickly began tossing about ideas for a new name on the steps of Motown's Hitsville U.S.A. headquarters. On a suggestion from Miracle Records employee Billy Mitchell and Otis Williams, The Temptations became the group's new moniker. The "Elgins" name would re-surface at Motown in 1965, when Gordy renamed a quartet called The Downbeats as The Elgins. The Temptations released two singles on Miracle, "Oh Mother of Mine" and "Check Yourself", before it was closed and merged with the Gordy label (to avoid confusion with the Miracles singing group). All seven of the Temptations' singles released between 1961 and 1963 failed to make it onto the U.S. pop singles charts; the 1962 single "Dream Come True" made it to number 22 on the R&B chart. Paul Williams and Kendricks split most of the leads during this period, with Bryant, Otis Williams, and Franklin occasionally singing lead. Many songwriter and producer teams had been trying to craft a hit for the Temptations, including Berry Gordy, Mickey Stevenson, Clarence Paul, and Norman Whitfield. Gordy had in fact written the song "Do You Love Me" for The Temptations in 1961, but when he was unable to get ahold of the group, he recorded the song with the Contours instead. Miracles lead singer/songwriter/producer Smokey Robinson produced his first Temptations single, the Paul Williams-led "I Want a Love I Can See", in 1963, and proved to have the best rapport with the group. Elbridge Bryant, who preferred his day job as a milkman to performing, soon became restless and uncooperative. After a performance at the 1963 Motown company Christmas party, Bryant was fired from the group. His replacement was Meridian, Mississippi native David Ruffin, younger brother of Motown artist Jimmy Ruffin. Though both Ruffin brothers were considered, David was given an edge over Jimmy thanks to his performance skills, which David displayed when he joined the Temptations on-stage during a local Detroit performance earlier that year.[13] The "Classic Five" lineup of the Temptations, circa 1965. Left to right: Melvin Franklin, Eddie Kendricks, Otis Williams, Paul Williams, and David Ruffin. The "Classic Five" era In January 1964,Miracles members Smokey Robinson and Bobby Rogers co-wrote and produced "The Way You Do the Things You Do" with Kendricks on lead; the single became the Temptations' first Top 20 hit that April. While traveling as part of Motown's Motortown Revue later that year, Robinson and fellow Miracle Ronnie White wrote a song for the emotive Ruffin to sing lead on, which the group recorded in the fall of 1964. Released as a single on December 24, 1964, "My Girl", became the Temptations' first number-one pop hit in March 1965, and is their signature song to this day. David Ruffin's emergence as lead singer gave way to the Temptations' most successful period, today referred to as the "Classic Five" era, during which Ruffin, Kendricks, Franklin, Otis Williams, and Paul Williams recorded many of the group's most familiar hits. After the success of "My Girl", Ruffin sang lead on the next three Temptations singles: "It's Growing", "Since I Lost My Baby" and "My Baby", all of which made it to the Top 20 in 1965. The b-side to "My Baby", "Dont Look Back", featured a lead from Paul Williams, and was a sleeper hit on the R&B charts. In 1966, Norman Whitfield became the Temptations' new main producer, after his "Ain't Too Proud to Beg" performed better than Robinson's "Get Ready" on the U.S. pop charts. Whitfield began pushing the group away from Robinson's ballad-based production towards a harder-edged and brass-heavy soul sound reminiscent of the work of James Brown. Nearly all of the pre-1968 Whitfield-produced Temptations singles featured David Ruffin on lead vocals, including the R&B number-one/pop Top 10 hits "Beauty Is Only Skin Deep" and "(I Know) I'm Losing You". Other singles from this period included "You're My Everything", on which Eddie Kendricks and David Ruffin share lead vocals, and "All I Need", produced by Whitfield's protg Frank Wilson. Whitfield's writing partners during this period included Roger Penzabene, Temptations road show manager/guitarist Cornelius Grant, and Edward Holland, Jr.. After Eddie Holland left Motown with the rest of the Holland-Dozier-Holland songwriting/production team in 1967, Barrett Strong (who sang Motown's first hit, 1960's "Money (That's What I Want)") began working with Whitfield and Penzabene on Temptations material. Two of Whitfield/Strong/Penzabene's collaborations, "I Wish It Would Rain" and "I Could Never Love Another (After Loving You)", became hits in 1968. Strong became Whitfield's sole collaborator after Penzabene's suicide in December 1967. Exit David Ruffin Between 1964 and 1968, the Temptations went from unknown hopefuls to international stars. The group appeared frequently on television shows such as American Bandstand and The Ed Sullivan Show, and catered to middle America with a pop standards album (The Temptations in a Mellow Mood, 1967) and performances at the Copacabana in New York City and other such supper clubs. Outside of music, the Temptations were made honorary members of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. Initially laid back and even-keeled, by 1967 David Ruffin felt that he was almost single-handedly responsible for the group's success. He demanded special treatment, riding to and from gigs in a private mink-lined limousine with his then-girlfriend, singer Tammi Terrell (known for her duets with Marvin Gaye), instead of in the group limousine the other four Temptations used. Ruffin missed a number of rehearsals, concerts, and group meetings; and began regularly using cocaine. After seeing how Motown had made Diana Ross the focus of the Supremes by renaming the group Diana Ross & the Supremes, Ruffin demanded that his group be renamed, as well -- to David Ruffin & the Temptations. Additionally, Ruffin was demanding an accounting of the Temptations' earnings, which caused friction between him and Berry Gordy. There was general agreement among the rest of group that Ruffin needed to be replaced. Otis Williams insists that Ruffin was given fair warning that if he did not change his attitude he would be fired. When Ruffin missed a June 1968 engagement at a Cleveland supper club in order to attend a show by his new girlfriend (Dean Martin's daughter Gail), it was decided that he had crossed the line. The other four Temptations drew up legal documentation firing Ruffin from the group, and Dennis Edwards, formerly of the Contours, was hired to replace him. Edwards and Ruffin were good friends, and Ruffin at first went along with the changing of the guard. After a short time, however, Ruffin began turning up at Temptations shows, jumping onstage during performances of the songs he once sang lead on and stealing the spotlight. The audiences were delighted, but the Temptations and Motown were frustrated and embarrassed. Extra security guards were hired to prevent Ruffin from attending other Temptations' performances. Ruffin sued Motown in October 1968, seeking a release from the label, and Motown settled by offering Ruffin a solo recording deal. Beginning in 1968, Berry Gordy commissioned a number of collaborations for the Temptations with Diana Ross & the Supremes. The results included a joint tour, two studio albums (Diana Ross & the Supremes Join the Temptations, which featured the number-two hit single "I'm Gonna Make You Love Me", and Together), and two NBC television specials, TCB (aired December 9, 1968) and G.I.T. on Broadway (aired November 12, 1969). The tracks for Diana Ross & the Supremes Join the Temptations included Dennis Edwards' first studio recordings with the Temptations. Psychedelic soul Dennis Edwards' addition to the Temptations coincided with producer Norman Whitfield's adoption of a new sound for the group. In the fall of 1968, Whitfield began producing psychedelic-based material for the Temptations, derived primarily from the sound of funk band Sly & the Family Stone. This new style, which debuted with the Top 10 hit single "Cloud Nine" in October 1968, was a marked departure from the David Ruffin-era ballads. The instrumentation was funkier, the beat was hard-driving, and all five Temptations traded lead vocals, similar to Sly & the Family Stone. "Cloud Nine", the centerpiece of the group's landmark Cloud Nine LP, was a Top 10 hit and won Motown its first Grammy Award, for Best R&B Vocal Group Performance of 1969. The blending of the Motown sound and psychedelic rock sound resulted in a new subgenre of music called "psychedelic soul", also evident in the work of Diana Ross and the Supremes ("Reflections", "Love Child"), Marvin Gaye's version of "I Heard It Through the Grapevine", and the music of the Fifth Dimension and War. More Temptations psychedelic soul singles would follow in 1969 and 1970, among them "Runaway Child, Running Wild" (a number-one R&B hit), "I Can't Get Next to You" (a number-one pop hit), "Psychedelic Shack" , "Ball of Confusion (That's What the World Is Today)", and "Ungena Za Ulimwengu (Unite the World)". Exit Eddie Kendricks and Paul Williams During the late-1960s, Paul Williams' physical and mental health began to decline sharply. Williams suffered from both depression and sickle-cell disease, and also developed alcoholism, all of which made it hard for him to continue performing. Oxygen tanks were kept in the wings of performance venue stages for Williams, and the other four Temptations made valiant efforts to raid and drain his alcohol stashes. By 1969, former Distant Richard Street, now lead singer of Motown act The Monitors, was touring with the group as a backup replacement for Williams. For most shows, Street would sing Williams' parts (save for his solo numbers) from offstage behind a curtain, while Williams danced and lip-synched onstage. At other shows, and during most of the second half of 1970, Street took Williams' place onstage. As Paul Williams' health failed, Eddie Kendricks became detached from the group. He regularly picked fights with Otis Williams and Melvin Franklin over the group's leadership. In addition, Kendricks was uncomfortable with the psychedelic soul material the group was now performing, preferring the ballad material from the earlier days. Kendricks rekindled his friendship with David Ruffin, who persuaded him to quit the Temptations and go solo. After another confrontation between himself, Otis Williams, and Franklin during a November 1970 Copacabana engagement, Kendricks walked out in-between shows and did not return. Both Franklin and Otis Williams agreed at this time that Kendricks would be leaving the group. Before Kendricks officially left the Temptations, he and Paul Williams recorded the lead vocals for "Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me)", a lush, wistful ballad that became Kendricks' Temptations swan song. Released as a single in January 1971, "Just My Imagination" began steadily climbing the U.S. pop singles chart. By the time "Just My Imagination" hit number-one in March, Kendricks had negotiated his release from the group and signed a solo deal with Motown's Tamla imprint. Kendricks' original replacement was Ricky Owens, from the Los Angeles-based vocal group the Vibrations. However, Owens gave poorly-received performances during the few shows he performed with the group, and he was dropped after only a few weeks. During most of the spring of 1971, the Temptations remained a quartet, and re-recorded the single "It's Summer" without a fifth member. In April, Paul Williams quit the Temptations, after a medical declaration that he was unable to continue performing. Richard Street officially took his place, while Williams remained on the group's payroll as an advisor and choreographer. After Williams had recovered enough to perform again, Motown made plans for a Paul Williams solo career, but he died at age 34 in Detroit on August 17, 1973. Williams' death was ruled a suicide. The Temptations in the early 1970s By May, The Temptations had found a permanent replacement first tenor in twenty-year-old Baltimore native Damon Harris. Otis Williams, Edwards, Franklin, Street, and Harris continued recording and performing, and Norman Whitfield continued producing hits for them. Among these were Top 40 hits such as "Superstar (Remember How You Got Where You Are)" (1971), a message from the Temptations to the estranged David Ruffin and Eddie Kendricks, and "Take a Look Around" (1972). The fall of 1972 saw the release of Whitfield's magnum opus, "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone". Originally a three-minute record written and produced for the Undisputed Truth, Whitfield took the sombre tune and created a sprawling, dramatic eleven and -minute version for the Temptations. An edited seven-minute version was released as a single in September 1972, hitting number-one on the pop charts and number-five on the R&B charts. In 1973, "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone" won the Temptations their second Grammy for Best R&B Performance by a Group. Whitfield and arranger/conductor Paul Riser won the award for Best R&B Instrumental Performance with the instrumental version of "Papa" on the single's b-side, and Whitfield and Barrett Strong won the songwriters' Grammy for Best R&B Song. After "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone", Whitfield stopped working with Barrett Strong, and began writing the Temptations' material on his own. The success of "Papa" led Whitfield to create more elongated, operatic pieces, including the Top 40 hit "Masterpiece" (1973) and several of the tracks on the resulting Masterpiece album. Tensions developed between Whitfield and the group, who found Whitfield arrogant and difficult to work with. The group cited his habitual tardiness, his emphasis of the instrumental tracks over the vocals on many of his productions, and the declining singles and albums sales as other sources of conflict. Otis Williams complained about Whitfield's actions and the Temptations' stagnant sales to Berry Gordy, who intervened and reassigned them to Jeffrey Bowen, co-producer of the 1967 In a Mellow Mood album. The final Norman Whitfield-produced Temptations album, 1990, was released in late 1973, and included the Top 30 single "Let Your Hair Down". Whitfield left Motown shortly afterwards, and in 1975 established Whitfield Records, taking with him the Undisputed Truth, Willie Hutch, and Rose Royce, who performed the instrumental track for "Let Your Hair Down". Dry spell Bowen's first LP with the Temptations was January 1975's A Song for You, which included a cover of the titular Leon Russell tune (popularized with soul audiences by Donny Hathaway), along with the pop Top 40/R&B number-one hits "Happy People" (featuring the Commodores as the instrumentalists) and "Shakey Ground" (featuring instrumentation by Funkadelic's Eddie Hazel and Billy Bass Nelson), and "Glasshouse", the group's final Top 40 Pop hit. Damon Harris was fired from the group during the recording of A Song for You, as his behavior and work ethic were deemed unprofessional.[14] His replacement was Washington, D.C. native Glenn Leonard, formerly of the Unifics.[15] A number of producers, including Bowen, Brian Holland, James Carmichael, and even the Temptations themselves tried producing hits for the next three LPs, House Party (November 1975), Wings of Love (March 1976), and The Temptations Do the Temptations (August 1976). None of these recordings were as commercially successful as A Song for You, and none of their singles entered the Billboard Hot 100 Top 40.[16] As time progressed, Bowen pushed Dennis Edwards further to the front. This was evident in on Wings of Love, which features Edwards' voice more prominently than the other Temptations' backing vocals.[17] Otis Williams felt that this was hurting the group, and after The Temptations Do the Temptations was recorded in 1976, Edwards was fired from the group.[18] His replacement was Louis Price. The Temptations left Motown for Atlantic Records, citing Motown's inattention as the reason for their declining sales and popularity.[19] However, the group's releases on Atlantic -- Hear to Tempt You (1977), Bare Back (1978), and their associated singles -- failed to perform better than their last handful of Motown singles, and in 1979 Atlantic released the group from its contract.[17] Shortly afterwards, the Temptations met with Smokey Robinson and Berry Gordy, and the group re-signed with Motown in 1980.[20] ] Return to Motown and Reunion Upon the return to Motown, Louis Price departed from the group and joined the Drifters. Dennis Edwards, who had been inactive for the previous three years despite remaining with Motown as a solo act, returned to the lineup. Berry Gordy co-wrote and produced the Temptations' first single under the new contract, "Power", from the album of the same name. "Power" missed the Billboard Hot 100 Top 40, but hit number 11 on the R&B charts. Two years of underperforming singles and albums followed, including an eponymous album with Philadelphia-based producer Thom Bell, until Motown began planning a Temptations reunion tour in 1982. Eddie Kendricks and David Ruffin agreed to rejoin the group for the Reunion album and tour. Melvin Franklin's nephew, Motown funk star Rick James (who had previously used the Temptations as backup vocalists on his 1981 hit "Super Freak"), wrote, produced, and guested on the Reunion album's lead single, "Standing on the Top", which featured Ruffin, Kendricks, and Edwards on lead. The single went to number-six on the R&B charts. While the ensuing Reunion tour with all seven Temptations (Ruffin, Kendricks, Otis Williams, Franklin, Edwards, Richard Street, and Glenn Leonard) was financially successful, it ended up being a stressful venture: Kendricks' voice had weakened after decades of chain smoking, and Ruffin, still addicted to drugs, missed a number of the performances. At the conclusion of the Reunion tour, Ruffin and Kendricks were fired, and they began touring and performing together as a duo. One more album, Surface Thrills, was released in 1983. It featured a sharp departure in the group's sound by incorporating elements of then-current rock. Following its release, Glenn Leonard left and was replaced by Ron Tyson. Tyson had been a songwriter at Atlantic during the Temptations' time there, and co-wrote several songs on the album Hear To Tempt You. [edit] From the 1980s to the 1990s By this time, the Temptations' releases were no longer performing well on the pop charts, though they sometimes made the R&B Top 20. "Love on My Mind Tonight", a single from Surface Thrills, made it to number 17. "Sail Away", produced by a returning Norman Whitfield and featuring Ron Tyson's first lead vocal, peaked at number 13. Dennis Edwards was again fired in 1984, this time for missing rehearsals, or showing up hungover. He attempted a second solo career, and his place was taken by Ali-Ollie Woodson, who had been a potential candidate to replace Edwards back in 1977. The album Back to Basics was released; it was the first album featuring Ron Tyson, and featured one track with Woodson, "Stop the World Right Here (I Wanna Get Off)". Woodson's first lead on a single was 1984's "Treat Her Like a Lady", co-written by himself and Otis Williams, and co-produced by Al McKay and Ralph Johnson, formerly of Earth, Wind and Fire. The single became their biggest success on R&B radio in some time, reaching number-two on the R&B charts, and just missing the Pop Top 40. The group experienced similar success the following year with the single "Lady Soul", another Top 5 R&B smash. On July 13th 1985, Eddie Kendricks and David Ruffin would achieve "World comeback" recognition for their performances with Pop/Rock superstars Daryl Hall and John Oates(Hall and Oates) in a performance given at the "Live Aid" concert in Philadelphia televised world wide. The segment with Kendricks and Ruffin included a Medley of "Get ready/The way you do the things you do/My Girl. The combination of Hall, Oates, Ruffin and Kendricks went on to perform the resurrected Hall and Oates hit (made popular by the English artist Paul Young), "Every time you go away". This was the exact performance the singing quartet had just recorded live in a sold out performance for the "reopening" of the historic Apollo Theater. The medley recorded on "Live at the Apollo" for RCA, became a top 20 hit on the pop charts. Ollie Woodson remained with the Temptations until 1987, when he was fired and replaced by an again-returning Dennis Edwards. The group recorded one album during Edwards' third tenure, Together Again, released in late 1987. The following year, Otis Williams published his autobiography, Temptations, co-written with Patricia Romanowski, chronicling the careers of the group from the Primes/Distants days to the present, and focusing on the lives of Williams and Melvin Franklin. An updated version of the book was published in 2002. Edwards was fired for the third and final time in late 1989, with Woodson re-joining the lineup. Also that year, the Temptations were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, honoring Edwards, Franklin, Otis Williams, David Ruffin, Eddie Kendricks (now performing as "Eddie Kendrick"), and, posthumously, Paul Williams. Most of the Temptations, present and former, showed no ill feelings towards each other, although Otis Williams reported that Kendricks would not speak to him during the ceremony. [21] The Temptations ended their induction with Paul Willaims' signature song, "Don't Look Back", dedicated to his memory. After reuniting at the induction ceremony, Edwards, Ruffin, and Kendrick made plans to tour and record as "Ruffin/Kendrick/Edwards, Former Leads of The Temptations". The tour was carried out, much to the chagrin of Otis Williams and Motown, but production on an album was terminated when Ruffin, age 50, died on June 1, 1991 in Philadelphia after a drug overdose. Kendrick was diagnosed with lung cancer but continued to perform; he died on October 5, 1992 at the age of 52, in his native Birmingham. The Temptations in the 1990s From the 1990s on, the Temptations' lineup began to change more frequently than before. Richard Street missed a performance in 1992 after undergoing emergency surgery to remove kidney stones. Otis Williams was not aware of Street's surgery, and called him, angry about Street's absence. Street felt Williams was unsympathetic, and as a result, he left the group in 1993 after twenty-two years. His replacement was St. Louis native Theo Peoples. Two years later, Melvin Franklin was forced to stop performing because of failing health. He died on February 23, 1995 at the age of 52, after suffering a brain seizure. Ray Davis from Parliament/Funkadelic came on as new bass, and the group recorded the pop standards album For Lovers Only, which contained two tracks led by Melvin Franklin. Davis left shortly after completing the album, due to a throat cancer diagnosis. The group continued as a quartet for a short time, before recruiting bass Harry McGilberry, a former member of The Futures. For Lovers Only would also be the last for lead Ali-Ollie Woodson; he was released from the group in 1996 due to health problems, having suffered two battles with throat cancer. He was replaced by his fill-in from his first health concern, new member Terry Weeks. The new Temptations lineup, consisting of Otis Williams, Ron Tyson, Theo Peoples, and newcomers Harry McGilberry and Terry Weeks, debuted at the halftime show of Super Bowl XXXII, which celebrated the 40th anniversary of Motown. In 1998, The Temptations released Phoenix Rising, their first million-selling album in over twenty years. The album was anchored by the Theo Peoples-led single "Stay", a number-one hit on the adult contemporary charts that featured a sample from The Temptations' "My Girl". During the recording of Phoenix Rising, however, Theo Peoples departed, and was replaced by Barrington "Bo" Henderson. The completed album features both Henderson and Peoples (who later joined the Four Tops) on different tracks. A scene from the 1998 Temptations NBC miniseries. The Temptations mini-series Main entry: The Temptations (miniseries). Nineteen ninety-eight also saw the debut of The Temptations, a four-hour television miniseries based on Otis Williams' Temptations autobiography. It was broadcast in two parts on NBC on November 1 and November 2, 1998. The miniseries was a ratings success and won an Emmy award for Best Direction; it was subsequently rerun on the VH-1 cable television network and released to VHS and DVD. Otis Williams' former wife Josephine, Melvin Franklin's mother Rose Franklin, and David Ruffin's family, jointly filed a lawsuit against Williams, Motown, de Passe Entertainment, Hallmark Entertainment, and NBC for a number of charges, including defamations of character. The judges ruled in favor of the defendants, and the ruling was upheld when the plaintiffs appealed in 2001. Williams later claimed that, although his book was used as the source material for the film, he did not have a great deal of control over how the material was presented. From 2000 to the present day The Temptations were inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 1999. In 2001, their 2000 album Ear-Resistible won the group its third Grammy, this one for Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance. Three classic Temptations songs, "My Girl", "Ain't Too Proud to Beg", and "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone", are among The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll. Bo Henderson was fired from the group in 2003, prompting a wrongful termination lawsuit [22]. His replacement was former Spinners lead G.C. Cameron. The lineup of Cameron, Otis Williams, Ron Tyson, Harry McGilberry, and Terry Weeks recorded for a short time before Harry McGilberry was dismissed;[23] his replacement was former Spaniels bass Joe Herndon. McGilberry died on April 3, 2006, at age 56. The group's final Motown album, Legacy, was released in 2004. Later that year, The Temptations asked to be released from their Motown contract, and moved to another Universal Motown Records Group label, New Door Records. Their latest album, Reflections, was released on January 31, 2006, and contains covers of several popular Motown songs, including Diana Ross & the Supremes' "Reflections", the Miracles' "Ooo Baby Baby", Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell's "Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing", and the Jackson 5's "I'll Be There".[24] The Temptations were nominated for the 2007 Grammy Award for Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance, for their version of Gaye's "How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved by You)" from Reflections. G.C. Cameron left the group in June of 2007 to focus on his solo career.[25]. The current lineup is Otis Williams, Ron Tyson, Terry Weeks, Joe Herndon, and new member Bruce Williamson. Splinter groups Several former Temptations continue to perform 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, Nate Evans, a former member of The Impressions, and a female vocalist). Following David Ruffin's death, 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 and Curtis Taylor.[26] This prompted a legal battle with Otis Williams. Following Kendrick's death, the group splintered: Dennis formed "Dennis Edwards and the Temptations Review," Damon formed "Damon Harris and the Temptations Review" (featuring future Temptation Joe Herndon), David Sea went on to a solo career[27], and Evans and Taylor formed a Temptations tribute band[28]. Dennis Edwards' group tours to this day. The group has appeared on several PBS music specials. The lineup is Edwards, David Sea (baritone, returning in 1999), Mike Patillo (bass since 1993), Chris Arnold (first tenor/falsetto, joined post-2000)[29], and another former Temptation, Ali-Ollie Woodson. Woodson previously fronted an act called Ali-Ollie Woodson & the Emperors of Soul--Emperors of Soul being the name of the 1994 Temptations boxed set. He replaced Bernard Gibson[30][31] in 2007; Gibson was an original 1993 addition, and was in the group for all of their PBS performances. Damon Harris split from his group in the late 1990s; the other four members then joined with another former Temptation, Glenn Leonard, to become "Glenn Leonard and the Temptations Experience." Joe Herndon left this group to join the Temptations[32] His spot was filled by former Temptations bass Ray Davis, and, following Davis' death on July 5, 2005, Harry McGilberry, another former Temptations bass (McGilberry died on April 3, 2006). Damon Harris would form a new group later, billed as "Damon Harris and the Temptations Tribute." Richard Street also leads a group, billed as "Richard Street" or "Richard Street's Temptations"[33]. Street is 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. [edit] Musical style The Temptations' songs depended upon the individual members' interaction as a group; unlike many other R&B groups, each member of the Temptations was a lead singer of some capacity. Although the group always had an appointed main lead singer who dominated most the lead vocals (from Paul Williams to David Ruffin, Dennis Edwards, and later singers such as Louis Price, Ali-Ollie Woodson, and Terry Weeks), that singer was never given more of a promotional push than the other members. Co-lead songs, with two or more of the singers sharing the lead vocals, are common in the Temptations catalog, particularly among the psychedelic-era recordings of the late 1960s/early 1970s The "Motown Sound" The group would alter their style several times over the years following their first Motown hit, adapting to the popular styles of the day while retaining their signature visual and vocal styles. The earliest Temptations recordings reflect the influence of producers Berry Gordy and Smokey Robinson, featuring a blend of black rhythm and blues and white pop music that came to be later identified as the "Motown Sound". Backed by Motown's stalwart studio band, the Funk Brothers, pre-1966 Temptations recordings were built around songs (usually ballads like "My Girl") with simple, direct lyrics supported by an R&B rhythm section with orchestral strings and horns added for pop appeal. During this period, each recording usually featured only one lead singer, usually David Ruffin or Eddie Kendricks, although Paul Williams, Melvin Franklin, and Otis Williams each had solo numbers of their own at various times. Like most Motown groups, melisma and other complicated vocalization techniques were eschewed by the Temptations for a more direct, yet obviously gospel-rooted vocal approach, to make the songs more palpable for white audiences. Creative control remained primarily in Smokey Robinson's hands, although the Temptations, most frequently Eddie Kendricks, periodically co-wrote some of their material. Kendricks also handled the vocal arrangements for all of the Temptations' material. In 1966, Norman Whitfield changed the group's dynamic, moving them away from the previous one lead singer model and adding elements derived from the rougher soul of artists like James Brown, Wilson Pickett, and the performers at Stax Records. Whitfield and his lyricists crafted Temptations songs with shifts of dynamics, syncopated horn stabs, and more intricate harmony arrangements which spotlighted each singer's unique vocal range. Onstage, this change was reflected in the group's use of a custom-made four-headed microphone, which allowed each member freedom to perform without having to all crowd around one or two microphones. Under Whitfield's control, the Temptations retained their white pop appeal, but also gained popularity amongst black audiences as well. Psychedelic and cinematic soul When David Ruffin was replaced by Dennis Edwards, and Sly and the Family Stone became popular, Whitfield again restructured the Temptations' sound, this time driving the group almost completely into a "psychedelic soul" sound. Recordings from this period (such as "Cloud Nine" and "Psychedelic Shack") featured echoed vocal tracks, distorted guitar lines with prominent use of the wah-wah pedal, hard-hitting drums, and various stereo effects and sound effects. The majority of these songs feature at least two lead singers; often, all five Temptations sang lead, trading bars a la the Family Stone. Dennis Edwards, whose vocal style had a rougher, more Southern-soul based sound than David Ruffin's, was featured prominently on most of these recordings. The lyrics for these songs, inspired heavily by Sly Stone's concurrent works, centered primarily around social issues such as integration, the Vietnam War, and self-consciousness. Ballads in the group's traditional style were still being recorded as b-sides and album fillers (the exception being "Just My Imagination"). Many of the psychedelic soul recordings were presented in extended-length mixes longer than the typical three-minute Motown song. Tracks such as the album version of "Run Away Child, Running Wild" from Cloud Nine, "Take a Stroll Thru Your Mind" from Psychedelic Shack, and "Smiling Faces Sometimes" from Sky's the Limit, all run at least eight minutes in length. Much of the running time for each song consists of instrumental passages without vocals, at Whitfield's insistence. The hit version of their smash 1972 single "Papa Was a Rolling Stone" was nearly seven minutes long, with an instrumental intro that was almost two minutes long -- a rarity for songs of that era. "Psychedelic soul" soon gave way to "cinematic soul": Long recordings with detailed orchestration and extended instrumental introductions and bridging passages, oten focusing on lyrics about the ghettos and inner cities of black America. These songs were heavily influenced by the work of singer/songwriters Isaac Hayes and Curtis Mayfield. Unlike Hayes and Mayfield, the Temptations had no creative control over their recordings, and were not fond of the twelve and thirteen-minute long songs that Norman Whitfield was now producing for them. Whitfield's contributions were the focal point of Temptations albums such as Solid Rock, All Directions, and particularly Masterpiec. From funk to disco to adult contemporary After Whitfield was dismissed as the Temptations' producer in 1974, the group altered its sound to accommodate a balance of both up-tempo dance material and ballads. The vocal arrangements began to again focus primarily on one lead singer per track, although leads were still being periodically shared. In addition, the Temptations themselves, after fighting Motown and Berry Gordy for creative control, began to write and produce some of their material. From this point on, the Temptations focused almost exclusively on songs about romance; songs about social issues similar to the Whitfield-era recordings were periodically recorded as well. Mid-1970s Temptations recordings focused significantly on funk music influences from artists such as Parliament Funkadelic and Sly and the Family Stone; members of both acts contributed to Temptations material during this period. The group's ballads, reduced to filler material during much of the Whifield period, were restored to the lush sound of the earlier Smokey Robinson-produced hits. After a brief diversion into disco in the late-1970s, the Temptations settled into an adult contemporary-rooted form of R&B, a style in which they continue to record. As the ages of its members increased, the Temptations' live shows have focused on less intricate choreography, although dancing remains an important aspect of the group's act. Legacy and influence The Temptations, with their tailored suits and detailed choreography, set the bar for male soul and R&B groups. Before the Temptations became popular, most black vocal groups were rough, high-energy acts with rawer vocals and more improvisational dance movements. Only a few performers, including contemporaries Marvin Gaye, Sam Cooke, and the Four Tops, showed the refined style that would be popularized by the Temptations. Berry Gordy insisted his acts be equally appealing to white and black audiences, and employed a creative team to help tailor Motown talent for crossover success. Paul Williams and Motown choreographer Cholly Atkins created the Temptation's trademark precise and energetic, yet refined, dance steps. The most famous of these, the "Temptation Walk", or "Temptation Strut", was adapted from similar moves by the Flamingoes and the Vibrations. From those two sources, Paul Williams crafted the group's signature dance routine. During the 1960s and 1970s, a number of soul groups showed significant influence from the Temptations, among them the Delfonics, the Stylistics, George Clinton's original Parliaments, the Dramatics, and Motown labelmates the Jackson Five. These acts, and others, showed the influence of the Temptations in both their vocal performances and their onstage choreography. Several more recent soul and R&B vocal groups, including the Johnny Gill-led version of New Edition, Jodeci, BLACKstreet, Dru Hill, and, most notably, 1990s Motown act Boyz II Men, also showed significant influence from the Temptations. Temptations songs have been covered by scores of musicians, from R&B singers such as Luther Vandross ("Since I Lost My Baby"), to pop vocalists such as Bette Midler ("Just My Imagination"), to rock bands such as Rare Earth ("Get Ready"), Duran Duran ("Ball of Confusion (That's What the World Is Today)") and the Rolling Stones ("Ain't Too Proud to Beg"). In 1991, British singer Rod Stewart collaborated with the Temptations on the single "The Motown Song". The lives and careers of The Temptations were one of several inspirations for Robert Townsend's 1991 film about a 1960s Motown-esque male group, The Five Heartbeats. In 2004, Rolling Stone Magazine ranked The Temptations #67 on their list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time (Less)
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30, 01:19, 2008-04-17 15:11:50 Description: Duane Eddy (geboren 26 april 1938) is een Grammy Award - winnende Amerikaanse gitarist. Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994, he is acclaimed as the most successful rock and roll (More) Duane Eddy (geboren 26 april 1938) is een Grammy Award - winnende Amerikaanse gitarist. Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994, he is acclaimed as the most successful rock and roll instrumentalist of all time. [1] In de Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 'in 1994 werd hij geprezen als de meest succesvolle rock en roll - instrumentalist van alle tijden. Geboren in Corning, New York in 1938, begon hij gitaar spelen op de leeftijd van vijf jaar, te bootsen zijn cowboy held, Gene Autry. His family moved west to Arizona in 1951. Zijn familie verhuisde west naar Arizona in de 1951. In early 1954, in Coolidge, Eddy met local disc jockey, Lee Hazlewood , who would become his longtime partner, co-writer and producer. In het begin van 1954, in het Coolidge, Eddy voldaan lokale schijf jockey, Lee Hazlewood, die zou worden zijn al jarenlang partner, de mede - schrijver en producent. Together, they created a successful formula based upon Eddy's unique style and approach to the guitar, and Lee's experimental vision with sound in the recording studio. Samen vormen zij een succesvolle formule op basis van Eddy's unieke stijl en aanpak van de gitaar, en Lee's experimentele visie met geluid in de studio - opname. (Later in his career, Eddy was interviewed by John Fogerty for Musician magazine about his style. Fogerty called it '"big" both in a sense of it being new and the actual sound quality itself. Eddy told Fogerty, "I knew we had to have something big, we did go for a big sound. I have to give a lot of credit to Lee Hazlewood. He mixed things for AM radio in those days so that they would come rockin out of the radio." ) (Later in zijn carrire, Eddy werd genterviewd door John Fogerty voor Muzikant magazine over zijn stijl. Fogerty noemde het "grote" zowel in de zin van dat het nieuwe en het werkelijke geluidskwaliteit zelf. Eddy vertelde Fogerty, "Ik wist dat wij hadden Hebben iets te groot, we hebben voor een grote geluid. Ik heb aan een heleboel van de kredietverlening aan Lee Hazlewood. Hij gemengd dingen voor AM radio - in die dagen, zodat ze zou komen rockin van de radio. ") Eddy introduced a unique, twangy sound to Rock and Roll guitar. Eddy heeft een unieke, twangy geluid Rock en Roll gitaar. As John Fogerty wrote in Rolling Stone about his style; "It was one of those untouchable, unique things...Duane Eddy was the front guy, the first rock & roll guitar god." Zoals John Fogerty schreef in Rolling Stone over zijn stijl; "Het was een van de onaanraakbare, unieke dingen ... Duane Eddy was de voorste man, de eerste de rock & rollen gitaar God." Combining strong, dramatic, single-note melodies, the bending of the low strings, and a combination of echo, vibrato bar (Bigsby), and tremolo, he produced a signature sound that was unlike anything yet heard - the sound that would be featured on an unprecedented string of thirty-four chart singles, fifteen of which made the top forty and sales of over 100 million worldwide. Combining sterke, dramatische interne nota - melodien, de bocht van de lage strijkers, en een combinatie van echo, vibrato balk (Bigsby), en Tremolo, produceerde hij een handtekening geluid dat was in tegenstelling tot wat nog gehoord - het geluid dat zou worden aanbevolen Op een ongekende reeks van vierendertig kaart singles vijftien van die gemaakt de top veertig en de verkoop van ruim 100 miljoen wereldwijd. Elements of country , blues , jazz and Gospel infused his instrumentals. Elementen van het land, de blues, jazz en Gospel infuus zijn instrumentale. They had evocative titles like, " Rebel Rouser ", " Forty Miles of Bad Road ", "Cannonball", "The Lonely One", "Shazam", and "Some Kind-a Earthquake" (which has the distinction of being the shortest song to ever break into the Top 40, clocking in at 1:17). Ze hadden suggestieve titels als "Rebel Rouser", "Forty Miles van Bad Road", "Cannonball", "The Lonely One", "Shazam", en "Some Kind - een Earthquake" (dat is het onderscheid dat de kortste Lied ooit te breken in de Top 40, de klok op 1:17). They were filled with rebel yells and saxophone breaks. Ze waren gevuld met rebellengroepen yells en saxofoon pauzes. The worldwide popularity of these records, beginning with Moovin' and Groovin in 1958 , broke open the doors for Rock and Roll instrumental music. De wereldwijde populariteit van deze gegevens, te beginnen met Moovin 'en Groovin' In 1958, brak de deuren openen voor de Rock en Roll instrumentale muziek. His band, The Rebels , featured musicians who were to become some of the world's best-known session players. Zijn band, The Rebels, sierden muzikanten die werden tot enkele van 's werelds bekendste sessie spelers. Sax players Steve Douglas and Jim Horn , and pianist Larry Knechtel , have been heard on hundreds of hit records, becoming members of the famous "Wrecking Crew" of Phil Spector in the 1960s , and touring with a very elite group of artists through the years. Sax spelers Steve Douglas en Jim Horn, en pianist Larry Knechtel, te hebben gehoord over honderden treffer platen, lid te worden van de beroemde "Wrecking Crew" van Phil Spector in de jaren 1960, en tourde met een zeer elitaire groep kunstenaars door de jaren heen . On January 9, 1959, Eddys debut album, Have Twangy Guitar Will Travel , was released, reaching #5, and remaining on the album charts for an unprecedented 82 weeks. Op 9 januari 1959, Eddy's debuutalbum, Have Twangy Guitar Will Travel, werd uitgebracht, en bereikte # 5, en op het album resterende kaarten voor een ongekende 82 weken. In 1960, the UK's " New Musical Express " voted him World's Number One Musical Personality , ousting Elvis Presley from his long held position. In 1960, het Britse "New Musical Express" heb hem World's Number One Musical Personality, verdringen Elvis Presley van zijn lang gekoesterde standpunt. That same year, he appeared in and recorded the theme for the movie Because They're Young . In hetzelfde jaar werd hij in en nam het thema van de film Because They're Young. The song became Eddy's biggest success, peaking at #4. Het lied werd Eddy's grootste succes, piek op # 4. Eddy constantly broke new ground, producing over 25 albums spanning a broad range of themes. Eddy brak voortdurend nieuwe grond, de productie van ruim 25 album aanbieden een breed scala van thema's. At the height of the Rock and Roll era, he recorded an album of completely acoustic music, Songs Of Our Heritage , the first "unplugged" project, so to speak. Op het hoogtepunt van de Rock and Roll tijdperk, nam hij een album van de volledig akoestische muziek, Songs Of Our Heritage, de eerste "stekker uit het stopcontact trekken" - project, om zo te zeggen. There were orchestral albums, Big Band sounds of the 1940s , and an album of songs written by Bob Dylan , who, years later, would write in his biography, Chronicle , For sure my lyrics had struck nerves that had never been struck before, but if my songs were just about the words, then what was Duane Eddy, the great rock and roll guitarist, doing recording an album full of instrumental melodies of my songs? Er waren orkestrale album, Big Band klanken van de jaren 1940, en een album van de nummers geschreven door Bob Dylan, die jaren later zou schrijven in zijn biografie, Chronicle, "Voor zeker dat mijn teksten had zenuwen dat nooit gevonden vr, Maar als mijn liedjes waren zo ongeveer de woorden, wat vervolgens werd Duane Eddy, de grote rock en roll gitarist, doen opnemen van een album vol instrumentale melodien van mijn liedjes? " During the 60's Eddy launched an acting career, appearing in the films A Thunder of Drums , The Wild Westerners , Kona Coast , The Savage Seven , and two appearances on the television series Have Gun Will Travel . Tijdens de 60's Eddy lanceerde een waarnemend carrire, die in de films A Thunder van Drums, The Wild westerlingen, Kona Coast, The Savage Seven, en twee optredens in de tv - serie Have Gun - Will Travel. The 1970s were equally busy for Eddy. De jaren 1970 waren even druk voor Eddy. He produced album projects for Phil Everly and Waylon Jennings . Hij geproduceerde plaat projecten voor Phil Everly en Waylon Jennings. In 1975 a collaboration with hit songwriter Tony Macaulay and former founding member of The Seekers , Keith Potger , led to a worldwide top ten record, " Play Me Like You Play Your Guitar ". In 1975 een samenwerking met de getroffen liedjesschrijver Tony Macaulay en voormalig stichtend lid van The Seekers, Keith Potger, heeft geleid tot een wereldwijde top tien record "Play Me Like You Play Your Guitar". The single, "You Are My Sunshine", featuring Willie Nelson and Waylon Jennings , hit the country charts in 1977 . De single, "You Are My Sunshine", met Willie Nelson en Waylon Jennings, druk op het land kaarten in 1977. In 1983, Duane toured with a group of legendary musicians, playing small, intimate clubs. In 1983, Duane toerde met een groep legendarische musici, spelende kleine, intieme en clubs. Friends of Eddy's had put this band together wanting to give the fans a chance to hear him in a unique setting - Don Randi on keyboards, Hal Blaine on drums, Steve Douglas on sax, and Ry Cooder on guitar. Vrienden van Eddy's had deze band samen te willen geven de fans een kans hem te horen in een unieke omgeving - Don Randi op keyboards, Hal Blaine op drums, Steve Douglas op saxofoon, en Ry Cooder op gitaar. In 1986 , Eddy recorded with Art of Noise , a collaboration that brought a contemporary edge to his 1960 best seller, "Peter Gunn". In 1986, Eddy opgenomen met Art van Noise, een samenwerking die geleid heeft tot een hedendaags rand van zijn 1960 beste verkoper, "Peter Gunn". The song was a Top Ten hit around the world, ranking #1 on Rolling Stone Magazine's dance chart for six weeks that summer. Het lied was een Top Tien treffer in de hele wereld, rangschikking # 1 op Rolling Stone Magazine's dans kaart voor een termijn van zes weken die de zomer. "Peter Gunn" won The Grammy for Best Rock Instrumental of 1986. "Peter Gunn" gewonnen De Grammy voor Best Rock Instrumental van 1986. It also gave Eddy the distinction of being the only instrumentalist to have had Top 10 hit singles in four different decades in Great Britain. Tevens gaf Eddy het onderscheid van de enige - instrumentalist te hebben gehad Top 10 hitsingles in vier verschillende decennia in Groot - Brittanni. (Less)
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14, 01:35, 2008-04-17 15:12:48 Description: The Rolling Stones are an English band whose rhythm and blues and rock & roll- based music became popular in the early 1960s.[1] The band was formed in London in 1962 by original leader Brian (More) The Rolling Stones are an English band whose rhythm and blues and rock & roll- based music became popular in the early 1960s.[1] The band was formed in London in 1962 by original leader Brian Jones, but was eventually led by the songwriting partnership of singer Mick Jagger and guitarist Keith Richards. Pianist Ian Stewart, drummer Charlie Watts and bassist Bill Wyman completed the early lineup. Ian Stewart was removed from the official lineup in 1963 but continued to work with the band as road manager and keyboardist until his death in 1985. The band's early albums were mainly covers of American blues and R&B songs. The band's single, "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction," established the Stones as a premier rock and roll act.[2] Starting with their 1966 album Aftermath, the songs of Jagger and Richards aided by the instrumental experimentation of Jones expanded an always present stylistic flexibilty. Jones died in 1969 shortly after being fired from the band and was replaced by Mick Taylor. Taylor recorded five albums with The Stones before quitting in 1974. Former Faces guitarist Ron Wood stepped in and has been with the band since. Wyman retired in 1993 and was replaced by Darryl Jones, who is not an official member. The band has released 55 albums of original work[3] and compilations, and have had 32 U.K & U.S top-10 singles.[4] They have sold more than 200 million albums worldwide.[5] 1971's Sticky Fingers began a string of eight consecutive studio albums at number one in the United States. In 1989 the Rolling Stones were inducted into the American Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and in 2004 they were ranked number 4 in Rolling Stone magazine's 100 Greatest Artists of All Time.[6] They are also ranked as the number 2 artists of all time on Acclaimedmusic.net.[7] Their latest album, A Bigger Bang, was released in 2005 and accompanied by the highest-grossing tour in history, which lasted into late summer 2007. During the 1969 American tour, tour manager Sam Cutler introduced them as "The Greatest Rock and Roll Band in the World"[8], a title which has remained. Their image of unkempt and surly youth is one that many (Less)
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24, 03:47, 2008-04-17 15:12:48 Description: The Rolling Stones are an English band whose rhythm and blues and rock & roll- based music became popular in the early 1960s.[1] The band was formed in London in 1962 by original leader Brian (More) The Rolling Stones are an English band whose rhythm and blues and rock & roll- based music became popular in the early 1960s.[1] The band was formed in London in 1962 by original leader Brian Jones, but was eventually led by the songwriting partnership of singer Mick Jagger and guitarist Keith Richards. Pianist Ian Stewart, drummer Charlie Watts and bassist Bill Wyman completed the early lineup. Ian Stewart was removed from the official lineup in 1963 but continued to work with the band as road manager and keyboardist until his death in 1985. The band's early albums were mainly covers of American blues and R&B songs. The band's single, "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction," established the Stones as a premier rock and roll act.[2] Starting with their 1966 album Aftermath, the songs of Jagger and Richards aided by the instrumental experimentation of Jones expanded an always present stylistic flexibilty. Jones died in 1969 shortly after being fired from the band and was replaced by Mick Taylor. Taylor recorded five albums with The Stones before quitting in 1974. Former Faces guitarist Ron Wood stepped in and has been with the band since. Wyman retired in 1993 and was replaced by Darryl Jones, who is not an official member. The band has released 55 albums of original work[3] and compilations, and have had 32 U.K & U.S top-10 singles.[4] They have sold more than 200 million albums worldwide.[5] 1971's Sticky Fingers began a string of eight consecutive studio albums at number one in the United States. In 1989 the Rolling Stones were inducted into the American Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and in 2004 they were ranked number 4 in Rolling Stone magazine's 100 Greatest Artists of All Time.[6] They are also ranked as the number 2 artists of all time on Acclaimedmusic.net.[7] Their latest album, A Bigger Bang, was released in 2005 and accompanied by the highest-grossing tour in history, which lasted into late summer 2007. During the 1969 American tour, tour manager Sam Cutler introduced them as "The Greatest Rock and Roll Band in the World"[8], a title which has remained. Their image of unkempt and surly youth is one that many (Less)
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11, 02:35, 2008-04-17 15:12:51 Description: The Rolling Stones are an English band whose rhythm and blues and rock & roll- based music became popular in the early 1960s.[1] The band was formed in London in 1962 by original leader Brian (More) The Rolling Stones are an English band whose rhythm and blues and rock & roll- based music became popular in the early 1960s.[1] The band was formed in London in 1962 by original leader Brian Jones, but was eventually led by the songwriting partnership of singer Mick Jagger and guitarist Keith Richards. Pianist Ian Stewart, drummer Charlie Watts and bassist Bill Wyman completed the early lineup. Ian Stewart was removed from the official lineup in 1963 but continued to work with the band as road manager and keyboardist until his death in 1985. The band's early albums were mainly covers of American blues and R&B songs. The band's single, "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction," established the Stones as a premier rock and roll act.[2] Starting with their 1966 album Aftermath, the songs of Jagger and Richards aided by the instrumental experimentation of Jones expanded an always present stylistic flexibilty. Jones died in 1969 shortly after being fired from the band and was replaced by Mick Taylor. Taylor recorded five albums with The Stones before quitting in 1974. Former Faces guitarist Ron Wood stepped in and has been with the band since. Wyman retired in 1993 and was replaced by Darryl Jones, who is not an official member. The band has released 55 albums of original work[3] and compilations, and have had 32 U.K & U.S top-10 singles.[4] They have sold more than 200 million albums worldwide.[5] 1971's Sticky Fingers began a string of eight consecutive studio albums at number one in the United States. In 1989 the Rolling Stones were inducted into the American Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and in 2004 they were ranked number 4 in Rolling Stone magazine's 100 Greatest Artists of All Time.[6] They are also ranked as the number 2 artists of all time on Acclaimedmusic.net.[7] Their latest album, A Bigger Bang, was released in 2005 and accompanied by the highest-grossing tour in history, which lasted into late summer 2007. During the 1969 American tour, tour manager Sam Cutler introduced them as "The Greatest Rock and Roll Band in the World"[8], a title which has remained. Their image of unkempt and surly youth is one that many musicians still emulate (Less)
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11, 04:54, 2008-04-02 17:12:06 Description: My favorite song of all time. In G. I play C harp. In thebody of the song I am in second position. In the second instrumental, the guitar goes into an extended V chord/IV Chord vamp and I play in 3rd (More) My favorite song of all time. In G. I play C harp. In thebody of the song I am in second position. In the second instrumental, the guitar goes into an extended V chord/IV Chord vamp and I play in 3rd (Less)
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0, 09:12, 2009-09-23 11:20:08 Description: so this is pretty much one of my favorite charts of all time one of rush's greatest songs...and definitely their best instrumental this chart mixes endurance, speed, and technicality which makes (More) so this is pretty much one of my favorite charts of all time one of rush's greatest songs...and definitely their best instrumental this chart mixes endurance, speed, and technicality which makes it an extremely difficult i would love for this song to eventually be released as DLC in either GH or RB (doesn't matter to me) i dropped my stick twice i think....once when i paused also i had no fail on because i played THUNDERHORSE...which is another custom...but it's charted double bass...and i ... (Less)
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0, 08:50, 2009-05-25 10:39:51 Description: Orion is the 7th song on Metallica's 3rd album, "Master of Puppets". Orion is the best and most epic instrumental I have ever heard. The solos are great, and the pretty section is just (More) Orion is the 7th song on Metallica's 3rd album, "Master of Puppets". Orion is the best and most epic instrumental I have ever heard. The solos are great, and the pretty section is just unbelievably good. I am working on learning this song on my real guitar, cause it's probably one of my favorite songs of all time. Guitar Hero wise, this song is a chokefest. It's solos are tough to combo, and some of the riffs can be tricky. Nevertheless, this song has a fun chart, and I might make a bass FC ... (Less)
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