Page 6
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M ay 26,1999
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Richard
Leo
Johnson
~I he
r \ e V o ic e
Dennis Edwards
20 year history as lead singer for the
legendary T em p tatio n s,
D en n is
Edwards is one of the most talented and
gifted singers of our time. Bom on Feb
ruary 3,1943 the son of a preacher man,
Rev. Dennis Edwards, Sr. He began sing
ing at the age of two (2) at his father’s
church. By 1961 he had formed his own
group called Dennis Edwards & The Fire
balls. Later in 1966 he joined the Con
tours (age 12).
Edwards’ career with T h e Temp
tations began in 1968- David Ruffin’s
first replacement, and so did a long
line of #1 hits for the Temptations.
Utilizing his unique style and smooth
delivery he became known as one of
the most influential vocal singers in
the history of R & B music.
His guest appearances on Johnny
Carson, Ed Sullivan, Soul Train, The
Joan Rivers Show, The Merv Griffin
Show, M idnight Special, Solid Gold,
BET, Motown’s 25lh Anniversary, The
Ophrah Winfrey show and the Arsenal
Hall shows are just a some of the many
special appearances Dennis has made in
The Sixth Temptation
Melvin Franklin, Richard Street and
Glenn I-eonard |Paul Williams was not
available for the reunion.
T here have been many “Tempta
tions” over the years. In fact, ever since
the group’s inception back in 1961, some
of the greatest voices in popular music
have found a home in The Temptations.
Some of the names include:
(kirns,
Terry Weeks, louts Price, Damon Harris, Ri
chard Street, Ron Tyson, A li Ollie Woodson,
Theo Drples, Nate Evans and Chris Arnold
In the late eighties and early nineties,
the group, suffering from internal dis
putes, management problems and above
all the tragic passing away of all, but one
of the original lead singers ' Dennis
Edwards ' it looked as though
an era had come to an end.
The totally unexpected deaths
of his closest group members
and friends, David Ruffin in
1992 and Eddie Kendrick in
1993, left D ennis Edwards
alone - alone w ith a deep
rooted sense of responsibility to
keep the spirit of the Tempta
tion« alive. ~ A promise he
m ad e to E d d ie Jam es
Kendrick’s upon his passing.
Edwards had gone through
the Temptation years as a very
young man with a very big fu
ture. Now, he is thoroughly well
his 35 year career.
While performing with the Temp
tations Dennis received fourteen Gold
Albums, Five (5) G ram m y’s and Seven
(7) Grammy nominations. H e was also
inducted into the Rock *n‘ Roll Hall of
Fame & Museum in 1988. T he first
rounded in his vocal artistry
Music Hall of Fame in duction and
and stage talents. He is still a
awards show was in 1985, and shows
have been held every other year since very bright and energetic star
and continues to keep the spirit
that time in Birmingham Alabama.
Dennis Edwards’ music has trav of the TEMPTATIONS alive.
From the wistful, innocent fal
eled with many generations, selling
setto of Eddie Kendrick to the
well over 100 million recordings. Some
of most familiar hits include... Cloud em otio n -ch arg ed ten o r of
Nine, A Song fo r You, Masterpiece, Why David Ruffin to the bottom line
bass of group mainstay Melvin
did she Leave me. Ball o f Confusion, Can’t
Franklin, T he Tem ptations
Get Next to You, Aphrodisiac, Poppa was a
have
provided enjoyment and
rolling Stone My Girl, Get Ready, Take a
magic
memories to generations
Look at you and Psycadelic Shack.
of fans nationally.
The Florissant Mr. Edwards is the
His current list of Tempta-
most recognized form er Tem ptation
around. After leaving the group perma tions include, David Sea
David Ruffin’s second replace
nently in 1988 he scored a big solo hit
m en t selected by E ddie
^Don’t Look any further” recorded with
Kendrick upon the passing of
the cooperative efforts of Siedah Garret.
the late Mr. Ruffin. Mike
Dennis Edwards’ group including his life
Patilla Bernard Gibson, and
long friends David Ruffin and Eddie
Kendrick’s \the three mast recognized Temp Steve Harris.
tation meeds/isrytpa touring around Eu
rope and abroad as the “Temptin Temp
tations” who recorded Four hit albums.
O n his own he added to his well devel
oped musical virtuosity with his hit al
bums" Dennis Edwards, Cooling Out, Talk
to Me and Aphrodisiac.
The tem ptations reunited at the
Fisher Theatre in 1990 in Detroit The
lineup included Dennis Edwards, David
Ruffin Eddie Kendrick’s, Otis Williams,
TICKET
INFORMATION
Tickets are on sale at all G.I.
Joe/Meier & Frank
TicketMaster’s The Best of
All Worlds • House of
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One Stop Music • Miss C ’s
Group Sales: 289-2763 or
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(discount
10 or more)
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The Temptation
Review
featuring Dennis Edwards
Saturday June 5
2 Shows ~ 6 & 10 Pm
Tiffany Center
(O ld Neighbors o f Woodcraft]
1410 SW Morrison Street
R ichard Leo Jo h n so n ,
a self-ta u g h t
g u ita rist o f M etro
B lue w ill p erform at
R oseland G rill in
P ortland, O rego n. In
su p p o rt o f his d e b u t
record Fin g ertip Ship.
He w ill be perform ing
on M ay 28 a t 9 RM.
For
m ore
inform ation, call Ellie
S arty a t B lue N ote
R eco rds 212 /2 53 -
318 8 Fax 2 12 /2 53 -
316 2 o r Em ail at
pa»<sartv<ci)emmus»caxn
“i/n Keening at tñe Jiffan g'
«M S ~6:MPn WOOPm
Five time Grammy Award Winner * Seven Grammy Nominations * 14 Gold Albums
20 year lead Singer For the legendary Temptations!
The VOICE
D e n n is E d w a rd s
ALONG WITH
■V
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Acrili
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THE TEMPTATION REVIEW FEATURMG
DEMOS EDWARDS!
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