The Temptations, the Motown vocal group associated with David Ruffin, were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1989.
Formed in Detroit from earlier groups, the Temptations became one of Motown’s defining acts during the 1960s. Their signature blend combined intricate harmonies, tightly coordinated choreography, and rotating lead vocals. David Ruffin joined in 1964 and sang lead on several of their best-known recordings, including “My Girl,” which became one of the group’s enduring classics.
Ruffin left the group in 1968 after internal tensions and pursued a solo career. The Temptations continued recording and evolving, moving from romantic vocal-group material into the psychedelic soul of songs such as “Cloud Nine” and “Ball of Confusion (That’s What the World Is Today).”
The Supremes and the Four Tops were also important Motown groups, but they belong to different Rock Hall induction classes: the Supremes were inducted in 1988 and the Four Tops in 1990. The Miracles entered the Hall later, in 2012, making the 1989 date a useful clue.