The Temptations’ Paul Williams After Battling A Horrible Disease Died Tragically at Just 34 in 1973

Paul Williams was an obvious talent of his generation and was one of the key players of the Motown group, “The Temptations,” but his life was marred by sadness and ended quickly.
Eddie Kendricks, Paul Williams, Melvin Franklin, David Ruffin and Otis Williams of the R&B group "The Temptations" pose for a portrait in 1965 in New York City | Photo: Getty Images

Hollywood has seen incredible talents, but only a few could boast of the vocal prowess wielded by Paul Willaims, lead singer of the hit Motown group “The Temptations.”Despite his gift, his life was almost doomed to fail.

Williams was born in Birmingham, Alabama on July 2, 1939. He loved music from an early age and wanted nothing more than to sing. While in elementary school, he met Eddie Kendricks and the two boys became close friends through their musical interests.

The duo formed their first musical group, “The Primes,” and moved from their hometown in search of work after a while. Unfortunately, The Primes did not find the success they had hoped for and were later disbanded, with everyone returning home.

The Temptations, Otis Williams, Dennis Edwards, Eddie Kendricks Melvin Franklin, Paul Williams | Photo: Getty Images

But that was not the end of their musical aspirations. The group changed their managers and soon rebranded as “The Temptations.” Before long, they became one of the biggest bands of their time, bringing out hits after hits.

The band signed to the young Motown label in 1961, and their song “Oh Mother Of Mine” was nothing short of spectacular. While Kendricks became a more prominent name, Williams and Kendricks sang the song’s lead vocals.

Williams was the main singer in the early years of the band. But, when David Ruffin joined, Williams began playing the third fiddle and Ruffin and Kendricks were the stars.

He is still a legend in music, despite the many questions surrounding his passing.

 Pictured: The Temptations: Eddie Kendricks, Dennis Edwards, Otis Williams, Melvin Franklin, Paul Williams | Photo: Getty Images

While the group enjoyed success and fame, not many fans knew that the talented Williams had a secret struggle. He suffered from sickle-cell anemia, and this illness caused him pain and proved to be a difficult experience for him.

Later on, his troubles increased as he turned to alcohol to cope with the band’s touring schedules and recording sessions. Soon after, he also began to have money problems.

The Temptations, David Ruffin, Melvin Franklin, Otis Williams, Eddie Kendricks, and Paul Williams in 1967 | Photo: Wikimedia Commons Images By James J. Kriegsmann, Public Domain,

In 1971, “ The Temptations” had become one of the biggest of the time and produced several chart-topping songs, but by then, Williams’ health had turned for the worse.

His doctor advised him to leave the group on the medical ground after a spot was found on his liver. Williams was devastated by the news. He felt worse for having left the group he had founded.

A picture of "The Temptations’" Paul Williams | Photo: Getty Images

However, he remained a part of their circle and helped with their choreography. He also decided to use his talents and began recording solo material, but things were getting out of control in his private battles.

At age 34, Williams was found dead in a car in Detroit with a gun by his side. His death was ruled as suicide, but there are suspicions of foul play. Despite the questions surrounding his death, he remains a hero of music.

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