Another Richard Article

[dcalz]

This article was from the 2/13/04 issue of the Kane County Chronicle in Illinois.

RICHARD STREET TEMPTS AUDIENCES TO ARCADA

In the '60s and '70s, Motown group The Temptations had a string of hits - "My Girl", "Just My Imagination", and "Papa Was a Rolling Stone."

Those songs are still being played on the radio, and former Temptations lead singer Richard Street has a few ideas why the songs remain enderaing.

"The music of Motown was always ahead of it time," said Street, lead singer of the Temptations from 1971 to 1994. "The music is still good, and good music will never die."

Street will perform Saturday at the Arcada Theater, 105 E. Main Street, St. Charles.

The show starts at 8 pm and reserved seat tickets are $25 and $30, available on the Internet at www.tickets.com, by phone at [phone], or in person at the Arcada box office weekdays between 11am and 1pm and 3 to 6pm.

Jr. Walker's All-Stars will open the show.

Street was performing with the Temptations in 1989, when the group was inducted in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, but he mwt one of his future bandmates when he was a child.

"Melvin (Franklin) and I sung together as kids, and we grew up together as kids. We sang together when we were 9 or 10 years old," Street said.

Street took over as lead singer of The Temptations in 1971, succeeding David Ruffin and Paul Williams.

However, he didn't feel nervous stepping into the frontman role. By that time, he had plenty of experience in the spotlight.

"I have been performing in nightclubs ever since I was 13 or 14 years old," Street said.

The crowds are just as enthusiastic now as when Street was a member of The Temptations.

"People grew up with the music, and they will always be enthused about something they grew up with," Street said.

He is glad to be performing the songs.

"This is my heritage. That was something great back then, and it is still great to be a part of it now," Street said.

Street attributed The Temptations' success to being in the right place at the right time.

"We were just fortunate to be in Detroit when Motown came along, and that was the success we shared with the rest of the Motown artists," Street said.

In his upcoming book, "Ball of Confusion," Street talks about his years with the group.

"As things that I remember would come to me, I would jot them down," Street said. "It's about my life, growing up in America and being part of one of the greatest groups of all time."

Despite the death of Paul Williams, Ruffin, Franklin and Eddie Kendricks, the music of The Temptations lives on.

"This is a tribute to them," Street said. "I will never forget those guys. They were a part of me."

[MikeNYC]

dcalz said:

This article was from the 2/13/04 issue of the Kane County Chronicle in Illinois.

RICHARD STREET TEMPTS AUDIENCES TO ARCADA

In the '60s and '70s, Motown group The Temptations had a string of hits - "My Girl", "Just My Imagination", and "Papa Was a Rolling Stone."

Those songs are still being played on the radio, and former Temptations lead singer Richard Street has a few ideas why the songs remain enderaing.

"The music of Motown was always ahead of it time," said Street, lead singer of the Temptations from 1971 to 1994. "The music is still good, and good music will never die."

Street will perform Saturday at the Arcada Theater, 105 E. Main Street, St. Charles.

The show starts at 8 pm and reserved seat tickets are $25 and $30, available on the Internet at www.tickets.com, by phone at [phone], or in person at the Arcada box office weekdays between 11am and 1pm and 3 to 6pm.

Jr. Walker's All-Stars will open the show.

Street was performing with the Temptations in 1989, when the group was inducted in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, but he mwt one of his future bandmates when he was a child.

"Melvin (Franklin) and I sung together as kids, and we grew up together as kids. We sang together when we were 9 or 10 years old," Street said.

Street took over as lead singer of The Temptations in 1971, succeeding David Ruffin and Paul Williams.

However, he didn't feel nervous stepping into the frontman role. By that time, he had plenty of experience in the spotlight.

"I have been performing in nightclubs ever since I was 13 or 14 years old," Street said.

The crowds are just as enthusiastic now as when Street was a member of The Temptations.

"People grew up with the music, and they will always be enthused about something they grew up with," Street said.

He is glad to be performing the songs.

"This is my heritage. That was something great back then, and it is still great to be a part of it now," Street said.

Street attributed The Temptations' success to being in the right place at the right time.

"We were just fortunate to be in Detroit when Motown came along, and that was the success we shared with the rest of the Motown artists," Street said.

In his upcoming book, "Ball of Confusion," Street talks about his years with the group.

"As things that I remember would come to me, I would jot them down," Street said. "It's about my life, growing up in America and being part of one of the greatest groups of all time."

Despite the death of Paul Williams, Ruffin, Franklin and Eddie Kendricks, the music of The Temptations lives on.

"This is a tribute to them," Street said. "I will never forget those guys. They were a part of me."

Richard did not succeed David Ruffin! I'm glad Richard is getting a chance to perform and show people what HE can do..To me he's been disrespected..he is a good singer and a longtime Temptation...I would not have been mad if he was inducted into the Hall Of Fame with the other 6 .

[Aba21]

Nor would I. It was Richard who showed Melvin how to sing bass. It was Richard who perfomed for more than 23 years with the group. He was a mainstay and a very good singer. If anyone knows the Temptations...it's Richard. That being said.....come on with the darn book so we can disect it like we did all the other books. ;D

[Ivory Fair]

We need to bargain with the man. Tell him we will start a grass-roots campaign to get him into the Hall of Fame but FIRST he needs to give us a book!!! :bonk:

[MikeNYC]

Ivory said:

We need to bargain with the man. Tell him we will start a grass-roots campaign to get him into the Hall of Fame but FIRST he needs to give us a book!!!

So they can think that you're smoking the grass roots? ;D

[ken-du]

I hope the book is in audio. These books on tape or great. Now a person can be a well read without reading a word .

[Ivory Fair]

Yeah, that would be cool to hear Richard tell his story audibly, he has such a grooy way of saying things ........... I think that has something to do with the fact that "he was the ONLY one that was cool!" ;D

[dcalz]

Richard felt this article was a little pedestrian and he had to coach the guy through the interview. He was originally asking questions like..."Do you like to sing..."

Very frustrating. The writer didn't understand the history of the group all that well, so don't blame Richard if it sounds like he was saying he replaced David. It was definitely the writer on this.

As for the book. It looks like I am going to be a lucky one and get to read the draft of it while they try and find the right writer and literary agency. I'll let you know what I think. I should have it in a week or so.

[Aba21]

dcalz said:

Richard felt this article was a little pedestrian and he had to coach the guy through the interview. He was originally asking questions like..."Do you like to sing..."

Very frustrating. The writer didn't understand the history of the group all that well, so don't blame Richard if it sounds like he was saying he replaced David. It was definitely the writer on this.

As for the book. It looks like I am going to be a lucky one and get to read the draft of it while they try and find the right writer and literary agency. I'll let you know what I think. I should have it in a week or so.

I have said many times that most of these articles are written by people who do not have the histrical background on the group we do here. So they are operating on simply a Motown group that san My Girl pretty much. That's whay you can't put too much stock in these things. It really does the interviewee no good if the interviewer has no knowledge of what to ask. I said this about the Apollo interviews and got my head bit off. So I feel you on this one.

And good luck with the book. I'm sure it will be great to read. I believe Richard has plenty to say. He may even shed some light on singing offstage which some people don't think he did. I'm one who happens to know he did.