There is no soul group above the Temptations. With hits like “My Girl,” “Papa Was A Rollin’ Stone” and “Just My Imagination,” the vocal group from Detroit has cemented itself as an all-time band, selling tens of millions of albums along the way.
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But while the band is known for its string of Motown songs, the Temptations are also memorable thanks to their moniker. Below, we will tell the story of that band name as well as the several names that were used for a short time prior.
This is the story behind the band name: the Temptations.
The Cavaliers and the Primes
The city of Detroit has always prided itself on its music. Today, with little more than a thought, one could list off a number of big names, from Eminem to Stevie Wonder. Not to mention Motown.
In Detroit during the middle of the 20th century, music was paramount, and, thus, a great deal of emotion was baked into the business. Groups rivaled other groups. There was beef and there was strategy.
In many communities, singing often began at church. That’s where Eddie Kendricks and Paul Williams started to sing together, in Birmingham, Alabama, only later (1955) to start a singing group with Kell Osborne and Wiley Waller. The name? The Cavaliers.
When the Cavaliers broke up, they headed for the music Meca of Detroit and took on a new name, the Primes. As the Primes, the singers gained a reputation, for their voices and for their tight stage performances, something that would be a mark of the Temptations in years to come. The group was taken under its wing by manager Milton Jenkins, who later created the Primettes, which would later be known as the Supremes.
The Siberians, El Domingoes, and the Distants
Around this same time, singer Otis Williams from Texas had driven up to Detroit to be with his mother. In 1958, Otis formed the band Otis Williams and the Siberians with Elbridge Bryant and several other singers.
After the Siberians released their single, “Pecos Kid,” they changed their name to The El Domingoes. Not long after, with a few members coming and going, the group changed its names again to the Distants, only to be amended to Otis Williams & the Distants.
Rivals Come Together
In Detroit, as pride over various groups often forced singers to butt heads, the Primes and the Distants knew of one another and often competed in the same talent shows. So, in this way, it was perhaps inevitable for them to start to sing together and find chemistry.
The Primes, which was thought of as the stronger of the groups, dissolved in 1960. Kendricks called Otis, who needed a few more members for an audition for Motown’s Berry Gordy. Otis offered Kendricks a lead singer’s role in his group if he’d join. Others in the group were Melvin Franklin, Elbridge Bryant of the Distants, and Paul Williams of the Primes.
The Elgins and the Temptations
The five-piece originally called itself the Elgins. Together, the singers auditioned for Gordy Motown in 1961. Gordy signed them to the label under its Miracle imprint. But Gordy said another group was using the name the Elgins and they had to get a new name.
The group landed on the name the Temptations based on the suggestion of a few in their inner circle, including Miracle Records employee Billy Mitchell and songwriter Mickey Stevenson.
Today
Today, the Temptations are still going strong. The group continues to perform with founder Otis Williams at the helm. He owns the rights to the name today. In total, the Temptations boasts 44 albums and nearly as many past members. The group released its latest LP, Temptations 60, in 2022.
Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
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