Legendary Temptations Singer Dennis Edwards Dies at 74

Dennis Edwards, who sang on several of the Temptations’ major hits in the late 1960s and early 1970s, has died at the age of 74.

Edwards died in Chicago, a day before his 75th birthday, his family told CBS Chicago.

Edwards was born in Fairfield, Alabama, and found a love of music in Detroit. He joined several groups before he was hired by Motown and the Temptations to replace David Ruffin in 1968.

With Edwards as the lead singer, the group found success with the Grammy-winning “Papa Was a Rolling Stone,” as well as “Just My Imagination (Running Away From Me)” and “I Can’t Get Next to You.”

Edwards left the group in1977, but rejoined in 1980. He left again in 1984, and had one more stint with the group from 1987 to 1989. He also had minor hits as a solo artist, but he was forever linked to the Temptations.

The iconic Motown group was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and earned the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2013.

Edwards was married to The Pointer Sisters singer Ruth Pointer from 1976 to 1977. They had a daughter, singer Issa Pointer.

In a 2013 interview with the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Edwards said he never imagined being one of the last surviving members of The Temptations, along with co-founder Otis Williams.

“We really got caught up in the times, and how the heck did I make it?” Edwards wondered. “We dibbled and dabbled with alcohol and drugs. But it’s important for people to know if you change your lifestyle and wake up, there is hope. I had a mother who prayed for me, and prayer changes everything.”

When asked to describe his time with the Temptations in one word, Edwards replied, “Amazing.”

Williams, who successfully stopped Edwards from using the Temptations name for tours, is the only living founding member of the Temptations.

This is a developing story and will continue to be updated.

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