Paradise:Eddie
Eddie Kendricks
Edward James Kendricks was born in Birmingham, Alabama to Johnny and Lee
Bell Kendricks on December 17, 1939. Growing up in Alabama, he met up with his best friend, Paul Williams and another friend, Kell Osborne to form a vocal harmony trio, first called the Cavaliers, but better known as the Primes. Eddie, along with the other two young men, yearned for musical success. Ready to grab their dreams, they left Alabama for the North, where the music business was blooming everywhere. Making stops in Cleveland, Eddie and his friends made their way to Detroit, Michigan. After hooking up with Milton Jenkins, a flashy manager, the Primes earned a reputation around the Detroit club circuit as a group with great harmonies and smooth onstage dance routines. Eddie captivated audiences with his tenor and his bedazzling falsetto. In 1961, the Primes disbanded, Kell leaving for California. Eddie returned to Alabama, only to be convinced to stay in Detroit by Paul Williams.
Williams and Kendricks joined with members of the Distants, another Detroit group, consisting of Otis Williams, Melvin Franklin, and Elbridge Bryant to form the Elgins, better known as the Temptations. The group was signed to Motown in 1961. Eddie and Paul lead minor hits for this young group, leading Eddie to
make the comment that "his half (of the group) was the
better half". Some songs Eddie lead on in these early days were 'Paradise'(with Melvin Franklin), 'Dream Come True', and 'A Tear From A Woman's Eye'. In 1964, Eddie's voice became celebrated and appreciated the world over as he lead on the Temptations breakout tune, 'The Way You Do The Things You Do'. By now, his singing style was in place: the high falsetto with some of his natural tenor shadings. Eddie again split leads with David Ruffin, who came to the group in 1964. Eddie also fit the physical mold of the group, at 6'1, he was the tall, skinny handsome man with the bright smile and boyish good looks. He was also the one who helped create the Temptations' reputation as some of the snazziest dressers in pop music.
He gave the Temptations many great hits with his voice, including 'I'll Be In Trouble', 'Please Return Your Love To Me', and the stone R&B smash, ' Get Ready'. With Ruffin's vocal prowess, Eddie's voice was put in the background more and more, and by 1971 he sang lead on his first hit in 3 years, 'Just My Imagination'. On the heels of David Ruffin's departure and Paul Williams' worsening condition, Eddie left the group after this song to embark on a mildly successful solo career that boasted two number one hits, 'Keep on Truckin' and 'Boogie Down'. In the 80s, Eddie toured with David Ruffin and Dennis Edwards as Former Leads of the Temptations. In 1992, at the age of 52, Eddie Kendricks died of lung cancer after smoking for most of his life. After his death, he left a big void in the falsetto/tenor department that will never be filled. His fans are loyal and his legacy lives on.
Eddie's Place
Eddie Kendricks, Eddie Kendricks
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