1950s–1990s Becoming interested in music as a teenager, Otis Miles Jr. adopted his mother's maiden name for his stage name, and as
Otis Williams put together a number of singing groups. These groups included Otis Williams and the Siberians, the El Domingoes, and the Distants. In 1959, the Distants scored a local hit, co-written by Williams and their producer
Johnnie Mae Matthews, & manager Milton Jinkins called "Come On", with lead vocals by
Richard Street. Later Distants recordings were not as successful, and after an offer from
Berry Gordy of
Motown Records, Williams and his friends/bandmates Elbridge "Al" Bryant and Melvin Franklin while Peewee Crawford & Richard Street quit the Distants.
Eddie Kendricks and
Paul Williams from
The Primes later joined Williams, Bryant, and Franklin to create the Elgins, who signed to Motown in March 1961 as "The Temptations", after being told another group was already using that name. Although he has served the longest tenure in the Temptations, Williams rarely sings lead, focusing instead on his role as the group's leader and organizer, and as the
background "baritone in the middle". Rare showcases for Williams singing lead include the
Smokey Robinson and Eddie Kendricks-written track "Don't Send Me Away" from the LP ''
The Temptations with a Lot o' Soul'' (1967) and the
Norman Whitfield-penned tune "I Ain't Got Nothing" from 1972's
All Directions. He also sang the intro to the early group song "
Check Yourself" (1961). Perhaps most notably, he performed live lead vocals on "
This Guy's in Love with You" from the 1968 albums ''
Live at London's Talk of the Town and Diana Ross & The Supremes Join the Temptations''. Williams has provided non-singing (spoken word) contributions to some Temptation songs, including: "
I'm Gonna Make You Love Me" (1968, a hit duet with
Diana Ross and Eddie Kendricks sharing the lead vocals); "I'm the Exception to the Rule", from the album ''
Sky's the Limit (1971) which features leads from both Eddie Kendricks and Dennis Edwards; during the opening verse of "Masterpiece" (1973); and "For Your Love", which is done in a medley with "You Send Me" (led by Ali-Ollie Woodson) on the For Lovers Only'' album (1995).
1990s–present The Temptations lineup changes were so frequent, stressful and troublesome that Williams and
Melvin Franklin promised each other they would never quit the group. == Additional works ==