Black Music Sunday is a weekly series highlighting all things Black music, with over 280 stories covering performers, genres, history, and more, each featuring its own vibrant soundtrack. I hope you’ll find some familiar tunes and perhaps an introduction to something new.
It’s a safe bet that most readers today, no matter their age or musical genre preferences, have heard some of the epic R&B classics performed by The Temptations. Many of their early hits featured the unforgettable falsetto of lead singer Eddie Kendricks.
Kendricks’ IMDB bio tells his story:
Eddie Kendricks is an American singer and songwriter. Noted for his distinctive falsetto singing style, Kendricks co-founded the Motown singing group The Temptations, and was one of their lead singers from 1960 until 1971. His was the lead voice on such famous songs as "The Way You Do the Things You Do", "Get Ready", and "Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me)". As a solo artist, Kendricks recorded several hits of his own during the 1970s, including the number-one single "Keep on Truckin'."
Kendricks was born in Union Springs, Alabama, the son of Johnny and Lee Bell Kendrick. He had one sister, Patricia, and three brothers, Charles, Robert, and Clarence. His family moved to the Ensley neighborhood of Birmingham, where he met and began singing with his best friend Paul Williams in their church choir in the late 1940s. In 1955, Kendricks, Williams, and friends Kell Osborne and Jerome Averette formed a group called The Cavaliers, and began performing around Birmingham. The group decided to move for better opportunities in their musical careers, and in 1957 the group moved to Cleveland. In Cleveland, they met manager Milton Jenkins, and soon moved with Jenkins to Detroit, where the Cavaliers renamed themselves 'The Primes'. In 1961, Osbourne moved to California, and the Primes disbanded. Kendricks and Paul Williams joined forces with members Otis Williams and The Temptations and the Distants after three members quit and became The Elgins, who on the same day changed their name to The Temptations and signed to Motown. The Temptations quickly became the most successful male vocal group of the 1960s. Although technically Kendricks was first tenor in the group's harmony, he predominately sang in a falsetto voice. In the Temptations, Kendricks was responsible for creating most of the group's vocal arrangements, and also served as wardrobe manager, including the now famous purple suits the group wore for one performance. Though Whitfield had chief responsibility for writing, Kendricks co-wrote and received credit for several Temptations songs.
Kendricks was nominated for four Grammy Awards, winning one for "Cloud Nine" with the Temptations in 1969. The Temptations received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2013.
The JRNY JRNL YouTube Channel also produced a short bio of both stages of his career titled “Eddie Kendricks’ Journey to 'Keep on Truckin'' After Leaving The Temptations”:
From the JRNY JRNL video notes:
Eddie Kendricks rose to fame as the mesmerizing falsetto voice behind The Temptations' early hits, helping to define the group's sound and making them a household sensation. Kendricks' angelic voice was featured prominently on classics like "Get Ready" and "Just My Imagination" earning him a reputation as one of the greatest lead soul=singers of all time. In the early 70's he left The Temps to pursue his own career. Hits like "Keep on Truckin'" ,"Boogie Down", and "Son Of Sagittarius" made his transition into a solo artist a successful one. In his later years, Kendricks faced health challenges, yet he remained dedicated to his music, continuing to uplift audiences around the world until his passing.
The Temptations Legacy YouTube channel has compiled some rare Kendricks footage:
For a deeper dive into The Temptations, if you never got to see the 1998 NBC miniseries “The Temptations,” take some time out today or this week and give it a viewing. The YouTube links are posted below:
A biographical look at The Temptations, the Motown soul vocal quintet who first came to fame in the 1960s, as seen from the viewpoint of the last surviving original member, Otis Williams. Beginning from their humble origins in the late 1950s and continuing through the 1990s and the deaths of the other original members
Here is Part 1:
And here is Part 2:
The Temptations tells the true story behind the legendary Motown musical sensation. Brought to life in this touching miniseries starring Leon, D.B. Woodside, Charles Malik Whitfield, Terron Brooks, Christian Payton, Jennifer Lewis, Obba Babatundé, and more.
YouDiscoverMusic’s Paul Sexton wrote about Kendricks’ singular voice in “The Way He Did The Things He Did: Eddie Kendricks’ Vocal Mastery.” Sexton described how “Kendricks’ light, acrobatic voice was the perfect foil for the gritty tones of the equally brilliant David Ruffin.”
His name may never quite have been as widely-known as his voice, but Eddie Kendricks was a vocalist of unique and distinctive soulfulness. As a co-founder of the Temptations, he sang on many of the songs that earned them the soubriquet of the Emperors of Soul, and his supple falsetto went on to feature on several landmark hits of his own. Eddie was born in Union Springs, Alabama on December 17, 1939, and died tragically young, of cancer, at just 52.
In the golden era of the Temptations’ rise to preeminence at Motown, Kendricks’ light, acrobatic voice was the perfect foil for the gritty tones of the group’s other chief lead singer, the equally brilliant David Ruffin. Eddie had the distinction of singing lead on the Tempts’ first chart single, 1962’s “Dream Come True,” and the first R&B No.1 that came right after it, “The Way You Do The Things You Do.” As stylish in person as on record, he was behind many of the striking wardrobe choices that made the group even more glamorous.
Before his departure in 1971, Kendricks had taken the lead on such indelible highlights of their songbook as the pacy “Get Ready” and their collaboration with the Supremes, “I’m Gonna Make You Love Me.” He also had key roles in the multiple-vocal Norman Whitfield productions that gave them an exciting new sound in the late 60s, especially when he delivered the title line of “Ball Of Confusion.”
Here’s The Temptations’ first hit single, “Dream Come True”:
Here’s the widely known “The Way You Do The Things You Do,” released in 1964:
“Get Ready“ is another well-known chart-topper:
Kendrick passed away in 1992 at the age of 52. Here is his Associated Press obituary published by The New York Times:
Eddie Kendricks, 52; Sang With the Temptations
Eddie Kendricks, the former lead singer of the Temptations, one of the top male singing groups of the 1960's, died on Monday at Baptist Medical Center-Princeton here. He was 52 years old and lived in this city.
He died of lung cancer, said Betty Ingram, a hospital spokeswoman.
Mr. Kendricks, whose clear falsetto punctuated hit recordings that included "My Girl," "Get Ready" and "The Way You Do the Things You Do," founded the Temptations in Detroit in 1961 with Otis Williams, Melvin Franklin, Paul Williams and Elbridge Bryant. David Ruffin replaced Mr. Bryant in 1964, and the group signed with the Motown label.
The Temptations had their first No. 1 hit, "My Girl," in 1965, followed by "It's Growing" and "Since I Lost My Baby" that same year.
"While the Four Tops covered the frenetic side of the Motown sound and the Miracles monopolized its romantic side, the Temptations quite simply stood as the finest vocal group in 60's soul," Joe McEwen and Jim Miller wrote in "The Rolling Stone Illustrated History of Rock-and-Roll." "They could outdress, outdance and outsing any competition in sight."
Mr. Kendricks began a solo career in 1971 but rejoined the group in 1982 for a reunion tour. He was reunited with the group again in 1989 when it was inducted into the Rock-and-Roll Hall of Fame. As a soloist, Mr. Kendricks had a major success in 1973 with the song "Keep On Truckin'," which sold three million copies.
Here’s his solo hit “Keep on Truckin”:
YouTube has an interesting set of video interviews with Kendricks.
Here’s Buster Jones interviewing Kendricks on “Soul Unlimited” in 1973:
Here is an “Off the Record” interview with Joe Smith from 1987:
In honor of Eddie Kendricks, who passed away on this day 31 years ago, I'd like to share a very rare audio of his interview by a guy named Joe Smith. The interview was recorded on June 30, 1987.Throughout the interview, he talks mostly about his life during his Motown days and being a part of the legendary group, the Temptations. This is the full audio of his interview, so I hope you enjoy it.We will not mourn the lost of a legend, we will celebrate what Eddie brought to this world. You'll forever be remembered. As always, Temptations Forever
Of course there is an “American Bandstand” appearance with Dick Clark:
And one on “Soul Train”:
I’ll close with Kendricks’ disco hit “Boogie Down,” which should get you up and dancing:
Please join me in the comments section below for more and I hope you’ll post some of your favorites!
