Ricky Owens -- Temptation

[CJD88]

From all that’s been written, it’s been made to believe Ricky joined the group, did a few gigs, and was fired. But we’ve seen from photos that he replaces Eddie and the new lineup with Paul Williams still in the group does a photo session [[these go unpublished for decades) and a few gigs including one where Otis is absent and it’s just four Temptations. Paul then leaves due to health reasons and Richard Street steps in. The new lineup does a photo session and more gigs before Ricky is fired.

So what’s the time line of all this? It has to be more than just a few weeks.

I'm going through old threads and couldn't believe I saw this!
There were shows where Otis was absent? Do pictures of this gig still exist? I can't find any info on this online other than here.

[jboy88]

I'm going through old threads and couldn't believe I saw this!
There were shows where Otis was absent? Do pictures of this gig still exist? I can't find any info on this online other than here.

This will help clarify that! https://www.instagram.com/p/C4ljq7-x...Nud3RocGF4ZHFv

Attached are the aforementioned photos and a not so positive review of the performance. Paul visibly looked dazed in the photo with Ricky singing lead.

[jboy88]

On a side note, Otis’s injury would sadly prevent him from appearing for Paul’s final show in Chicago later that Summer.

[jsmith]

I have Otis's book here somewhere but it's not to hand.
SO, can someone tell me if Otis deals with his time of absence from the group in 1971. When did it begin & end ?
If Otis wasn't performing with the group when Ricky was, then it seems strange that the criticism of the 4 strong group's performances during that period were all put down purely to Ricky not being 'up to the job'.
With Paul Williams having suffered with major health problems for around 6 years, his ongoing affair being at odds with his determination to stand by his wife & kids, his upset & depression that Cholly Atkins had been brought in to upgrade the group's stage presentation [[a role Paul had till then undertaken), his money problems [[a failed business with his lover), and his alcoholism ... the other members of the group were having to cover for Paul by the time Ricky was hired. Paul resisted all attempts to get him to seek medical help till April 71 even though all his problems had ravaged his singing voice. Richard Street finally officially replaced Paul in the group that summer.
. . . . So Eddie was out of the group by early March 71, they were 'carrying' Paul Williams and Otis went missing for a period of time ...
So they were just 4 strong [[June, July, August?) with Melvin, Dennis & 'new boy' Ricky trying to cover for Paul [[but with Richard helping out 'off-stage).
The group must have been in total chaos at the time, but it seems an absent Otis was allowed to put the blame for their disorganised performances at the door of Ricky.
....... I always have questioned lots of Otis' decisions, this just reinforces my belief that he put his own interests ahead of those of the group on occasions.
. . . Ricky seems to have gotten a bum deal

[jboy88]

Otis only missed the first two gigs with Ricky. He made it to the Carter Barron dates. Given that Ricky had already loused up two shows prior, Otis was somewhat showing him some slack. The Carter Barron show I gather was the third strike.

[jsmith]

The shows at the Carter Baron were a 7 day booking, the group performing each night. The LA Forum gig was 3 weeks after their Carter Baron stint had commenced. So Ricky can't have been sacked after the Carter Baron booking as he was one of the 4 members of the group who performed @ the LA Forum.
I think Otis [[as he did with much of the group's history) has amended the facts to suit his own agenda.

[bradsupremes]

The shows at the Carter Baron were a 7 day booking, the group performing each night. The LA Forum gig was 3 weeks after their Carter Baron stint had commenced. So Ricky can't have been sacked after the Carter Baron booking as he was one of the 4 members of the group who performed @ the LA Forum.
I think Otis [[as he did with much of the group's history) has amended the facts to suit his own agenda.

It's been written his Ricky's first gig was Carter Baron, but the Forum show was June 19th and there is a review of the show that calls out Ricky as not being up to par and Paul being "obnoxiously awkward." The night before was a show at the Cow Palace that Otis busted an artery in and caused him to miss the Forum show. I haven't come across a review for the Cow Palace show but I'm assuming Ricky did that show too given it was the night before the Forum show. So here's my question surrounding the shows. We know they performed as a quartet for some shows in the spring. I'm assuming the shows in Twin Coaches and Honolulu were done was a quartet. There is the Cow Palace, Forum and then Carter Barron that we know Ricky did. Just a few weeks after they do a show in Detroit. Was Ricky tossed before that? Did they go back to performing as a quartet? And when exactly was Paul's last shows?

May 21-28 - Twin Coaches / Pittsburgh, PA
May 31 - Honolulu International Center / Honolulu, HI
June 18 - Cow Palace / San Francisco, CA
June 19 - The Forum / Los Angeles, CA
June 28-July 4 - Carter Barron Amphitheatre / Washington D.C.
July 18 - Edgewater Park Ballroom / Detroit, MI

[jboy88]

Ricky was gone after the Carter Barron run, if not after the second show. Damon Harris auditioned between shows during that week. As for Paul Williams, his final show was in Chicago on July 25th. His final show with Otis present was probably the Detroit date.

[jsmith]

The Temptations played Pittsburgh Civic Arena, Pittsburgh on February 5th -- was that Eddie's last show as a member of the group ?
The group's next [[known) gigs were 21st to 29th May @ Twin Coaches, Belle Vernon, Pa -- is it known who the members were for these shows ?
Next Honolulu & then the Cow Palace, SanFran.
... Then came the LA Forum show on 19th June without Otis performing in the group.
They played Edgewater Park Ballroom, Detroit on 18th July. That venue had been a local 'happy hunting ground' for Motown stars but by 1971, Invictus & Hot Wax groups were muscling in on the act.
Over a months break followed before a show @ the Kentucky State Fair on 21st August [[Freedom Hall, Louisville). I guess the new group line-up was in place for this show [[Damon, no Paul but Richard in his place on stage) & the month's break had been used to get the new guys up to speed.
Then @ the end of August, gigs @ Painters Mill Theatre, Maryland.
The music press & newspapers hadn't kept up with changes in the group as the Painters Mill gigs [[end of Aug / Sept) press info had the group members still being Eddie, Paul, Melvin, Otis & Dennis.

[jsmith]

In summer 1971 they were asking ARE THE TEMPTATIONS DEAD ...

[jboy88]

As frustrating as it was for the group, David Ruffin showing up unannounced during Dennis Edward’s first appearances, must have given Dennis a tremendous boost of confidence to take on his new position. Despite his bitterness towards his former group mates, David gave Dennis his blessings.

Eddie Kendricks on the other hand, likely couldn’t have cared less about his replacement. He wanted to get as far from Otis and Melvin as possible. So him popping up for a “special appearance” was not in the cards for Ricky Owens. He was left to the mercy of hostile fans who were still angry about Eddie leaving the group.

[jsmith]

The 'classic' sound of the Tempts was almost 100% based around David & Eddie's lead vocal work ... so I can fully understand the group's fans being totally pissed off in 1971 with both exceptional singers being gone from the group at that time.
It's just a pity that Motown didn't really seem to furnish either of them [[as solo singers) with top class material on a regular basis. Otherwise, Motown could have ended up with a Teddy P type of situation [[or Lionel Richie / Commodores; Diane / Supremes; Smokey / Miracles scenario).

[jsmith]

Just days before he quit the group, Eddie fronting them up on the Ed Sullivan show [[31st Jan 71) ...