The eponymous biopic about the legendary vocal quintet The Temptations sits within the canon of beloved Black cinema. “Ain’t nobody coming to see you Otis,” actor Leon said with pure conviction as he embodied lead singer David Ruffin in the 1998 film’s most quotable scene. “You wish you could work it like I do.”
The fans who packed out The Fabulous Fox on Saturday, June 7 to see the Temptations headline a show with fellow Motown icons The Four Tops said otherwise.
“Go Otis, Go Otis,” Fans shouted as founding member Otis Williams– and the last surviving original Temptation –hit every cue of the upbeat choreography for their mid-tempo hit “Treat Her Like A Lady.” His position was right next to the youngest member of the group, Jawan Jackson, who joined the group in 2022. “Get it Otis,” they said as he spun, kicked and turned in perfect formation with the rest of the group – who ranged from veteran members to newcomers.
When it was time for introductions, fellow Temptation and second-longest serving group member Ron Tyson reminded the audience that Williams is 83. He’ll be 84 in a few months. Gasps of disbelief and shouts of encouragement almost drowned out the rousing applause.
St. Louis was one of the lucky regions to be afforded a stop on the select-city tour that celebrated the 60th anniversary of their American music classic that changed the game for love ballads. The timeless hit “My Girl.”
They were joined by The Four Tops, who now have a local connection thanks to veteran R&B vocalist and St. Louis native Theo Peoples’ return to the group as its new lead singer.
“The members of this group made a pact in 1954 that The Four Tops would go on forever,” Lawrence Payton Jr. told the audience. All of the original members have since passed away. Yet more than seven decades later, the group is still carrying on. Payton has been singing in the footsteps of his father, original member Lawrence Payton Sr., For the past 20 years. That promise was made several years before Peoples’ was born, but he held down the lead vocals as if he was destined to do so.
Peoples is also an alum of The Temptations – and sang lead on their Grammy winning single “Stay.”
There has always been a loving rivalry between the two titan ensembles who helped anchor Berry Gordy’s music label – and redefine popular music.
In crisp gray suits with matching Louboutin dress loafers, The Four Tops sang their way into the hearts of the audience in the same way that the original members did two generations before. Hits like “Ain’t No Woman (Like the One I’ve Got,” “Baby I Need Your Loving” and “It’s the Same Old Song.”
They also offered a fun fact about a song that is easily recognizable, but rarely attributed to them as being the artists who originally recorded it.
The song was supposed to be The Four Tops’ big comeback hit when it was released in 1982.
“They knew it was special,” Payton told the audience. “They had moderate success with the record, but it didn’t turn into the smash hit it was supposed to be.”
A cover of the song by the incomparable Whitney Houston proved The Four Tops right when the track appeared on the “The Preacher’s Wife” soundtrack nearly 15 years later.
“I just want everyone to know one thing,” Payton said. “We did it first.”
Peoples’ rich tenor belted the opening lyric, and the crowd erupted.
“I believe in you and me,” Peoples’ sang, and dedicated the performance to his wife in honor of their 31st anniversary.
They kept the audience captivated as he put his own unique vocal spin on the group’s signature hits. “Reach Out I’ll Be There” and their finale “Can’t Help My Self” were among the selections that sent the audience into overdrive.
The Four Tops set the tone – and The Temptations took it home. Not to be outdone, they danced their way on stage wearing silver tuxedos with tails. They powered through the group’s decades of hits with precision, starting with “Papa Was a Rolling Stone” and continuing with “Get Ready,” “Ain’t Too Proud To Beg” and “Ball of Confusion.” Lead duties rotated between Tyson and Tony Grant – who joined the group in 2021. His versatility and range were impressive – especially on the most recent song they performed, “Is It Gonna Be Yes or No” from their 2021 album “Temptations 60.”
The upbeat tunes and the ballads carried equal weight with the audience.
As expected, the show closed with the song it was created to celebrate. After a bit of audience participation that verified the diversity of “My Girl” and the group that recorded the song, Peoples returned to the stage to close out the show with his former group.
Otis beamed with pride as he belted the song in a manner that was an homage to Ruffin and all the original members who contributed to the timeless classic.
Living It content is produced with funding by the ARPA for the Arts grants program in partnership with the Regional Arts Commission of St. Louis and the Community Development Administration.
