Exclusive: Otis Williams of the Legendary Temptations Speaks on New Project and the Most Important Thing We Should Remember About the Group

Tonight the City College Center for the Arts Celebrates  the Temptations’ Otis Williams who just celebrated his 80th birthday. City College Center for the Arts, on the campus of City College of New York, is honoring the 60-year history of the legendary Rock & Roll Hall of Famer and Grammy® Award-winning Otis Williams and The Temptations, tonight Monday, November 1, with a special live, virtual event. The affair will feature a conversation with Williams, a founding and the sole surviving original member of The Temptations sharing memories about the “Evolution of The Temptations’ Music, 1961 – 2021,” while also celebrating his 80th birthday. This special virtual conversation will be simulcast at citycollegecenterforthearts.org from the Aaron Davis Hall’s renowned Marian Anderson Theatre, named after the distinguished African American singer who broke racial barriers and inspired new generations of singers of all colors. Distinguished musician, composer and entertainment entrepreneur K. Sparks will conduct the online event, which begins at 7:30 p.m. EDT and will feature other special guests.

Mr. Williams is the last surviving member of the original group and ahead of this celebration gave us a few moments out of his busy schedule to weigh in on a few things!

Congratulations on your 80th birthday! Isn’t it amazing that your music is as timeless as you?

Otis Williams: “Thank you for your birthday wishes! I thank God, first and foremost, every morning that I open my eyes and I’m still here. I’ve been blessed to have such a wonderful career and to still be performing. When the group first started out, back in the 60s, I never imagined our music would be passed between generations the way that it has all these years. I want to thank all of our fans everywhere for sticking by us, then and now. Our fans have really kept me and the group going.”

You’ve made so many hits, are you paying attention to the new generation’s music and if so, who would you pass the torch to?

OW: “There are so many great artists, I don’t know that I can pass the torch to just one group or artist, however, I hope our music, style and choreography have influenced and inspired many of the artists coming up behind us. I have been impressed with quite a few, including Bruno Mars, New Edition, and Boyz II Men.”

What does the new project mean to you?

OW: “I’m very excited about our new single, “Is It Gonna Be Yes or No,” that we recently released with Smoke, that’s my nickname for the great Smokey Robinson. When the Tempts first met Smoke we were teenagers, and after we released “My Girl,” one of our greatest hits of all time, we worked together on many more chart hits together. Now, here it is 60 years later, as I turn 80, Smoke and I got the opportunity to get back in the studio and do it all again. He and I have come full circle, and we will always be brothers.”

What’s the most important thing we should remember and teach about The Temptations?

OW: “I hope people will remember how much we loved making music, performing in front of our fans worldwide, and that we were not perfect but we were blessed to live our dream. Our journey was epic and introduced multiple superstars to the world and we produced some of the greatest music of our era. Our history is American history. We were entertainment pioneers of our time. We broke racial barriers and faced some tough times, and in spite of our own faults and shortcomings, we will always, all, be brothers. We leave behind an everlasting catalog of award-winning music and I hope our music will continue to uplift the human spirit for generations to come.”

Featured Image: TEMPTATION’S OTIS WILLIAMS – Photo credit Photography by Scott Leon. Courtesy of UME

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About the Author

Dr. Jerry Doby Editor-in-Chief of The Hype Magazine, Media and SEO Consultant, Journalist, Ph.D. and retired combat vet. 2023 recipient of The President's Lifetime Achievement Award. Partner at THM Media Group. Member of the U.S. Department of Arts and Culture, the United States Press Agency and ForbesBLK.