The Temptations Bring Farewell Tour to Ruth Eckerd Hall

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Otis Williams leads the iconic group through their farewell tour with 42 Top Ten Hits spanning decades.

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Ruth Eckerd Hall presents The Temptations Farewell Tour on Saturday, February 20 at 7:30 pm. Tickets go on sale Friday, September 18 at 10 am.

The Temptations' story is an extraordinary journey from the streets of Detroit to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. With their signature dance moves and unmistakable harmonies, they rose to the top of the charts creating an amazing 42 Top Ten Hits with 14 reaching number one. Just a few of their classic hits that transcends all demographics – My Girl, Just My Imagination, Get Ready, Papa Was a Rolling Stone and so many more. Otis Williams is the original and founding member of The Temptations – through the good times and the bad. He is the key to their history and their stories - how they met, their groundbreaking heights, personal and political conflicts, brotherhood, family, loyalty and more. As the leader and collaborator, he has set the direction and tone for the Temptations through their transitions from the 60s to now. The group's popularity is ever-increasing, as they are one of the most iconic, bestselling brands in the world today.

The demand for the Temptations grows as each generation discovers them. Most recently, New York Mets star player Francisco Lindor chose My Girl as his walk-up song. The song resonated prompting the crowd at Citi Field to sing even after he reached the plate. This resulted in the Mets inviting the Temptations to perform the National Anthem and sing for the crowd at Game 5 of the National League Championship Series. This kicked off a series of television and personal appearances that hasn't stopped.

At every show, they meet multi-generational fans who tell them time after time, that The Temptations is a group that everyone can enjoy. And proving the point, My Girl officially hit one billion Spotify streams putting them among only 1000 other artists to reach this milestone.

The Temptations' heritage, influence and contributions to, not only American culture and African American communities but also to the global music landscape are monumental. The influence that The Temptations had on mainstream and global artists, such as The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan and others, is undeniable.

Motown auditioned and signed the original Temptations ( Otis Williams , Melvin Franklin, Paul Williams , Eddie Kendricks, and Elbridge 'Al' Bryant) in May of 1961. When the legendary 'Classic Five,' ( Otis Williams , Melvin Franklin, Eddie Kendricks, Paul Williams and David Ruffin ) released the single, The Way You Do the Things You Do, in 1964, which peaked at #11 on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart and remained on the list for 11 weeks, it marked the beginning of a multitude of award-winning and chart-topping singles and albums that would be embraced by popular music audiences globally. Considered trailblazers in the 60's, leading the way not only for themselves but for other R&B artists, and successfully reaching mainstream audiences here and abroad, The Temptations' rise to fame was meteoric. It was on March 6, 1965 that their first million copy, bestselling single, My Girl hit #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart. The Temptations' role as artists, and how they used their voices to speak to the times they lived through, especially during the 60's-one of the most turbulent decades in the nation's history, is compelling.

They were among the first African American musical artists to crossover into mainstream America and appear on popular, national mainstream television programs, such as The Ed Sullivan Show , and The Hollywood Palace. The group's star power was so striking that these top-rated, national programs, and many others, scheduled appearances for The Temptations multiple times during a single year. At the time, this was an unparalleled accomplishment for African American entertainers.

The Temptations, throughout the group's evolution, have produced 53 Billboard Hot 100 singles, including four Billboard Hot 100 #1 singles: My Girl, I Can't Get Next to You, Just My Imagination and Papa Was a Rollin' Stone. Additionally, they released 44 Top 10 R&B chart hits, 14 of which were #1 R&B singles, including timeless classics such as Ain't Too Proud to Beg, Beauty Is Only Skin Deep, I Wish It Would Rain and songs influenced by their funk/psychedelic soul sound including Happy People, and Shakey Ground. The group also has 16 #1 R&B Chart albums. In the Spring of 2017, Billboard named The Temptations as #1 The Greatest R&B/Hip Hop Artist of All Time.

The Temptations are the recipients of numerous awards and honors. The group has been awarded more than 50 Gold, Platinum, and Multi-Platinum awards all combined. They have been awarded five Grammy Awards (and have received nine Grammy nominations), including the Recording Academy's Lifetime Achievement Grammy Award at the 56th Annual Grammy Awards (2013). The Temptations delivered Motown's and their first-ever, GRAMMY at the 11th Annual Grammy Awards in 1969 for Best Rhythm & Blues Performance by a Duo or Group, Vocal or Instrumental, for their song, Cloud Nine. They won their next two GRAMMYS at the 15th Annual Grammy Awards in 1973 for the #1 Billboard Hot 100 Single, Papa Was a Rollin' Stone, which won a total of three Grammy Awards that year: Best Rhythm & Blues Vocal Performance by a Duo, Group or Chorus, awarded to The Temptations; Best Rhythm & Blues Instrumental Performance, awarded to The Temptations and Paul Riser , and Best Rhythm & Blues Song, awarded to Barrett Strong and Norman Whitfield as songwriters. The group won their fourth GRAMMY at the 43rd Annual Grammy Awards in 2001 for their Top 20 R&B Chart Album, Ear-Resistible for Best Traditional Rhythm & Blues Vocal Performance. My Girl, what many call their magnum opus, was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1998, followed by Papa Was a Rollin' Stone a year later in 1999.

The group's 60-year history spans the 20th and 21st centuries, and their music transcends generations. The Temptations' story is a road map through American history. What began in Detroit, when a remarkable combination of soulful voices united, was the genesis of an epic journey that introduced multiple superstars to the world and produced some of the greatest music of our era. The Temptations always look forward to serenading fans with their soulful voices, lighting up stages with their famous Temptations' Walk and bringing joy to audiences of all ages.

The Temptations Farewell Tour performs Saturday, February 20 at 7:30 pm at Ruth Eckerd Hall.

Tickets starting at $55 are available at The Raymond James Central Ticket Office at Ruth Eckerd Hall, by calling 727-791-7400 or visiting www.RuthEckerdHall.com . The Ticket Office at Ruth Eckerd Hall is located at 1111 N. McMullen Booth Road in Clearwater and is open Tuesday through Thursday, from noon to 6 pm, Friday, from 10 am to 6 pm, and Saturday, from noon to 6 pm. The Ruth Eckerd Hall Ticket Office will open two hours prior to show time.

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_Originally reported by [BroadwayWorld](https://www.broadwayworld.com/bwwmusic/article/THE-TEMPTATIONS-Farewell-Tour-to-Make-Stop-at-Ruth-Eckerd-Hall-20260914)._