Post by tempfan on Feb 24, 2006 22:50:58 GMT -5
REMEMBERING THE TEMPTATIONS' MELVIN FRANKLIN
By: Howie Edelson
It was on this day (February 23rd) 11 years ago, that Temptations co-founder Melvin Franklin died. Franklin, who was the bass voice of the Temps, had been ill for the past few years of his life, suffering from among other things rheumatoid arthritis and diabetes. Franklin and best friend Otis Williams were the only two members of the ever changing lineup of the Temps to remain with the group.
It was Williams who urged Franklin to take a break from the road after discovering how ill he was. At his final shows, Franklin had a wheelchair and oxygen waiting for him backstage. Soon after his sabbatical from the road, Franklin fell into a coma and eventually died of a brain seizure.
Franklin was loved by Temps fans and never failed to get the crowd on its feet during his solo spotlight of "Old Man River," from the musical Showboat. He was also a favorite among the Motown gang, who awarded him the Motown Spirit Award, which honored the one person who embodied what the label was all about.
Williams told us that if it weren't for his illnesses, his longtime partner would still be next to him, wowing them every night onstage "If Melvin hadn't have been so inflicted with arthritis... that's what took him out... rheumatoid arthritis... Melvin would be sitting up here and you'd be hearing that big giant bass voice coming out of the speakers."