Temptations Singer Dennis Edwards Dead at 74

Temptations singer Dennis Edwards died in a Chicago hospital Friday after a long illness, just one day before he would have turned 75. Suggested Reading Why the Black Internet Believes Grammys Just Threw Shade at BeyoncΓ© Proof The ‘Absent Black Father’ Was a Big Lie Jay-Z’s Daughter Rumi Carter Throws Up the Roc Nation Sign…

Temptations singer Dennis Edwards died in a Chicago hospital Friday after a long illness, just one day before he would have turned 75.

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His death was confirmed to ABC Radio by his manager, Toby Ludwig, ABC7 reports.

Edwards joined the famous Motown group in 1968, stepping in to replace lead singer and founding member David Ruffin. His strong, rough voice provided lead vocals on several Temptations hits, including β€œCloud Nine,” β€œBall of Confusion,” β€œI Can’t Get Next to You” and my personal favorite, β€œPapa Was a Rollin’ Stone.”

https://twitter.com/RollingStone/status/959512241342156800

Edwards went on to have a successful solo career that spawned the 1984 hit β€œDon’t Look Any Further,” a duet with Siedah Garrett.

He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a Temptation in 1989.

In the ’90s, he toured with a group billed as the Temptations Review Featuring Dennis Edwards.

Fans and friends of the singerβ€”including former BET VJ Donnie Simpson and the Rev. Jesse Jacksonβ€” paid tribute to the singer on Twitter as news of his death spread.

https://twitter.com/DonnieSimpson/status/959516348522090496
https://twitter.com/RevJJackson/status/959511153029369856
https://twitter.com/JayScottSmith/status/959515273001881600

I always loved the sound of his voice. It is what made β€œPapa Was a Rollin’ Stone” such a great song.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3dWDJhLCgdo

Of course, β€œDon’t Look Any Further” is probably what most Gen X, Gen Y and millennials will remember him for. This song gave us one of the greatest hip-hop samples of all time.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CH3rx8LhrQo

Rest in paradise, Dennis.

Editor’s note: A previous version of this post mentioned that Edwards shared lead vocals with Eddie Kendricks on β€œJust My Imagination.” In fact, it was Paul Williams.

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