Motown music is perhaps the greatest export from the city of Detroit we’ve ever seen. Sure, we love the Mustang and GTO’s, but it was the music that put the Motor City on the map as much as it was their automotive contributions. Let’s take a look at one of the stars from the Motown era in what we call our ‘Motown Minute.’
David Ruffin, Melvin Franklin, Paul and Otis Williams, and Eddie Kendricks were the Temptations, but they were not your typical Motown story. Eddie, Paul and a singer by the name of Kell Osborne grew up together in Birmingham, AL and sang in the church choir.
When the Doo-Wop group broke up, the three moved to Detroit and called themselves the Primes. “The Way You Do the Things You Do” was their first big hit as the Temptations, and “My Girl” was their first number one song. The Temptations was the first Motown act to win a Grammy and was also inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1989. The only living original member is Otis Williams who continues to tour today.
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