THE TEMPTATIONS: David Ruffin or Dennis Edwards?

DAVID RUFFIN: My Girl, Ain't Too Proud To Beg, I'm Losing You, It's You That I Need, All I Need, I Wish It Would Rain.

DENNIS EDWARDS: Cloud Nine, I Can't Get Next To You, Runaway Child Running Wild, Don't Let The Joneses Get You Down, Ball of Confusion.

:loveya:

Ruffin could handle ballads as well as "screamers," while Edwards seemed mainly to stick to the throaty R & B songs, leaving most of the ballads to Eddie Kendrick.

Eddie Kendrick is my favorite singer in the whole group, though. Listen to the Tempts/Supremes duet "I'm Gonna Make You Love Me" - Kendrick completely steals the show from Diana Ross.

Maybe in the next poll! :hi:

Later in his career, he went by the name Kendrick - but early on, he was Kendricks.

But I understand not including him - he's really not the same type of singer as Ruffin or Edwards.

Another great vocalist in the Tempts (they've had so many over the years) was Paul Williams, who sang "Don't Look Back" and does the "Every night, on my knees I pray" line on "Just My Imagination." Their current lead singer, Ali-Ollie Woodson, is also a great throaty singer in the tradition of Ruffin and Edwards.

I love some of their later songs, like "Power" (great commentary on our current situation IMHO), "Treat Her Like A Lady," and "Standing On The Top" (their "reunion" collaboration with Rick James).

Not the Maurice Williams hit from 1960, but a new song from their first album post-Melvin Franklin, PHOENIX RISING. It's a really nice ballad that even samples the opening bass line of "My Girl!"

Listening to it right now, as a matter of fact.

the Temps are not the Temps.

And then it got worse when Eddie Kendricks left.

I loved both of them.

Did anybody hear Ruffin, Kendricks, & Hall & Oats at the Apollo?

I have the video & CD...dynamite!!

Reasonably terrific too, if I recall correctly

:kick:

Hard to decide but I voted David Ruffin.