From the MCRFB NEWS archive: 1969
Temptations a Polished Music-Making Machine
NEW YORK — The pleasure, pride and drama of steamrolling into the Copacabana last Thursday, April 10, with their million-sellers yielding to their million-sellers and hit albums crowding the current chart tops now belongs to Detroit’s own Motown Temptations, that relentless soul-to-gold hit machine, whose polish can be witnessed in person or can be researched in sneakers anytime on their fine album, “The Temptations Live At The Copa.”
Flashing their synchronized soul bursts, the quintet collaged their greatest hits into a picture of perpetual motions, striking the heights of excitement with “I Could Never Love Another,” “I’m Gonna Make You Love Me” and “I’m Losing You.” The crunching soul snarl of Dennis Edwards, melting into the sensitive notes and high cries of Eddie Kendricks, fluently eased into the chords given off by Paul Williams with his rendition of “For Once In My Life.”
The electrifying acts’ finality became even more crowd enthralled when Mel Franklin took the microphone by complimenting the staged event with his moving bass reading of “Old Man River.” The song had been previously entwined in the group’s indelible trademark ever since Motown released the Tempts Detroit Roostertail “live” performance LP in 1967.
The versatility and timeless popularity of the Temps has made them music makers as big as the music they have shaped themselves, a brand of music which is without question, still on top pulsating the rhythmic heartbeat of a nation dancing to Detroit’s Motown soul today. END
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(Information and news source: Billboard; April 19, 1969)
Was at this show, after my HS Junior Prom with about a dozen fellow classmates/dates. Loved the Copa, and still love the Tempts.