Dennis Edwards

Born in Fairfield, Alabama, Dennis Edwards Jr. was an American soul and R&B singer. At an early age, Edwards began singing at the church. As a teenager, Edwards joined a gospel vocal group called The Mighty Clouds of Joy. He studied musical composition at the Detroit Conservatory of Music. In 1961, he organized his own soul/jazz group called Dennis Edwards and the Firebirds. From January 1961 to December 1963, Edwards served as a field artilleryman in the U.S. Army. After auditioning for Detroit's Motown Records in 1966, Edwards was assigned to join The Contours. He quit the Contours in 1967. In June 1968, he joined the Temptations. Edwards' first album with the Temptations was "Live at the Copa." For a short time, he pursued a solo career. In 1980, Edwards rejoined the Temptations. In the spring of 1984, Motown re-launched Edwards's solo career. In 1987, Edwards rejoined the Temptations again. In 1989, Edwards left the group for a third and final time to join Ruffin and Kendricks. That same year, Edwards was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of The Temptations. In 1993, Edwards recorded his third solo album "Talk to Me." In 1995, Edwards began touring under the name "Dennis Edwards and the Knew Temptations." In 2013, Edwards (as a member of the Temptations) was inducted into the Rhythm and Blues Music Hall of Fame. Dennis Edwards passed away on February 1, 2018.