David, Dennis and Ali (1lost 2 Prevailing)

[DrTemptation "Doc T"]

David Ruffin was the jump start to the Temptations being a #1 vocal group. But in reality he only lasted (4) years. David was his on enemy, fame went to his head, drugs went to his head......and he blew it being ghetto. Being a Temptation was a chance of a life time. Motown went worldwide and all David had to do is BE KOOL and go for the ride. If David would have kept his head on straight he probably would had the best of both worlds. Lead singer of the Temptations and some solo albums. The ghetto mentality has destroyed some of the most talented artist and sports figures.
SOME rap artist are simply glorifying the jails, pimps and drug culture.(GLORIFYING THE GHETTO MENTALITY) THAT IS WHAT DESTROYED DAVID.

The same situation almost destroyed Dennis. I think his stint being on the bottom in Cleveland doing hard labor woke him up to some degree. Dennis got the big head too.....and drugs. When he finally hooked up with Eddie and David that helped him to get where he is today. In a lot of ways the Temptation Review is better than O's Tempts.....Dennis and Ali is a force to be reckened with. I really believe Dennis could have had a much better solo career if he had taken care of business. Dennis Lambert was a great producer for Dennis. I wished there would have been a third solo album after "Coolin Out"

Here's another point to chew on. ALI WOODSON WAS DAVID AND DENNIS BAKED TOGETHER.........THE RESULT WAS GREAT
ALI CAN SING DAVID AND DENNIS' SONGS.........BUT WHEN YOU LOOK BACK ALL (3) OF THEM GOT THE BIG HEAD......EGO......NOT HANDLING YOUR BUSINESS, THESE BROTHER MADE SOME SERIOUS MONEY. DAVID DIED BROKE!!!!!

I THINK WE ARE FORTUNATE TO HAVE LP'S, CD'S, CASSETTE'S BECAUSE WE CAN ALWAYS GO BACK AND CATCH THAT GREAT TEMPTATION SOUND THAT WAS RECORDED SO WE CAN PLAY IT AGAIN AND AGAIN

Doctor Temptation

[AnnaK]

Yayyyy! Pretty good what David Ruffin contributed to the Tempts success in only in 4 years. (despite missing all those practice sessions and so on) lol

But what in the world did Ali do todeserve to be thrown into the mix? ;D

[DrTemptation "Doc T"]

raggedy said:

Yayyyy! Pretty good what David Ruffin contributed to the Tempts success in only in 4 years. (despite missing all those practice sessions and so on) lol

But what in the world did Ali do todeserve to be thrown into the mix? ;D

ALI WOODSON IN MY OPINION WAS THE (3) BEST LEAD SINGER THE TEMPTATIONS EVER HAD.
1. AL BRYANT
2. DAVID RUFFIN
3. DENNIS EDWARDS
4. LOUIS PRICE
5. DENNIS EDWARDS 2ND TIME
6. oLLIE ALI WOODSON
7. DENNIS EDWARDS 3RD AND LAST TIME
8. SO FORTH AND SO ON

[bigbadblazer]

What songs did AL Bryant sing lead on? I don't own any of the early albums. I hear Paul and Eddie on Paradise and Eddie on You can depend on me and Paul on Mother of Mine. Please enlighten me on the songs where your #1 Lead singer sings lead.

[maria]

ALI WOODSON IN MY OPINION WAS THE (3) BEST LEAD SINGER THE TEMPTATIONS EVER HAD.
1. AL BRYANT
2. DAVID RUFFIN
3. DENNIS EDWARDS
4. LOUIS PRICE
5. DENNIS EDWARDS 2ND TIME
6. oLLIE ALI WOODSON
7. DENNIS EDWARDS 3RD AND LAST TIME
8. SO FORTH AND SO ON



First of all Al Bryant might have been the lead singer for Otis and the Distant, but I have never heard that he was the lead singer of the Temptation's. Remember this was a group that pride itself on every member being able to take lead. I did hear on "Temptation Live" at the upper deck where they said David was the lead singer. So have we as Fans taken upon our selves to put lead singer in front of these men names or was it the industry. If so what position do we put Eddie and Paul? IMO Eddie and Paul deserve to be labeled as 1 and 2. They were Temptations before David and they were two of the best that sang lead on some great tunes!

[AnnaK]

I actually meant why was Ali-Ollie mentioned in connection with all the negative characteristics generally attributed to DR? Was he accused of having the same problems?
In regard to who's being the best lead singer of the Tempts, I consider Ali and David just about the same. If David Sea were a "licensed/TM" Temptation (lol), I would rank him the same. To me, each one of them is equal.

AK

[Temptitious]

bigbadblazer said:

What songs did AL Bryant sing lead on? I don't own any of the early albums. I hear Paul and Eddie on Paradise and Eddie on You can depend on me and Paul on Mother of Mine. Please enlighten me on the songs where your #1 Lead singer sings lead.

He didn't sing lead on any songs - Temptations or otherwise. It appears he mistyped. I think he meant "Allie-Ollie Woodson", not "Al Bryant". Richard Street led the Distants' material

[DC]

raggedy said:

I actually meant why was Ali-Ollie mentioned in connection with all the negative characteristics generally attributed to DR? Was he accused of having the same problems?
In regard to who's being the best lead singer of the Tempts, I consider Ali and David just about the same. If David Sea were a "licensed/TM" Temptation (lol), I would rank him the same. To me, each one of them is equal.

AK

In Otis's book he at least claims that he did. Otis said that Dennis and Ali (at least their first stints in the group) developed swollen "egos" just like David. I guess because of the movie and such their acts might not be as well known or documented publicly.

[tman2429]

Man

I Really can't bring myself to say that Ali was better than Dennis. I can't bring myself to say that Dennis was better than Ali. Then again, maybe I can. Ali did not seem as strong as Dennis. Dennis seemd more raw and natural and to have just a little more soul. I think I'll put some stuff on tonight and revisit this and see what I come up with.

T.

[AnnaK]

dc said:

raggedy said:

I actually meant why was Ali-Ollie mentioned in connection with all the negative characteristics generally attributed to DR? Was he accused of having the same problems?
In regard to who's being the best lead singer of the Tempts, I consider Ali and David just about the same. If David Sea were a "licensed/TM" Temptation (lol), I would rank him the same. To me, each one of them is equal.

AK

In Otis's book he at least claims that he did. Otis said that Dennis and Ali (at least their first stints in the group) developed swollen "egos" just like David. I guess because of the movie and such their acts might not be as well known or documented publicly.

Okay.

[AnnaK]

tman2429 said:

Man

I Really can't bring myself to say that Ali was better than Dennis. I can't bring myself to say that Dennis was better than Ali. Then again, maybe I can. Ali did not seem as strong as Dennis. Dennis seemd more raw and natural and to have just a little more soul. I think I'll put some stuff on tonight and revisit this and see what I come up with.

T.

I don't like the word "better" at all. I think Dennis, Ali, and David were all great -- but each had a different approach to their presentations. David, in my opinion, was the one who was the compelling one, the one who exuded emotionality. Dennis is the one who understands to go from sheer power to extreme gentleness. And Ali despite all the grittiness in his voice appears to be the sophisticated one: I like his jazzy touch.

AK

[tman2429]

Yeah, maybe best or better is not the right word. I think that David was the Master story teller. He phrased things perfectly. Dennis was/is just raw soul. No trappings. No fancy acrobatics. No tricks or gimmicks. Ali just bought the cool back to the group. He is truly one of the ones that they should have never let get away from them. He is the last Real Temptation. He had/has the magic.

[AnnaK]

tman2429 said:

Yeah, maybe best or better is not the right word. I think that David was the Master story teller. He phrased things perfectly. Dennis was/is just raw soul. No trappings. No fancy acrobatics. No tricks or gimmicks. Ali just bought the cool back to the group. He is truly one of the ones that they should have never let get away from them. He is the last Real Temptation. He had/has the magic.

I like the "story teller" comparison; that is right to the point. Especially when you listen to his version of "Smiling Faces." He's not only telling a story using words, but also by creating strong emotional images. And I agree with you on Ali, he's got all it takes to be a true "classic" Tempt. He should have had more leads.

[DrTemptation "Doc T"]

Tempfan left an interesting article. I just want to share this piece of it:
"I’ve never been a malicious person," the 66-year-old told me from a Washington hotel suite.

"The Temps is my baby, something I started back in the ‘50s, and have simply done what had to be done for The Temps to survive.

"But I would have loved for the original Temps to have stayed together because we were such a unique and dynamic bunch of guys."

Otis Williams is still prevailing inspite of loosing some great singers or firing some great singers.

The thread is about surviving. The greatness of the Temptations have brought them before Presidents, the rich, people with influence and the opportunities to go on do great things. I believe that there some people in our lives that we need to let go of. Crabs in a barrow, every time you try to make some progress, that old crab pulls you down. Misery loves company.

Many of us we raised in the ghetto, the projects and so forth. I've come to the conclusion that you have to let go of a lot those folks. They are still sittin on that bar stool drinking that same beer, that same booze, smoking that same cigarette, smoking that same joint, talking that same BULL S%&@.....AND GOING NO-WHERE.

MY POINT IS THAT IF DAVID WOULD HAVE COME OUT OF THAT ENVIRONMENT (MAYBE) HE WOULD BE ALIVE TODAY. THINK WHAT THE TEMPTATIONS REVIEW WOULD BE LIKE WITH DAVID RUFFIN, DENNIS EDWARDS AND ALI WOODSON. I THINK OTIS WOULD THROW IN THE TOWEL. (YEAH RIGHT)

IT'S GOOD SEEING THE X-TEMPTATION BEING SUCCESSFUL. DENNIS HAS MADE A SUCCESS OF THE REVIEW. ALI WOODSON HAS DONE A LOT OF THINGS SINCE LEAVING OTIS' TEMPTATIONS. ALI IS ON GOSPEL CD'S, DOING PLAYS (HE IS A GOOD ACTOR)AND I'VE SEEN HIM ON SOME SITCOMS ON TV.

PREVAILING...SURVIVING
HEY YOU ALL!!!! WE GOT TO MAKE IT. GOD WANTS US TO MAKE AND HAVE A GOOD LIFE
John 10:10
The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
KJV
(the thief is Satan, drugs, guns etc)

Doctor Temptation

[otisann1955]

Hold the phone people I don't understand did Dennis die to?