THE TEMPTATIONS Come To Union County PAC 4/23

Get ready to celebrate Motown's 50th! The Temptations, one of the most successful groups in the music history, is coming to the Union County Performing Arts Center on Thursday, April 23rd, presented by WCBS-FM and Rrazz Entertainment. Opening for the Temptations are The Honey Cone featuring Edna Wright and Goumba Johnny Sialian, WTKU personality.

Thanks to their finely-tuned choreography, and even finer harmonies, The Temptations became the definitive male vocal group of the 1960s. One of Motown's most elastic acts, they tackled both lush pop and politically charged funk with equal flair, and weathered a steady stream of changes in personnel and consumer tastes with rare dignity and grace.

The history of The Temptations is the history of contemporary American pop. An essential component of the original Motown machine, The Temptations began their musical life in Detroit in the early sixties. The initial five-man lineup formed in Detroit in 1961 as a merger of two local vocal groups, the Primes and the Distants. It wasn't until 1964, when they recorded Smokey Robinson's, "The Way You Do the Things You Do", the first in a series of 37 career Top Ten hits, that The Temptations fortunes changed dramatically. They returned in 1965 with their signature song and #1 hit, "My Girl", also written by Robinson. Other Top 20 hits that year included: "It's Growing," "Since I Lost My Baby," "Don't Look Back," and "My Baby." In 1966, The Temptations recorded another Robinson hit, "Get Ready". Over the next few years, the group followed by "Ain't Too Proud to Beg", "Beauty's Only Skin Deep", "I'm Losing You", "I Can't Get Next To You", "Just My Imagination", "Superstar" and "Papa Was a Rolling Stone". Throughout the years, The Temptations have undergone frequent lineup changes. However, one face has never changed...that of Otis Williams, who formed the group over 45 years ago and continues to perform with The Temptations today.

The Motown group sold an estimated 22 million records between 1960 and 1982. The group's chart statistics are unparalleled....between 1964 and 1975 19 Top 20 albums. Over its career, the group has had 37 Top 40 singles and 32 R&B Top 10 albums. Their influential music has also won them many awards, including three Grammys, and in 1989 they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

The vocal trio Honey Cone featuring Edna Wright only stayed together for four years, but was still one of the best female soul groups of the early '70s. The Honey Cone's first release was a 1969 single titled "While You're Out Looking for Sugar". Their next single, "Girls, It Ain't Easy" become a major hit, reaching number eight on Billboard's R&B singles chart. After that, Honey Cone enjoyed their biggest hit of all, "Want Ads", which reached number one on Billboard's R&B and pop singles charts. In 1971 and 1972, Honey Cone followed up "Want Ads" with top 20 hits, "Stick Up' and "One Monkey Don't Stop No Show".

Goumba Johnny Sialiano best known for his afternoon show on WKTU radio in New York City, ventured into comedy writing when he injured his neck while a free agent with the New York Jets. His talent for writing has lead Goumba Johnny to become a weekly contributor to the Star Magazine as well as writing the book, So You Want To Be A Mobster. It also spawned a standup career for the well known on-air personality and he has shared the stage with many of the top acts in comedy.

Get ready to celebrate 50 years of Motown with The Temptations with special guests The Honey Cone, featuring Edna Wright, and WKTU personality, Goumba Johnny, presented by WCBS-FM and Rrazz Entertainment, at the Union County Performing Arts Center on Thursday, April 23rd. Show time is 8 p.m. Union County Performing Arts Center is located at 1601 Irving Street in Rahway, New Jersey. Tickets are $35, $45, $55. There are limited VIP tickets available for $65. Buy tickets online at www.ucpac.org or by phone at (732) 499-8226.

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