By Bob Berry

“Blue”.

You probably know him as Melvin Franklin. You may only know of him as the “and the band played on” guy from Motown’s Temptations.

Melvin, who hooked up with Northwester High School classmate Otis Williams to join Otis’ first group The Distants in 1958, was the soul, the fat-bottom, “the glue guy”, the one, who along with Otis, never left Motown’s original and greatest Fab Five.

Until he died, far too young in 1995, of complications from cortisone treatments for arthritis.

Today, 10/12, would have been “Blue’s” 72nd birthday. Put on some of those old Motown Records and listen closely to Melvin’s rich bass voice on these vocal only mixes of The Temptations’ hits, from “Ain’t Too Proud To Beg”, to “My Girl” and yeah, “Papa Was A Rolling Stone“. You might be amazed at what you have never heard before.

But do it after you listen to this stunning mid-song solo. Love you, “Blue”, R.I.P.

By Bob Berry

“…I need rain to disguise the tears in my eyes…”.

Nobody sang a “pain” song than David Ruffin.

“Ain’t Too Proud To Beg”, “Since I Lost My Baby”, “I Know I’m Losing You”, David’s last song with the Tempts, “It’s You That I Need”, and more.

But above all, stands “I Wish It Would Rain“.

From Earl Van Dyke’s opening notes on the Motown Steinway, to the very tasty and restrained track by The Funk Brothers , and the incredible blend of the background vocals , “Rain” is a great track. And then..

“Sunshine, blue skies, please go away, My girl has found another, and gone away..”.

Nobody sang a “pain” song like David Ruffin.

Sunday Brunch celebrates The Motown Sound with the original “Fab Five”.

By Bob Berry

I came across a picture from my Orlando radio days of Dennis Edwards at Walt Disney World, and a light bulb went on!

“TBT with The Temptations on Keener!”. The psychedelic soul/social consciousness/Norman Whitfield-Barrett Strong-song Temptations!

Dennis bringing some sauce to the Fab Five’s vocal mix, and the Funk Brothers, in their own full funky flower; from the opening notes of Bob Babbitt’s bass line, to the snap and fills of Uriel Jones’ drums. The incredible multi-lead voices of Dennis, Eddie Kendricks, Paul Williams and Melvin (“and the band played on”) Franklin. And let us not forget Tempts co-founder Otis Williams doing what he did, harmonizing with his guys.

By now, you may have guessed I’m thinking of “Ball of Confusion”. Released in May of 1970, and Top 5 on Keener over that summer, it was the climatic song of a 20-month run that began with “Cloud Nine” in the fall of 1968, and included “Runaway Child Running Wild”,  “I Can’t Get Next To You” and “Psychedelic Shack”. Incredible music, with lyrics that spoke of the day, a new sound for the “Sound of Young America”.

As I say, they were all incredible songs. But..where else can you get Dennis Edwards shredding his vocal cords, calling out “Great Googamooga, can’t you hear me talkin’ to ya”?