Franklin joined the group as its bass singer, and remained with Williams and Elbridge Bryant when they, Paul Williams, and Eddie Kendricks formed The Elgins in late 1960. They both came together and wrote the song Fill Your Heart. At the time of his death he survived by his large extended friends and family. Paul Williams net worth: Paul Williams is an Academy Award-winning American composer, musician, songwriter, and actor who has a net worth of $14 million. Because of his fondness for this color, Melvin was nicknamed Blue by his band members. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. LOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 09: Singer Dennis Edwards of The Temptations speaks onstage during the Special Merit Awards Ceremony during the 55th Annual GRAMMY Awards at the Wilshire Ebell Theater on February 9, 2013 in Los Angeles, California. Not everyone believed that Paul Williams's death was a suicide, however. Although Kendricks proved to become a bigger name, Williams and Kendricks were the lead vocals for the song. Paul Williams (The Temptations singer)'s net worth is a valuable statistic that can help you determine your financial status. Deemed as the universal language, it has a way of connecting people from various backgrounds and so on. If you do not know, We have prepared this article about details of Paul Williamss short biography-wiki, career, professional life, personal life, todays net worth, age, height, weight, and more facts. Pictured: The Temptations: Eddie Kendricks, Dennis Edwards, Otis Williams, Melvin Franklin, Paul Williams | Photo: Getty Images. His line from The Temptations' 1970 #3 hit "Ball of Confusion (That's What the World Is Today)", "and the band played on", became Franklin's trademark. But again, that cannot be substantiated, so the official story remains official, albeit with questions unanswered. . Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and much more. Each morning when we. It was a tragic end for the member of The Temptations who contributed most of their choreography. The constant use of cortisone left his immune system open to other infections and health problems; as a result Franklin developed diabetes in the early 1980s and later contracted necrotizing fasciitis. Also, one such personality was Melvin Franklin, who was also called Blue by his fans. Paul Williams was born on July 2, 1939 in Birmingham, Alabama, USA. According to the coroner, Williams had used his right hand to shoot himself on the left side of his head. In order to have shot himself, Williams would have had to angle his gun in an impractical manner. After an initial dry period, the Temptations quickly became the most successful male vocal group of the 1960s. Paul .Eddie touched My Inner Soul like no other!! Franklin was usually called upon to deliver ad-libs, harmony vocals, and, during the psychedelic soul era, notable sections of the main verses. The Temptations are a group of singers who have been around for many years. Paul and Eddie,were my favorite of the original Temps Eddie s false to was always so smooth,and effortless, and Paul had a soulful ,and intense quality iin his voice,there will never be another Eddie Kendrick, or Paul Williams may they both rest in peace. Dennis Edwards, one of the former lead singers of the Temptations, died at the age of 74. But one of their most successful singles has to be The Way You Do Things You Do from 1964. He certainly deserves that at least. Kendricks returned to Alabama, but visited Paul in Detroit shortly after. Williams was noted for being one of the founding members and original lead singer of the Motown group The Temptations. Dennis Edwards joined the Temptations in 1968 and performed with the group off and on until 1989, voicing classics like Cloud Nine and Papa Was a Rollin Stone.. Although Williams had been the group's original lead singer during its formative years, by 1965, his role had been eclipsed by David Ruffin and Eddie Kendricks, who had both sung lead on Temptations hit singles. In addition, a bottle of alcohol was found near Williams's left side, as if he had dropped it while being shot. As of now, the loved singer is interred at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Los Angeles. He has earned his net worth primarily through the songwriting and composing. At the time of his death he survived by his large extended friends and family. The Temptations' story is an epic journey of courage, struggle, triumphs, setbacks, and ultimately, international superstardom. Learn how and when to remove this template message, Ball of Confusion (That's What the World Is Today), "Obituaries: Melvin Franklin; Temptations' Original Bass Vocalist", List of Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Inductees, "R&B Hall of Fame makes Cleveland its home for now", Melvin Franklin in-depth interview by Pete Lewis, 'Blues & Soul' October 1992 (reprinted February 2009), Diana Ross & the Supremes Join the Temptations, Lost and Found: You've Got to Earn It (19621968), I Could Never Love Another (After Loving You), Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me), https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Melvin_Franklin&oldid=1140595420, Burials at Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Hollywood Hills), Northwestern High School (Michigan) alumni, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles needing additional references from June 2010, All articles needing additional references, Pages using infobox musical artist with associated acts, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 20 February 2023, at 20:43. We recommend you to check the complete list of Famous baritone singer and choreographer; founding member of The Temptations. The genesis and magnitude of their greatness is one of the most extraordinary stories of the 20th and 21st Centuries. His death was ruled as suicide, but there are suspicions of foul play. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Soon after, he also began to have money problems. Paul Williams first became. His height is 1.57 m tall, and his weight is 69kg. The Temptations net worth 153 Million Millions of dollars 99% Net worth score Disclamer: The Temptations net worth displayed here are calculated based on a combination social factors. On August 17, 2013, in Cleveland, Ohio, Melvin Franklin was inducted into the Rhythm and Blues Music Hall of Fame as a member of The Temptations. Also, Melvin was played by actor, DB Woodside. Williams stands as the last surviving member of the group's core members, with Paul Williams dying by suicide in 1973, Bryant succumbing to alcoholism in 1975 and Franklin and Kendricks passing . Paul Williams, Sr., was the original lead singer of The Temptations. (Photo by Rick Diamond/WireImage), TCB -- Aired 12/9/68 -- Pictured: The Temptations: (l-r) Eddie Kendricks, Dennis Edwards, Otis Williams, Melvin Franklin, Paul Williams (Photo by NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images), How Black Filmmakers Are Reclaiming Their History Onscreen. Still, he has an estimated net worth of $20 million as of March 2023. Williams also had three other children, Paul Williams Lucas, Anthony Johnson, and Derrick Vinyard, with three girlfriends. Otis and Melvin were the only founding Temptations who never left the group. Williams performs with The Temptations on, "Temptations heir sues sister over lost royalties", "The 1989 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony", "R&B Hall of Fame makes Cleveland its home for now", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Paul_Williams_(The_Temptations_singer)&oldid=1132799040, This page was last edited on 10 January 2023, at 17:12. When they released the spirited Oh Mother Of Mine, their first single on the Miracle subsidiary in July that year, Paul Williams shared lead vocal duties with Kendricks. Along with Elbridge "Al" Bryant, Otis Williams, and fellow Alabamians Eddie Kendricks and Melvin Franklin, Williams was a member of The Temptations. Likewise, Franklin also appeared in the 1986 British adventure movie, Sky Bandits. Born on 12th October 1942, his mothers name was Rose English from Mobile County, Alabama. Paul would remain a lesser-known name than either Ruffin or Kendricks, despite his great vocal presence and pivotal role in the rise of the classic five-piece line-up, alongside Melvin Franklin and the sole survivor in the modern-day Temptations, Otis (no relation) Williams. Melvin Franklin, also known as Blue, was an American-born singer and founding member of the Motown singing group, The Temptations. Also, Melvin was played by actor, DB Woodside. But Pauls key place in the group is well represented by actor James Harkness in the widely acclaimed Broadway production Aint Too Proud: The Life and Times of The Temptations. Indeed, Paul would be prominent on many early Tempts sides, including the terrific, doo-wop-flavoured follow-up 45 Check Yourself late in 1961 and, a year later, Slow Down Heart, their first track produced by Smokey Robinson, who also wrote it. he was one of famous baritone singer and choreographer; founding member of The Temptations with the age years old group. Shortly after, Melvin developed diabetes in the early 1980s and later suffered from necrotizing fasciitis. Each of the other four Temptations did what they could to help Williams, alternating between raiding and draining his alcohol stashes, personal interventions, and keeping oxygen tanks backstage. When Paul was only 13 years old, his father died in a car accident. Motown. This Poem is a special message to Paul from those who love him. [8] The business was not as successful as planned, and Williams soon found himself owing more than $80,000 in taxes (US$591,143 in 2021 dollars[9]). Temptations singer Paul Williams died from a gunshot wound to the head on August 17, 1973 in Detroit, Michigan. Likewise, to make it worse, a robber shot him in hand and leg while trying to stop him from stealing his car. However, the group has a lot more successful songs under their name. It helps to already be famous to become a social media influencer, but he demonstrates that you need to have a raw or personal touch and engage with your followers if you want to do well on Instagram Facebook, Twiter, Youtube, etc. Otis Williams is the last original member and he has a net worth of $5 million. Paul Williams (The Temptationss income mostly comes from and basic source was being a successful American baritone singer and choreographer; founding member of The Temptations. There werent any computers to make voices sound good back them. Street officially replaced Paul Williams in mid-1971, after both he and Eddie Kendricks left the group. Moreover, that same year, his wife received the Lifetime Achievement Award for the deceased singer. Despite the questions surrounding his death, he remains a hero of music. Third, the gun had been fired twice, but only one bullet was lodged inside Williams. During the early symptoms, the singer battled it with cortisone to perform with his group. Considered the Temptations' best dancer, Williams served as the group's original choreographer, devising routines for his group and The Supremes (most notably their trademark "Stop! A gun was found near his body. We believe that every person's story is important as it provides our community with an opportunity to feel a sense of belonging, share their hopes and dreams. As such, Williams was often overlooked for leads, even on album tracks and B-sides, prompting him to complain, "shit, I can sing too!" Elbridge Bryant, Paul Williams, and Eddie Kendricks were all members of the group, which was created in late 1960.