Born in Birmingham, Alabama[1] to Reverend and Mrs. Dennis Edwards Sr., he began singing as a toddler, just two years old, in his fathers' church. His family moved to Detroit when he was seven.[1] As a high school student, Edwards sang with the Crowns of Joy gospel group, then in 1961 he organized his own soul/jazz group, Dennis Edwards and the Fireballs.[1] Before joining The Contours in 1967, Edwards recorded a single for the obscure Detroit label, International Soulville Records. The single was a track called "I Didn't Have To (But I Did)" with "Johnnie On The Spot".[1] The record is very rare and sought after by Northern soul fans.[citation needed]
Edwards was the first new Temptation to enter the group after their "classic five" heyday, when he replaced David Ruffin as lead singer in July 1968. Ruffin was allegedly fired for what some of his bandmates felt was unprofessional behavior. Edwards had been a friend of the group beforehand and in particular had been a friend of Ruffin's. The Temptations officially introduced Edwards on July 9, 1968 on stage in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania. With his rougher gospel-hewn vocals, Edwards led the group through its psychedelic, funk, and disco periods; two of the Temptations songs he appears on, "Cloud Nine" (1968) and "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone" (1972), won Grammy Awards.[1] Edwards remained in the Temptations until being fired by Otis Williams in 1977 just before the group's departure from Motown to Atlantic Records. After a failed attempt at a Motown solo career, Edwards rejoined the Temptations in 1980, when they returned to Motown.[1]
In 1982, Edwards got the chance to sing with Ruffin when Ruffin and Eddie Kendricks were part of the Reunion album and tour. Edwards began missing shows and rehearsals, and was replaced in 1984 by Ali-Ollie Woodson. At this time, Motown re-launched Edwards' solo career, and he had a hit with the 1984 single "Don't Look Any Further", a duet with Siedah Garrett.[1] When problems arose between Woodson and the Temptations in 1987, Edwards was brought back once again, but was himself replaced by Woodson in 1989 after being fired a third and final time by Williams.
Edwards toured and recorded with fellow ex-Temptations Ruffin and Kendricks during the late 1980s as 'Ruffin/Kendricks/Edwards, former leads of The Temptations', although nothing was released.[1] After the deaths of both Ruffin (1991) and Kendricks (1992), Edwards was forced to wrap up the project alone. In 1990 Dennis teamed up with Eddie Kendricks to release a dance/club track for A&B records entitled "Get it While it's Hot". The track was recorded at Fredrick Knight's recording studio in the duo's old home town of Birmingham, Alabama and produced and engineered by house music pioneer Alan Steward. The track created a lot of controversy as it contained a short rap sequence which did not sit very well with die hard Temptations fans.
During the 1990s, Edwards began touring under the name 'Dennis Edwards & the Temptations', prompting a legal battle between himself and Otis Williams. It was decided that Edwards' group would be called 'The Temptations Review featuring Dennis Edwards', the name that Edwards tours under to this day. Edwards' current group includes Paul Williams Jr., David Sea, Mike Patillo, and Chris Arnold.
Edwards was portrayed by Charles Ley in the 1998 biographical television mini-series The Temptations, though he was not heavily focused upon, as the mini-series gave more attention to the Ruffin-era Temptations line up.[citation needed]
[edit] References ^ a b c d e f g h "Biography by Ron Wynn". Allmusic.com. Retrieved on 7 January 2009.[hide] v • d • e The Temptations
Joe Herndon · Ron Tyson · Terry Weeks · Otis Williams · Bruce Williamson Elbridge "Al" Bryant · G.C. Cameron · Ray Davis · Dennis Edwards · Melvin Franklin · Damon Harris · Barrington "Bo" Henderson · Eddie Kendricks · Glenn Leonard · Ricky Owens · Theo Peoples · Louis Price · David Ruffin · Richard Street · Paul Williams · Ali-Ollie Woodson
Management Shelly Berger · Milton Jenkins · Johnnie Mae Matthews · Otis Williams
Production Berry Gordy · Smokey Robinson · Norman Whitfield
Studio albums Meet the Temptations · The Temptations Sing Smokey · The Temptin' Temptations · Gettin' Ready · The Temptations with a Lot o' Soul · The Temptations Wish It Would Rain · Cloud Nine · Puzzle People · Psychedelic Shack · Sky's the Limit · Solid Rock · All Directions · Masterpiece · 1990 · A Song for You · House Party · Wings of Love · The Temptations Do the Temptations · Bare Back · Here to Tempt You · Power · The Temptations · Reunion · Surface Thrills · Back to Basics · Truly for You · Touch Me · To Be Continued · Together Again · Special · Milestone · Phoenix Rising · Ear-Resistible · Awesome · Legacy
Cover albums The Temptations in a Mellow Mood · Reflections · Back to Front
Live albums Temptations Live! · Live at the Copa · Live at London's Talk of the Town · The Temptations in Japan
Other albums Diana Ross & the Supremes Join the Temptations · TCB · The Temptations Show · Together · On Broadway · The Temptations Christmas Card · Give Love at Christmas
Compilations Anthology · Emperors of Soul · The Ultimate Collection · 20th Century Masters - The Millennium Collection: The Best of the Temptations, Vol 1: The 1960s · 20th Century Masters - The Millennium Collection: The Best of the Temptations, Vol. 2: The 1970s, '80s and '90s · My Girl: The Very Best of the Temptations · Psychedelic Soul
Filmography Save the Children · Happy New Year · The Temptations · Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story
Videography The Temptations: Live in Concert · 20th Century Masters: The Best of the Temptations · Get Ready: The Definitive Live Performances - 1965-1972 · The Temptations: Live in London
Discography Albums · Songs
Related persons The Supremes · Barrett Strong · Sly Stone · George Clinton
See also Motown Records · Psychedelic soul
