Apollo Theater to Induct the Original, Legendary Temptations into its Famous Walk of Fame Friday, June 7 at 12pm

MEDIA ADVISORY
Apollo Theater to Induct the Original, Legendary Temptations into its Famous Walk of Fame Friday, June 7 at 12:00 p.m.

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Otis Williams, Founding, and Only Surviving, Original Member of the Temptations to Accept the Honor Under the
Historic Theater’s Famed Marquee
The Unveiling is Free and Open to the Public

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WHAT: The legendary Apollo Theater – the soul of American culture and a globally recognized national treasure – will honor the legendary and iconic Temptations with their induction into the Apollo’s Walk of Fame. Otis Williams, founding and only surviving, original member of the Motown super-group, will accept the honor. Celebrating and honoring the legendary artists who have helped to build the non- profit Theater’s legacy for 85 years, The Temptations joins an iconic line of inductees who have had an enormous influence on generations of musicians, fans, and culture at-large, including Aretha Franklin, Quincy Jones, Patti Labelle, Smokey Robinson, Gladys Knight and the Pips, Little Richard, Ella Fitzgerald, and more.

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Otis Williams and The Temptations, world-famous superstars, have had a singular legacy in music, entertainment, and ultimately in American culture for nearly 60 years. With the current Broadway musical Ain’t Too Proud, which received 12 Tony Award nominations, an Emmy Award-Winning television miniseries, and an acclaimed autobiography, Otis Williams has chronicled his journey, as well as that of the original Group from inception. Williams and The Temptations first appeared on the Apollo’s stage in 1963 and have performed in Harlem’s famed venue numerous times over the years. In addition to its programming, which has always held artists’ voices at its core, the Walk of Fame celebrates artists who have contributed to and articulated the African American cultural narrative and those who continue to influence the Apollo’s enduring legacy today.

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The induction ceremony will include remarks from Otis Williams, Apollo Theater President and CEO Jonelle Procope and Apollo Theater Executive Producer Kamilah Forbes, and special guests to be announced. Following the remarks, the Apollo will unveil a permanent plaque recognizing The Temptations’ cultural significance, international success, and extraordinary longevity, and provide a photo opportunity for media.

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ABOUT OTIS WILLIAMS:

Otis Williams is the founding, and only surviving, member of the original, legendary, super-group the Temptations. He is unlike any other musical artist in American culture. The cultural significance of Williams’ overall life achievements, along with the success and longevity of his musical career have made him an icon of entertainment. His personal journey from Texarkana, Texas to Motown and eventual global superstardom, is chronicled in an acclaimed autobiography, written with New York Times best-selling author Patricia Romanowski, in an Emmy Award-Winning television miniseries, and now in the Broadway Musical, Ain’t Too Proud, a smash-hit which just received a staggering 12 Tony Award Nominations, including Best Musical. Named the #1 R&B Artists of All-Time according to Billboard, the Temptations have sold millions of albums, won five Grammy Awards, including a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, have been inducted into the Grammy, Rock and Roll, Rhythm and Blues Music, and Vocal Group Halls of Fame, and also have a star on the “Hollywood Walk of Fame.” They have released countless gold, platinum and multi-platinum hits, many of which are considered American classics. They have 16 #1 albums, 43 Top 10 R & B hit songs, including 14 #1 singles. In 2018, “My Girl” was entered into the National Recording Registry by the Library of Congress. Williams, also a songwriter and producer, is well-known for his fortitude, for fueling the Temptations’ enormous and ever-increasing popularity and for inspiring a new generation of musical artists.

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ABOUT THE APOLLO THEATER:

The legendary Apollo Theater—the soul of American culture—plays a vital role in cultivating emerging artists and launching legends. Since its founding, the Apollo has served as a center of innovation and a creative catalyst for Harlem, the city of New York, and the world.

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With music at its core, the Apollo’s programming extends to dance, theater, spoken word, and more. This includes special programs such as the blockbuster concert Bruno Mars Live at the Apollo, 100: The Apollo Celebrates Ella, the annual Africa Now! Festival, and the New York premiere of the opera We Shall Not Be Moved. The Apollo is a performing arts presenting organization that also produces festivals and large-scale dance and music works organized around a set of core initiatives that celebrate and extend the Apollo’s legacy through a contemporary lens; global festivals including the Women of the World (WOW) Festival and Breakin’ Convention, international and U.S.-based artist presentations focused on a specific theme; and Special Projects, multidisciplinary collaborations with partner organizations.

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Since introducing the first Amateur Night contests in 1934, the Apollo Theater has served as a testing ground for new artists working across a variety of art forms and has ushered in the emergence of many new musical genres—including jazz, swing, bebop, R&B, gospel, blues, soul, and hip-hop. Among the countless legendary performers who launched their careers at the Apollo are D’Angelo, Lauryn Hill, Machine Gun Kelly, Miri Ben Ari, Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, Billie Holiday, James Brown, Michael Jackson, Gladys Knight, Luther Vandross, and Stevie Wonder; and the Apollo’s forward-looking artistic vision continues to build on this legacy.

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