Paul Williams was a baritone vocalist of the original Temptations, one of the most successful and acclaimed male vocal groups of the '60s. He sang lead on a number of songs and was instrumental in engineering the band's exciting choreography and in developing its style.
             Williams was born July of 1939 in Birmingham, Ala. Williams, along with future Temptation Eddie Kendricks, sang in Ohio as the Cavaliers, moved to Detroit and developed a Detroit band, the Primes along with Kendricks and Kel Osborn, in the late '50s. The Primes were the inspiration for the Primettes, the group that eventually became the Supremes - the Primes' management felt a female version of the band would have similar success.
             The Primes were noticed by Otis Williams (no relation) who led the Detroit group Otis Williams and the Distants. Otis merged his group, which also included Eldridge Bryant and Melvin Franklin, with the Primes Paul, and Eddie (Kel quit) to form the Elgins in 1961. Since there was a group already with that name the group soon changed its name to the Temptations and recorded two unsuccessful singles for Motown's Miracle label. As a spoof, the group also went under the name "The Pirates." In 1962 the Temptations made the U.S. top 40 with "Dream Come True," then suffered a few more flops. But the group's matching suits and skilled dance moves developed by Williams, began to attract attention.
             After fighting with Paul, Bryant was fired and replaced by David Ruffin. The band started to work with Smokey Robinson, who wrote the Temptations' #11 hit "The Way You Do the Things You Do." The song began a long string of smooth soul-pop hits.
             In 1965 the group topped the Billboard Hot 100 with "My Girl", and also had hits with "It's Growing," "Since I Lost My Baby," "My Baby" and "Don't Look Back," on which Paul sang lead. One of Paul's most soul stirring renditions, was the ballad remake of the Stevie Wonder hit "For Once In My Life". T
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