That Enduring Temptation : Otis Williams Carries On the Motown Group’s Legacy With a New Lineup

At 46, Otis Williams is a soul survivor. The last living member of the original Temptations, he has seen his group mates pass away at a rate that could leave a less stable man believing that some unholy curse had been placed upon the group.

The recent death of basso profundo Melvin Franklin was an especially crushing blow: Williams and Franklin sang together in a doo-wop group called the Distants even before the Temptations were formed and signed to the budding Motown label in 1960. The two were the only members who had remained with the quintet since then.

In 1991, David Ruffin and Eddie Kendricks--the best-known Tempts, who had gone on to pursue their own careers--both died, Ruffin of a drug overdose and Kendricks of cancer. In 1973, Paul Williams (no relation to Otis) committed suicide.

Otis Williams carries on the group’s name and tradition of soul vocal harmony with a lineup that now includes Ali Woodson, Theo Peeples, Ron Tyson and, Franklin’s replacement, Ray Davis. The Temptations sing tonight and Sunday on a bill with Little Richard at the Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts.

“We’re not trying to get Ray to sound like Melvin,” Williams said this week, on the phone from a hotel room in Toronto. “Melvin will always be Melvin, and no one will ever sound like him. But Ray’s a natural, very focused and very rooted in the bass.

“You know, it was almost back-to-back in losing David, then Eddie and Melvin. But we live in a world that has lost kings and queens, presidents and czars, and the world keeps moving on. You have to understand the realities of things and pick it up and keep moving. We’ve seen a lot of changes, and it’s strengthened us. You have to take a negative and turn it into a positive. We’re all God-fearing Southern boys, raised in the church. We all have that spiritual, Baptist upbringing. You have to look at things in a balanced sort of way.”

Williams was always the thinking man’s Tempt. Quiet, reserved and thoughtful. While Ruffin and Kendricks were flashy and spontaneous, Williams gave the group its name and created many of its celebrated vocal arrangements and choreographies. But he was content to stay in the background, never taking a lead vocal and shying away from the spotlight as Ruffin and Kendricks drew the accolades of fans and critics.

“When you’re surrounded by great singers like David, Eddie and Paul, you’re doing wonderfully well,” Williams said. “My interest has always been in achieving our goals. My ego doesn’t tell me I have to sing lead. We all make the same money, so it doesn’t bother me.”

The Temptations were among the founding elite of the Motown sound, not to mention one of the most popular groups in pop history. While personnel shifts were frequent, the group adapted, growing with the changes and consistently scoring hit records even as prevailing styles changed from post doo-wop harmony to psychedelic soul to hard funk.

“The Way You Do the Things You Do,” “My Girl,” “Ain’t Too Proud to Beg,” “Get Ready,” “Cloud Nine,” “I Can’t Get Next to You,” “Ball of Confusion,” “Papa Was a Rolling Stone,” “Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me)” and “Shakey Ground” are just a few of the classic sides the group has recorded.

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The Tempts released their 50th album, “Milestones,” in 1992. The current lineup just completed an album of standards, “For Lovers Only,” to be released this summer. Still--and unlike many veteran artists--Williams is not above waxing nostalgic for the good old days. While he asserts pride in the current group, he is keenly aware of the Temptations’ important legacy and says he frequently finds himself daydreaming of the heyday of the Tempts and of Motown--histories that are forever entwined.

“I’m just glad that God put me in a place and time to be a part of something so great that it’s still around 30 years later, and I believe will still be around right into the 21st Century,” he said. “I look back and know it was God’s infinite wisdom for there to be a Motown and for me to be a part of it. When I go back to Detroit, I often ride around and go up to Hitsville, U.S.A. (the original Motown building), and I just think about how it was in the ‘60s. Boy, it’s hard to even put into words.

“You often hear about President Kennedy and the days of Camelot? Well, that’s the way it was at Motown. Camelot, Motown, all that wonderful energy all over everywhere, with everybody trying to achieve something. It was a very good place to be, and it’s something that will never be duplicated.”

* The Temptations and Little Richard sing tonight and Sunday night at the Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts, 12700 Center Court Drive, Cerritos. 8 p.m. $25 to $57. (800) 300-4345.

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Remembering the Legends of Motown

* Berry Gordy Jr.: “He was a very interesting person to be around. I learned a lot from Berry Gordy, from his songs and from watching him create Motown. . . . There’s things he probably would do differently if he was given the chance to do it over, but all in all, it worked out pretty good for almost all of us. A lot of us are still working based upon having been a part of the Motown machinery.”

* Diana Ross: “A very determined lady who knows what she wants and goes straight ahead to get it. I haven’t seen her in years, but when we were seeing each other, we got along famously.”

* Smokey Robinson: “Ah! One of a kind, genius, poet and wonderful human being. Smokey’s Grade A. It’s a great joy to see a genius at work. There’s no one better at putting songs together with great lyrics, and it was a privilege to be able to sing some of Smokey’s songs.”

* Levi Stubbs: “My man! One of the best vocalists in the business and a very funny person. Levi’s got a great sense of humor and a wonderful heart. Levi’s always coming at you from different angles, and he’s very youthful at heart. You can get old chronologically but stay young in heart and mind--that’s Levi. He’s always saying something stupid and acting crazy!”

* Michael Jackson: “Michael has been through quite a few changes in the last few years. He called me last year, and he and I talked until about 4:30 in the morning. Regardless of what they say about him, I love Michael. He’s a very sensitive spirit, and his ways are probably very eccentric, but all in all, Michael is a fantastic person. When you reach the pinnacle of world renown that Michael has, you’re gonna take some lumps.”

* Marvin Gaye: “I am so glad to have had the opportunity to spend part of my life with the great, legendary Marvin Gaye. He was a very introspective sort of person. I would see him at Motown, sitting there noodling at the piano, coming up with great feelings and playing very progressive chords. He was a creative genius.”