Elbridge Bryant
Encyclopedia
Elbridge "Al" Bryant was an American tenor
singer, and one of the founding members of Motown singing group The Temptations
.
and later moved to Detroit, Michigan
, where he met best friend Otis Williams
. Williams and Bryant were in a number of groups together, including Otis Williams & the Siberians, the El Domingoes, and The Distants before forming The Elgins in 1960 with fellow Distants Melvin Franklin
and Otis Williams
, and Primes Eddie Kendricks
and Paul Williams
. The Elgins would re-christen themselves as The Temptations before signing with Miracle Records, a subsidiary of Motown Records
. After releasing two of the group’s singles, the label was closed and all following singles were released under the Gordy Records label.
On The Temptations’ studio recordings using this lineup, Paul Williams and Kendricks would split most of the leads, while Otis Williams, Franklin and (the rarely recorded) Bryant were usually called upon to sing background vocals and deliver ad-libs
, harmony
vocals, and occasionally a few lead lines. However all five group members got a chance to sing lead when they performed live on stage; most of which was handled by Bryant, Kendricks and Paul Williams (the latter would serve as the Temptations main lead, both on stage and in the studio, for most of this period). Bryant would also sometimes sing the lead on "May I Have This Dance" (led by Kendricks - in his natural voice - on the studio recording), and was a co-lead on "I Want a Love I Can See" (led only by Paul Williams on the studio version) during live performances the group made in 1963. They also served as background singers for various Motown acts, including Mary Wells
and Marvin Gaye
.
During the Temptations' first two years with Motown, they only scored one charting single, "Dream Come True", which hit #22 on the R&B charts; the b-side
to the single, "Isn't She Pretty
", featured all five members trading lead vocals. But despite its commercial success the single still failed to make the U.S. Hot 100 pop singles charts, just as the group’s other six singles released during this period (although most became huge regional hits). Their lack of national success caused Bryant to become restless: he had a regular day job as a milkman
, which he preferred to constantly performing and recording with the group.
By 1963, Bryant had become sometimes volatile and unpredictable to deal with. One mid-1963 backstage altercation between Bryant and Paul Williams resulted in the former smashing a beer bottle across the latter's face and landed him in the hospital. Surprisingly, Paul forgave Al and talked the other group members out of firing him as he was determined to give Bryant another chance. However, a few months later, the group would determine that he had done little to change and was still being uncooperative. After a second altercation onstage during Motown's 1963 company Christmas
party, Bryant was fired from the group. By the New Year of 1964, the Temptations had recruited David Ruffin
as their new fifth member, and the group recorded what would be their first Top 20 pop hit, "The Way You Do the Things You Do
".
, which reunited him with former Distants bandmate Pee Wee Crawford. He is also listed as appearing with The Dramatics
at the Summit on August 23, 1972 when they recorded their Dramatics Live CD, released in 1988 for Fantasy/Stax Records.
Al Bryant died of cirrhosis
of the liver
in Flagler County, Florida
on October 26, 1975 at the age of 36. He was married to Bobbie Jean Bryant; she and their daughter still live in the Detroit area.
Tenor
The tenor is a type of male singing voice and is the highest male voice within the modal register. The typical tenor voice lies between C3, the C one octave below middle C, to the A above middle C in choral music, and up to high C in solo work. The low extreme for tenors is roughly B2...
singer, and one of the founding members of Motown singing group The Temptations
The Temptations
The Temptations is an American vocal group having achieved fame as one of the most successful acts to record for Motown Records. The group's repertoire has included, at various times during its five-decade career, R&B, doo-wop, funk, disco, soul, and adult contemporary music.Formed in Detroit,...
.
Early life and career
Bryant (nicknamed "Al" or "Bones") was born in Thomasville, GeorgiaThomasville, Georgia
Thomasville is the county seat of Thomas County, Georgia, United States. The city is the second largest in Southwest Georgia after Albany.The city deems itself the City of Roses and holds an annual Rose Festival. The town features plantations open to the public, a historic downtown, a large...
and later moved to Detroit, Michigan
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
, where he met best friend Otis Williams
Otis Williams
Otis Williams is an American baritone singer. Nicknamed "Big Daddy", he has also acted as a sporadic songwriter and record producer. Williams co-founded the Motown vocal group The Temptations in early 1960 as The Elgins, a group in which he continues to perform...
. Williams and Bryant were in a number of groups together, including Otis Williams & the Siberians, the El Domingoes, and The Distants before forming The Elgins in 1960 with fellow Distants Melvin Franklin
Melvin Franklin
David Melvin English better known by the stage name Melvin Franklin, was an American bass singer. Franklin is best known for his role as a member of Motown singing group The Temptations from 1960 to 1994....
and Otis Williams
Otis Williams
Otis Williams is an American baritone singer. Nicknamed "Big Daddy", he has also acted as a sporadic songwriter and record producer. Williams co-founded the Motown vocal group The Temptations in early 1960 as The Elgins, a group in which he continues to perform...
, and Primes Eddie Kendricks
Eddie Kendricks
Eddie Kendricks was an American singer and songwriter. Noted for his distinctive falsetto singing style, Kendricks co-founded the Motown singing group The Temptations, and was one of their lead singers from 1960 until 1971. His was the lead voice on such famous songs as "The Way You Do The Things...
and Paul Williams
Paul Williams (The Temptations)
Paul Williams was an American baritone singer and choreographer. Williams is noted for being one of the founding members and original lead singer of the Motown group The Temptations...
. The Elgins would re-christen themselves as The Temptations before signing with Miracle Records, a subsidiary of Motown Records
Motown Records
Motown is a record label originally founded by Berry Gordy, Jr. and incorporated as Motown Record Corporation in Detroit, Michigan, United States, on April 14, 1960. The name, a portmanteau of motor and town, is also a nickname for Detroit...
. After releasing two of the group’s singles, the label was closed and all following singles were released under the Gordy Records label.
On The Temptations’ studio recordings using this lineup, Paul Williams and Kendricks would split most of the leads, while Otis Williams, Franklin and (the rarely recorded) Bryant were usually called upon to sing background vocals and deliver ad-libs
Ad-Libs
Ad-Libs is an improvisational comedy troupe based in Dallas, Texas. Combining improvisation along with video segments, Ad-Libs was conceived by Phil Larsson in 1986...
, harmony
Vocal harmony
Vocal harmony is a style of vocal music in which a consonant note or notes are sung at the same time as a main melody in a predominantly homophonic texture. Vocal harmonies are used in many subgenres of European art music, including Classical choral music and opera and in the popular styles from...
vocals, and occasionally a few lead lines. However all five group members got a chance to sing lead when they performed live on stage; most of which was handled by Bryant, Kendricks and Paul Williams (the latter would serve as the Temptations main lead, both on stage and in the studio, for most of this period). Bryant would also sometimes sing the lead on "May I Have This Dance" (led by Kendricks - in his natural voice - on the studio recording), and was a co-lead on "I Want a Love I Can See" (led only by Paul Williams on the studio version) during live performances the group made in 1963. They also served as background singers for various Motown acts, including Mary Wells
Mary Wells
Mary Esther Wells was an American singer who helped to define the emerging sound of Motown in the early 1960s...
and Marvin Gaye
Marvin Gaye
Marvin Pentz Gay, Jr. , better known by his stage name Marvin Gaye, was an American singer-songwriter and musician with a three-octave vocal range....
.
During the Temptations' first two years with Motown, they only scored one charting single, "Dream Come True", which hit #22 on the R&B charts; the b-side
A-side and B-side
A-side and B-side originally referred to the two sides of gramophone records on which singles were released beginning in the 1950s. The terms have come to refer to the types of song conventionally placed on each side of the record, with the A-side being the featured song , while the B-side, or...
to the single, "Isn't She Pretty
Isn't She Pretty
"Isn't She Pretty" is a 1961 song recorded by The Temptations, and written by group members Eddie Kendricks and Otis Williams, as well as Motown’s founder Berry Gordy...
", featured all five members trading lead vocals. But despite its commercial success the single still failed to make the U.S. Hot 100 pop singles charts, just as the group’s other six singles released during this period (although most became huge regional hits). Their lack of national success caused Bryant to become restless: he had a regular day job as a milkman
Milkman
A milkman is a person, traditionally male, who delivers milk in milk bottles or cartons. Milk deliveries frequently occur in the morning and it is not uncommon for milkmen to deliver products other than milk such as eggs, cream, cheese, butter, yogurt or soft drinks...
, which he preferred to constantly performing and recording with the group.
By 1963, Bryant had become sometimes volatile and unpredictable to deal with. One mid-1963 backstage altercation between Bryant and Paul Williams resulted in the former smashing a beer bottle across the latter's face and landed him in the hospital. Surprisingly, Paul forgave Al and talked the other group members out of firing him as he was determined to give Bryant another chance. However, a few months later, the group would determine that he had done little to change and was still being uncooperative. After a second altercation onstage during Motown's 1963 company Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
party, Bryant was fired from the group. By the New Year of 1964, the Temptations had recruited David Ruffin
David Ruffin
Davis Eli "David" Ruffin was an American soul singer and musician most famous for his work as one of the lead singers of the Temptations from 1964 to 1968...
as their new fifth member, and the group recorded what would be their first Top 20 pop hit, "The Way You Do the Things You Do
The Way You Do the Things You Do
"The Way You Do the Things You Do" was covered in 1989 by the band UB40. It was the sixth single from their 1989 album Labour of Love II. The song was released in 1989 in the major of the European countries .-Track listings:7"-Single...
".
Later years and death
After being fired from the Temptations, Bryant turned up in a number of other Detroit singing groups, including The PremiersThe Premiers
The Premiers were an American garage band in the 1960s, best known for their 1964 hit, "Farmer John".-Career:The band was formed in 1962 in San Gabriel, California, by brothers Lawrence Perez and John Perez , and neighbours George Delgado and Frank Zuniga...
, which reunited him with former Distants bandmate Pee Wee Crawford. He is also listed as appearing with The Dramatics
The Dramatics
The Dramatics are an American soul music vocal group, formed in Detroit, Michigan in 1962. They are best known for their 1970s hit songs "In the Rain" and "Whatcha See is Whatcha Get", both of which were #1 R&B and Top 10 Pop hits.-Career:The Dramatics originally formed in 1962 recording as the...
at the Summit on August 23, 1972 when they recorded their Dramatics Live CD, released in 1988 for Fantasy/Stax Records.
Al Bryant died of cirrhosis
Cirrhosis
Cirrhosis is a consequence of chronic liver disease characterized by replacement of liver tissue by fibrosis, scar tissue and regenerative nodules , leading to loss of liver function...
of the liver
Liver
The liver is a vital organ present in vertebrates and some other animals. It has a wide range of functions, including detoxification, protein synthesis, and production of biochemicals necessary for digestion...
in Flagler County, Florida
Flagler County, Florida
Flagler County was created in 1917 from portions of Saint Johns and Volusia counties. It was named for Henry Morrison Flagler, a famous railroad builder who built the Florida East Coast Railway. Bunnell is the county seat of Flagler County....
on October 26, 1975 at the age of 36. He was married to Bobbie Jean Bryant; she and their daughter still live in the Detroit area.