DENNIS
EDWARDS SAYS HE NEEDS TEMPTATION NAME
By Kevin
Johnson Of [St. Louis] The Post-Dispatch
Ex-Temptation Dennis Edwards won't be at the Fox Theatre Sunday
night when The Temptations - featuring his former pal Otis
Williams - perform.
It's nothing personal, Edwards said, despite the lawsuits between
them. Dennis Edwards & the Temptations Review will be
performing around the same time at a New Orleans casino in a
benefit to raise money for high school band uniforms there.
Florissant resident Edwards is the most recognizable former
Temptation around (another former Temptation, Theo Peoples, lives
in St. Louis). He replaced David Ruffin in 1968, performed with
The Temptations on and off for 20 years and sang lead on
"Cloud Nine," which earned the group, and Motown, its
first Grammy Award.
Edwards scored a big solo hit in "Don't Look Any
Further." He left The Temptations permanently in 1988 over a
money dispute. For a while, he toured as the New Temptations, a
group filled out by young singers that he mentored (who would
later go on to become the popular group Ol' Skool).
But Edwards' desire to keep performing under the name Temptations
has kept him in court opposite Williams, who prefers that Edwards
not use the name at all. This battle, says Edwards, cost him much
of his life savings - more than $250,000.
"Why can't we get together? Why do we have to fight? We were
together 20 years of our lives, and then we end up in court. I
need a piece of this name in order to make people remember me. I
could work as Dennis Edwards, but I get more work as Dennis
Edwards & the Temptations Review," said Edwards as he
sipped coffee at the kitchen table in his modest, neat home one
recent morning. Nearby, a glass cabinet held such treasures as
his Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Award, his Alabama Hall of Fame
award (he's an A labama native) and valuables collected from
years of touring.
"Everywhere we'd do a show, there would be a letter from
Otis saying you guys aren't The Temptations, that we (Otis) own
the name," said Edwards, who pointed out that both groups
are really new Temptations since most of the personnel in each
ensemble are relative newcomers.
Edwards doesn't understand Williams' issues since the two groups
play very different types of venues, with the better gigs going
to Williams' group. He doesn't understand his former bandmate's
concerns with "little old me" when the Williams'
faction is so hot with their latest CD and the recent NBC
miniseries that told their story. (Edwards contends the
television program overlooked his contributions to the group).
"I'm recognized as a Temptation, and that's going to happen
the rest of my life. I can't do anything about that. When people
see me they say 'That's Dennis Edwards from The Temptations,' and
I haven't been a Temptation for 10 years. They can't take that
away from me," says Edwards, 56.
The last time he saw Williams was in 1998 when both groups,
performing at the same time at different places in Philadelphia,
wound up staying in the same hotel. Edwards walked over to
Williams, told him he loved him, and Williams returned the
sentiment. They shook hands, and Edwards said he wanted to sit
down and talk, but that never happened.
Given the opportunity, Edwards said, he would love to chat about
old times, ask Williams about his family, and explain why there's
room for both groups. "I'm available and I'm ready. I think
the public would love to see both groups. It would be a gigantic
show," he said.
This issue over the name consumed much of Edwards' time, as has
another battle, this one in divorce court. Once he's legally
single, he'll be able to marry his younger fiancee, nurse Brenda
Turner. But in the midst of all this, he hasn't forgotten the
music.
He tours regularly with his Temptations Review, which now
includes David Sea, Mike Pattillo, Bernard Gibson and Steve
Harris. They performed in East St. Louis in December and are
working to set up a St. Louis gig.
And Edwards hopes to have a new CD out this year on Babylon
Records. First up is a maxi-single featuring dance remixes of
"Don't Look Any Further." Edwards had to re-record the
vocals since Motown wouldn't let him touch the original tracks.
Siedah Garrett, who sang with Edwards on the original, wasn't
available. She's off fronting the Brand New Heavies.
As for the full CD, Edwards has about half the songs in the can
and is working with the same producer from "Don't Look Any
Further." "I'm trying to re-create the old Temptations
magic with the new styles of music they have now. I love The
Temptations' new record, but I bring another whole thing with my
voice. I bring that old gut Temptation voice back, and I think
that fills a void. The public still wants to hear that type of
thing," he said.
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