Dennis Edwards

"Once a Temptation, always a Temptation" could easily have served as a guiding principle for the dynamic singer Dennis Edwards, who cycled through the lineup on three separate occasions. Born in Birmingham, he relocated with his family to Detroit at age seven. While still in high school, he performed with the gospel ensemble Crowns of Joy before launching his own soul-jazz outfit, Dennis Edwards & the Firebirds, modeled after organist Richard "Groove" Holmes. Motown bassist James Jamerson caught one of his performances and urged him to try out for the Contours, where Edwards quickly landed the lead vocal on "It's So Hard Being Alone." A subsequent solo cut for Soulsville, "I Didn't Have To (But I Did)," drew modest attention, yet by 1968 he had been tapped to succeed David Ruffin as the Temptations' frontman. Over the ensuing nine years his raw, forceful delivery powered tracks such as "Cloud Nine," "I Can't Get Next to You," "Ball of Confusion," and "Psychedelic Shack," along with the landmark releases "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone" and "Masterpiece." His first departure came in 1977; a return followed in 1979, then another exit in 1983.

Stepping out on his own in 1984, Edwards scored one of the era's standout collaborations with the duet "Don't Look Any Further" alongside Siedah Garrett, which climbed just short of the summit on Billboard's R&B chart. Few recordings matched its blend of sensuality, commanding vocals, polished production, and impeccable arrangement. The next single, "(You're My) Aphrodisiac," reached the R&B Top 20, though momentum soon faded. "Coolin' Out" marked his last chart entry, stalling at number 23, before he rejoined the Temptations in 1987. He later formed the short-lived trio Ruffin/Kendricks/Edwards with former group mates David Ruffin and Eddie Kendricks, though no material ever surfaced. In 1989 he shared in the Temptations' Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction. For the next thirty years he remained active onstage, initially fronting Dennis Edwards & the Temptations and, following a legal conflict with founding member Otis Williams, leading the Temptations Review Featuring Dennis Edwards. Edwards passed away in February 2018 at the age of 74.