Melvin Franklin
Melvin Franklin (far left), with the Temptations in 1967.
Background information
Birth name	David Melvin English
Born	October 12, 1942; Birmingham, Alabama, USA
Origin	Detroit, Michigan, USA
Died	February 23, 1995; Los Angeles, California, USA
Genre(s)	R&B, pop, soul, disco
Occupation(s)	Full time nigger
Instrument(s)	Singing
Years active	1958 - 1994
Label(s)	Motown, Atlantic
Associated acts	The Temptations

Melvin Franklin (David Melvin English) (October 12, 1942 – February 23, 1995) was an American bass singer, best known for his role as a member of Motown singing group The Temptations from 1961 to 1994. Franklin's nephew was Rick James, later a Motown star in his own right during the late 1970s and early 1980s. The Temptations circa 1967, from the cover to Temptations: Gold (2005). ... 1967 (MCMLXVII) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar (the link is to a full 1967 calendar). ... October 12 is the 285th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (286th in leap years). ... 1942 (MCMXLII) was a common year starting on Thursday (the link is to a full 1942 calendar). ... Nickname: The Magic City, Pittsburgh of the South, BHam, The Ham Location in Jefferson County in the state of Alabama Coordinates: Country United States State Alabama County Jefferson, Shelby Mayor Bernard Kincaid (D) Area    - City 151. ... Nickname: Motor City, Motown Motto: Speramus Meliora; Resurget Cineribus (Latin for, We Hope For Better Things; It Shall Rise From the Ashes) Location in Wayne County, Michigan Coordinates: Country United States State Michigan County Wayne County Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick Area    - City 370. ... February 23 is the 54th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1995 (MCMXCV) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Nickname: City of Angels Location within Los Angeles County in the state of California Coordinates: State California County Los Angeles County Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa Area    - City 1,290. ... A music genre is a category (or genre) of pieces of music that share a certain style or basic musical language (van der Merwe 1989, p. ... Rhythm and blues (or R & B) is a musical marketing term introduced in the United States in the late 1940s by Billboard magazine. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... The soul, according to many religious and philosophical traditions, is a self-aware ethereal substance particular to a unique living being. ... This article is becoming very long. ... A musical instrument is a device constructed or modified with the purpose of making music. ... Singing is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, which is often contrasted with speech. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Motown Records, Inc. ... Atlantic Records (Atlantic Recording Corporation) is an American record label that operates as a wholly owned subsidiary of Warner Music Group. ... The Temptations (often abbreviated as The Tempts or The Temps) are an American Motown singing group whose repertoire has included doo-wop, soul, psychedelia, funk, disco, R&B, and adult contemporary. ... October 12 is the 285th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (286th in leap years). ... 1942 (MCMXLII) was a common year starting on Thursday (the link is to a full 1942 calendar). ... February 23 is the 54th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1995 (MCMXCV) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... A basso (or bass) is a male singer who sings in the lowest vocal range of the human voice. ... Ercole de Roberti performing the song Freinds Of P: Concert, c. ... Motown Records, Inc. ... The Temptations (often abbreviated as The Tempts or The Temps) are an American Motown singing group whose repertoire has included doo-wop, soul, psychedelia, funk, disco, R&B, and adult contemporary. ... See also: 1960 in music, other events of 1961, 1962 in music, 1960s in music and the list of years in music // Events January 15 - Motown Records signs The Supremes January 20 - Francis Poulencs Gloria is premiered in Boston February 12 - The Miracles Shop Around becomes Motowns first... See also: 1993 in music, other events of 1994, 1995 in music, 1990s in music and the list of years in music. // Events January 29 - The Supremes Mary Wilson is injured when her jeep hits a freeway median and flips over just outside of Los Angeles, California. ... Rick James (born James Ambrose Johnson, Jr; February 1, 1948 – August 6, 2004) was an African American funk and soul musician, who worked as a singer, keyboardist, bassist, record producer, arranger, and composer during his long career. ... -1... See also: 1979 in music, other events of 1980, 1981 in music, 1980s in music and the list of years in music // [edit] Events [edit] January January 1 - Cliff Richard is appointed an MBE by Queen Elizabeth II. The only other pop music acts to be created MBEs are the...

Born in Montgomery, Alabama, David English, the son of a preacher, moved to Detroit, Michigan at the age of nine. Taking on his mother's surname of Franklin for his stage name, he was a member of a number of local singing groups in Detroit, including The Voice Masters with Lamont Dozier and David Ruffin (a distant cousin of Franklin), and frequently performed with his cousin Richard Street. Coordinates: Country United States State Alabama County Montgomery Incorporated December 3, 1819 Mayor Bobby Bright Area    - City 404. ... Preacher is a colloquial term for a clergyman, in particular a local priest, pastor or Minister; one who preaches. ... Nickname: Motor City, Motown Motto: Speramus Meliora; Resurget Cineribus (Latin for, We Hope For Better Things; It Shall Rise From the Ashes) Location in Wayne County, Michigan Coordinates: Country United States State Michigan County Wayne County Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick Area    - City 370. ... Lamont Dozier (born June 16, 1941 in Detroit, Michigan) is an African American songwriter and record producer, best known as a member of Holland-Dozier-Holland, the songwriting and production team that was responsible for much of the Motown sound and numerous hit records by artists such as Martha & the... David Ruffin. ... Richard Street (top right corner) on the cover of the 1984 Temptations LP Truly for You. ...

One day, walking home from Northwestern High School, Franklin was approached by a tall, dark teenager who was adamantly trying to get his attention. Thinking the stranger was a gang member, Franklin ran away and attempted to dodge his pursuer before learning that the young man was Otis Williams, a singer in a local group called The Distants. Franklin joined the group as its bass singer, and remained with Williams and Elbridge Bryant when they, Paul Williams, and Eddie Kendricks formed The Elgins in late 1960. In March 1961, the Elgins signed with Motown records under a new name--The Temptations. He had a fondness for the color blue, and so he was nicknamed "Blue" by his friends and fellow singers. According to Otis Williams, Franklin romantically pursued Supremes singer Mary Wilson at one point. This does not cite its references or sources. ... Otis Williams (second from right), with the Temptations in 1967. ... A basso (or bass) is a male singer who sings in the lowest vocal range of the human voice. ... Elbridge Al Bryant (September 28, 1939 - October 26, 1975) was an African American tenor singer, one of the founding members of Motown singing group The Temptations. ... Paul Williams (July 2, 1939 – August 17, 1973) was an American second tenor/baritone singer. ... Eddie Kendricks, on the cover of his 1981 album Love Keys. ... See also: 1959 in music, other events of 1960, 1961 in music, 1960s in music and the list of years in music // Events January 14 - Elvis Presley is promoted to Sergeant in the U.S. Army February 6 - Songwriter Jesse Belvin dies in an automobile accident in Los Angeles, California. ... See also: 1960 in music, other events of 1961, 1962 in music, 1960s in music and the list of years in music // Events January 15 - Motown Records signs The Supremes January 20 - Francis Poulencs Gloria is premiered in Boston February 12 - The Miracles Shop Around becomes Motowns first... Motown Records, Inc. ... The Temptations (often abbreviated as The Tempts or The Temps) are an American Motown singing group whose repertoire has included doo-wop, soul, psychedelia, funk, disco, R&B, and adult contemporary. ... Otis Williams (second from right), with the Temptations in 1967. ... There have been several well-known people named Mary Wilson, including: Mary Wilson (poet) Mary Wilson (singer) (not to be confused with Mari Wilson and Meri Wilson, both singers) This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ...

Best friends for over thirty years, Williams and Franklin were the only two Temptations never to quit the group. One of the most famous bass singers in black music over his long career, Franklin's deep vocals became one of the group's signature trademarks. Franklin sung a handful of featured leads with the group as well, including the songs "I Truly, Truly Believe (The Temptations Wish It Would Rain, 1968), "The Prophet" (A Song for You, 1975), and his signature live performance number, Paul Robeson's "Ol' Man River". Franklin was usually called upon to deliver ad-libs, harmony vocals, and, during the psychedelic soul era, notable sections of the main verses. His line from The Temptations' 1970 #3 hit "Ball of Confusion (That's What the World is Today)", "and the band played on", became Franklin's trademark. The Temptations Wish It Would Rain is a 1968 album by The Temptations for the Gordy (Motown) label. ... A Song For You is a 1975 album by the Motown singing group The Temptations, considered one of their best overall efforts. ... USPS Black Heritage stamp of Paul Robeson. ... Ol Man River (music by Jerome Kern, lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II) is a song in the 1927 musical Show Boat that tells the story of African American hardship and struggles of the time. ... See AdLib for the computer sound card manufacturer. ... Psychedelic soul is a subgenre of soul music that thrived during the late 1960s and early 1970s. ... See also: 1969 in music, other events of 1970, 1971 in music, 1970s in music and the list of years in music // Charles Wuorinen, aged 32, becomes the youngest composer ever to win the Pulitzer Prize for Music. ... Ball of Confusion (Thats What the World is Today) is the name of a 1970 hit single for the Motown label performed by The Temptations and produced by Norman Whitfield. ...

In the late-1960s, Franklin was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, the symptoms of which he combated with cortisone so that he could continue performing. The constant use of cortisone left his immune system open to other infections and health problems; as a result Franklin developed diabetes in the early 1980s and later contracted necrotizing fasciitis. After Williams insisted that Franklin withdraw from recording and performing so that he could rest and get better, Franklin lapsed into a coma on February 17, 1995 and died six days later on February 23 of a brain seizure, at the age of 53. He was survived by his wife, Kimberly English, and his four children: David Jr., Davette, Felicia, and Niquos. Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is traditionally considered a chronic, inflammatory autoimmune disorder that causes the immune system to attack the joints. ... Cortisone (IPA:ˈkôrtəˌsōn) is a steroid hormone. ... ... This article is about the disease that features high blood sugar. ... The examples and perspective in this article or section may not represent a worldwide view. ... Necrotizing fasciitis or fasciitis necroticans, commonly known as flesh-eating bacteria, is a rare infection of the deeper layers of skin and subcutaneous tissues (fascia). ... Comatose redirects here. ... February 17 is the 48th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1995 (MCMXCV) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... February 23 is the 54th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... Seizures (or convulsions) are temporary alterations in brain function expressing themselves into a changed mental state, tonic or clonic movements and various other symptoms. ...

In 1998, Franklin was portrayed by actor D.B. Woodside in the Temptations miniseries for NBC. Woodside as Wayne Palmer in 24. ... The Temptations was a four-hour television miniseries broadcast in two-hour halves on NBC, based upon the history of one of Motown’s longest-lived acts, The Temptations. ... A miniseries (sometimes mini-series), in a serial storytelling medium, is a production which tells a story in a limited number of episodes. ... NBC (an abbreviation for National Broadcasting Company, its former corporate name) is an American television network based in New York Citys Rockefeller Center and is shown on basic cable in Canada. ...

External link

• Melvin Franklin's Gravesite