Biography
Ronald Tyson Presson serves as the Temptations' fourth substitute for Eddie Kendricks, following Damon Harris, Ricky Owens, and Glenn Leonard in that role. He also holds the longest stint among them, having signed on as a gifted songwriter in 1983—well beyond the decade Kendricks spent in the lineup. Born on February 8, 1948, in Monroe, North Carolina, he spent his formative years in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, honing his craft across assorted ensembles until he assembled the Ethics alongside vocalists encountered at local talent contests. Joined by Andrew "Bike" Collins, Joe Freeman, and Carl "Nugie" Enlow, the quartet crafted harmonies reminiscent of the Temptations themselves. Starting in 1967, Thaddeus Wales took over production duties; their debut release surfaced on the Wales imprint, four additional tracks appeared on Vent, and their concluding 45 emerged via Golden Fleece Records in 1974. Tyson contributed songwriting to numerous selections, and although the Ethics issued no major successes across those seven years, they delivered memorable cuts such as "Sad, Sad Story" and "Farewell."
As the Ethics wound down, Tyson's compositional abilities came into sharper focus through partnerships with Philadelphia mainstays including Norman Harris, Allan Felder, and Bruce Gray in assorted configurations. His credits have appeared under the names Tyron Presson, Ronald Presson, and Ron Tyson according to the respective label affiliations. He emerged as an essential contributor to Eddie Kendricks' solo endeavors. Although initially reluctant, Berry Gordy eventually permitted Kendricks to record outside the Motown umbrella. With Norman Harris at the helm, Kendricks completed two underrecognized LPs, He's a Friend and Goin' Up in Smoke. The earlier of those includes one of Tyson's standout compositions, the romantic "You're a Part of Me," a genuine hidden gem whose endearing lines run: "If Adam gave his rib to Eve/then why can't you give your love to me?" No Tyson material appeared on Goin' Up in Smoke, yet he supplied backing vocals and received a "Very Special Thanks To" credit on the sleeve alongside Allan Felder. Once the Temptations departed Motown for Atlantic Records, Tyson played a central part on their two Atlantic projects and co-authored their biggest single there, "In a Lifetime."
Additional writing credits include "I Could Dance All Night" and the O'Jays-styled "I Won't Leave You Honey, Never" for Archie Bell & the Drells; the airy "Stringin' Me Along" for Blue Magic; and two gems for the Dells—the lilting "Betcha Never Been Loved (Like This Before)" plus "Private Property." He figured prominently on the Four Tops' Philadelphia album, co-writing and producing five of its eight tracks alongside Norman Harris, among them "H.E.L.P.," the lush and melancholic "Seclusion," and "Just in Time." First Choice, Double Exposure, the Three Degrees, Loleatta Holloway, the Salsoul Orchestra, and numerous others have likewise recorded his material.
Still seeking group affiliation after the Ethics dissolved, Tyson promptly launched Love Committee with Joe Freeman, Norman Frazier, and Larry Richardson; Thaddeus Wales asserted rights to the earlier name, prompting the switch. Their opening single arrived on Golden Fleece in the same year the label issued a 45 credited to the Ethics. A follow-up remake of Kendricks' "Darling Come Back Home" landed on TSOP Records in 1975. Five further singles surfaced on Ariola American and Gold Mine Records, with "Law & Order" achieving modest chart traction. Their last two releases came via T-Electric Records and introduced Cleveland, Ohio native Michael Bell in place of Richardson. Despite issuing multiple singles and a handful of albums, Love Committee disbanded in the early 1980s.
Through his songwriting and production work plus stage appearances with assorted acts, Tyson already knew Motown and the Temptations well. When Otis Williams encountered difficulties with Glenn Leonard—whose leads included "I'm on Fire" and "Silent Night"—owing to a reported alcohol issue, Tyson, endowed with a luminous falsetto, received the invitation. His initial recordings appeared on Back to Basics, where he took leads on "Sail Away" and "Make Me Believe in Love." Subsequent showcases encompass "Truly for You," "Lucky," "More Love, Your Love," "Time After Time," "What a Difference a Day Makes," "Tempt Me," "On the Road," "Proven and True," and "Corner of My Heart."
Unlike Damon Harris, the initial Kendricks replacement, Tyson avoids emulation. Rickey Owens, formerly of the Vibrations, never recorded with the Temptations. Glenn Leonard, like Tyson, avoided Kendricks-style imitation yet matched his drive and passion; Tyson himself adopts a more relaxed stance—not quite to the degree Harris did—yet matures gracefully over time. His leads on the For Lovers Only collection illustrate the point. Coming from Philadelphia, Tyson may have felt tentative about his falsetto, and with reason: the city has yielded exceptional high voices such as those of William Hart, Russell Thompkins, Ted Mills, Daryl Hall, Ronnie Walker, Eddie Holman, plus numerous others from the Ebonys, the Philly Devotions, and the Futures. That era has passed, however. When he performs "Get Ready," he glides through the melody without Kendricks' aggressive phrasing, simply because he is not Kendricks—he is Ron Tyson, a versatile artist who recognized early that music would define his path. The sole reservation regarding his extended tenure concerns a slowdown in his writing output, although nearly 200 compositions remain to his credit. His brother David Tyson sings with the Manhattans.
As the Ethics wound down, Tyson's compositional abilities came into sharper focus through partnerships with Philadelphia mainstays including Norman Harris, Allan Felder, and Bruce Gray in assorted configurations. His credits have appeared under the names Tyron Presson, Ronald Presson, and Ron Tyson according to the respective label affiliations. He emerged as an essential contributor to Eddie Kendricks' solo endeavors. Although initially reluctant, Berry Gordy eventually permitted Kendricks to record outside the Motown umbrella. With Norman Harris at the helm, Kendricks completed two underrecognized LPs, He's a Friend and Goin' Up in Smoke. The earlier of those includes one of Tyson's standout compositions, the romantic "You're a Part of Me," a genuine hidden gem whose endearing lines run: "If Adam gave his rib to Eve/then why can't you give your love to me?" No Tyson material appeared on Goin' Up in Smoke, yet he supplied backing vocals and received a "Very Special Thanks To" credit on the sleeve alongside Allan Felder. Once the Temptations departed Motown for Atlantic Records, Tyson played a central part on their two Atlantic projects and co-authored their biggest single there, "In a Lifetime."
Additional writing credits include "I Could Dance All Night" and the O'Jays-styled "I Won't Leave You Honey, Never" for Archie Bell & the Drells; the airy "Stringin' Me Along" for Blue Magic; and two gems for the Dells—the lilting "Betcha Never Been Loved (Like This Before)" plus "Private Property." He figured prominently on the Four Tops' Philadelphia album, co-writing and producing five of its eight tracks alongside Norman Harris, among them "H.E.L.P.," the lush and melancholic "Seclusion," and "Just in Time." First Choice, Double Exposure, the Three Degrees, Loleatta Holloway, the Salsoul Orchestra, and numerous others have likewise recorded his material.
Still seeking group affiliation after the Ethics dissolved, Tyson promptly launched Love Committee with Joe Freeman, Norman Frazier, and Larry Richardson; Thaddeus Wales asserted rights to the earlier name, prompting the switch. Their opening single arrived on Golden Fleece in the same year the label issued a 45 credited to the Ethics. A follow-up remake of Kendricks' "Darling Come Back Home" landed on TSOP Records in 1975. Five further singles surfaced on Ariola American and Gold Mine Records, with "Law & Order" achieving modest chart traction. Their last two releases came via T-Electric Records and introduced Cleveland, Ohio native Michael Bell in place of Richardson. Despite issuing multiple singles and a handful of albums, Love Committee disbanded in the early 1980s.
Through his songwriting and production work plus stage appearances with assorted acts, Tyson already knew Motown and the Temptations well. When Otis Williams encountered difficulties with Glenn Leonard—whose leads included "I'm on Fire" and "Silent Night"—owing to a reported alcohol issue, Tyson, endowed with a luminous falsetto, received the invitation. His initial recordings appeared on Back to Basics, where he took leads on "Sail Away" and "Make Me Believe in Love." Subsequent showcases encompass "Truly for You," "Lucky," "More Love, Your Love," "Time After Time," "What a Difference a Day Makes," "Tempt Me," "On the Road," "Proven and True," and "Corner of My Heart."
Unlike Damon Harris, the initial Kendricks replacement, Tyson avoids emulation. Rickey Owens, formerly of the Vibrations, never recorded with the Temptations. Glenn Leonard, like Tyson, avoided Kendricks-style imitation yet matched his drive and passion; Tyson himself adopts a more relaxed stance—not quite to the degree Harris did—yet matures gracefully over time. His leads on the For Lovers Only collection illustrate the point. Coming from Philadelphia, Tyson may have felt tentative about his falsetto, and with reason: the city has yielded exceptional high voices such as those of William Hart, Russell Thompkins, Ted Mills, Daryl Hall, Ronnie Walker, Eddie Holman, plus numerous others from the Ebonys, the Philly Devotions, and the Futures. That era has passed, however. When he performs "Get Ready," he glides through the melody without Kendricks' aggressive phrasing, simply because he is not Kendricks—he is Ron Tyson, a versatile artist who recognized early that music would define his path. The sole reservation regarding his extended tenure concerns a slowdown in his writing output, although nearly 200 compositions remain to his credit. His brother David Tyson sings with the Manhattans.
Albums
Singles
