The Temptations

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  • Year:
    1989
  • Inducted by:
    Daryl Hall & John Oates
  • Category:
    Performers

Introduction

The Temptations set the bar high for Motown vocal groups (and soul and R&B music in general) thanks to snappy stage moves and elegant harmonies.

Early hits such as "My Girl," "Ain't Too Proud To Beg" and "Get Ready" remain beloved classics, while later forays into funk and psychedelic music such as "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone" were just as influential.

 

 

Hall of Fame Essay

1989

Michael Hill

The Temptations are the quintessential Motown vocal group. 

With style to spare, drop-dead dance moves and voices that had been nurtured in the deep South and seasoned in the cities of the North, the Temptations captured in their work the pleasures of the street-corner serenade as well as the flash of the Sixties soul revue.

Whether rendering Smokey Robinson’s silky meditations on romance or executing the intricate vocal paces of Norman Whitfield's gritty funk, their voices suggested the story of the singers’ lives.

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony Program 1989
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They proved themselves the masters of every vocal style
Jann Wenner

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Collection

The Temptations - Suit
The Temptations - Bag
The Temptations - Trunk
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Gallery

Photography: Kevin Mazur, WireImage; Nanette Bedway