It is with heavy hearts that we report to you the death of a music legend. Dennis Edwards, the former lead singer of the band Temptations, has died at age 74.
Edwards joined the band in 1968 and was a member when they released some of their biggest hits, including “I Can’t Get Next To You,” “Ball of Confusion,” and “Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone.”
Breaking: Dennis Edwards, former lead singer of The Temptations has died in Chicago – per family. He crooned the world over with “Cloud Nine" – “I Can't Get Next to You" & “Papa Was a Rollin' Stone.” Tomorrow, Edwards would have been 75. @cbschicago pic.twitter.com/HWESouATfl
— Brad Edwards (@tvbrad) February 2, 2018
Edwards’ initial run with the band lasted nine years, but he returned to the group multiple times, from 1980-1984 and from 1987-1989. Dennis Edwards was born and raised in Birmingham, Alabama but was in Chicago at the time of his death.
Edwards joined the Temptations after the band fired lead singer David Ruffin, and he brought a “fresh vivacity to the group’s sound, a bit of grit to replace Ruffin’s smooth falsetto.”
A video of Edwards performing “Papa Was A Rollin’ Stone” can be seen in the video below:
Edwards was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1989 as a member of the Temptations. In addition to the band’s signature Motown sound, Edwards “led the group on a mix of psychedelic, funk, and disco music, as well as two Grammy-winning songs, “Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone,” and “Cloud Nine.”
Edwards left the group in 1984 to pursue a solo career, and his first album, “Don’t Look Any Further” reached #2 on the R&B charts. Edwards was briefly married to Ruth Pointer, who was a member of the group The Pointer Sisters. The two had a daughter, Issa.
Prior to joining the Temptations, Edwards was the lead singer of another Motown group, The Contours. In recent years, Edwards would perform Temptations material as part of a splinter group known as The Temptations Revue Featuring Dennis Edwards.
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Our thoughts and prayers go out to Edwards’ entire family during this tragic time. His contributions to Motown and the entire industry will never be forgotten.
Source: Yahoo