Despite having a strong vocal presence and playing a crucial part in the development of the traditional five-piece line-up, Paul continued to have less fame than either David Ruffin or Eddie Kendricks.
Williams was not a native of Detroit. He was born on July 2, 1939, in Birmingham, Alabama, where he attended primary school and knew Kendricks. He then joined forces with his buddy Kel Osbourne to find the Cavaliers. They changed their name to the Primes and moved to Detroit as fate would have it after looking for jobs in Cleveland.
Despite his strong vocal presence and crucial involvement in the emergence of the traditional five-piece line-up, Paul would continue to be a lesser-known figure than either Ruffin or Kendricks, along with Melvin Franklin, and the lone survivor in the contemporary Temptations, Otis (no related) Williams. But in the critically praised Broadway show Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of The Temptations, actor James Harkness does a commendable job of capturing Paul’s important role in the band.
Who was the best Temptations lead singer?
Paul Williams was the Temptations’ mostly unrecognized hero. Although David Ruffin and Eddie Kendricks were the Motown group’s original lead singers, it was David Ruffin’s voice that was heard when the group went global and became soul heroes with “My Girl” in 1964.
