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Tempted by the group of another |
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Written by Dan England
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Friday, 05 October 2007 |
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 Glenn Leonard had no idea people still cared about The Temptations. After all, he really didn’t.
He loved the years he spent in the group, from 1975-84, and recorded 10 albums with the band, but he left music after the reunion tour and went into ministry. He founded a church in Houston and traveled around delivering the word of the Lord, not the hit songs of one of the more successful Motown groups of all time—hits like “My Girl.”
For 20 years, he was completely out of touch and was working on a grant application for a school for the arts when he was contacted by a former band member, Damon Harris, who wanted to get a group back together. Harris had cancer, and so Leonard understood the sense of urgency to give the songs another try. He made a few cameo appearances with Harris’ group, and he was stunned by the response. People not only still knew the music, they loved it.
“It’s not quite the frenzy it once was,” Leonard said in a phone interview. “The core of the fan base is older, so they’re a little more settled, but they still pack the arenas and concert halls. I’m seeing a younger generation come out too. I see them singing to the songs, and I’m like, ‘How do you know that?’”
 When Harris decided to move on, Leonard accepted “an offer he couldn’t refuse” and became the leader of the Legendary Lead Singers of the Temptations in 2002. His group will appear with Cornell Gunter’s Coasters and The Platters for five concerts at the Lincoln Center in Fort Collins and the Oct. 13 concert at the Union Colony Civic Center in Greeley.
The group sounds like a knockoff of the original Temptations, but the Temptations have had a rotating group since it was formed in 1961, with 22 who sang at one point or another in the group. Leonard believes there are three touring groups, including his group and the original Temptations featuring Otis Williams, the only living original member. But Leonard’s group features singers who were in the Temptations at one time or another and sounds exactly like the original. He occasionally has some of the singers as his special guests, including G.C. Cameron and Ali Woodson, who will sing on this tour.
“There was a reason we were in the band,” Leonard said. “We had ‘that thing.’ We all had that Temptations sound.”
Leonard never left ministry, it’s just evolved now, he believes.
“Modern-day ministry has to come from more than just the pulpit,” he said. “Jesus said to preach the gospel. We are blessed with the ability to impact people’s lives through our art form. This isn’t just to make you rich or famous. I believe there’s something else that’s important, and that’s to live a clean life.
“I know Charles Barkley said we aren’t role models, but I think we are. When people spend their money to see you perform, you owe them something for that.”
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THE SHOW
The Legendary Lead Singers of the Temptations, Cornell Gunter’s Coasters and The Platters will appear Monday-Thursday, Oct. 8-11 at the Lincoln Center in Fort Collins, with performances starting at 7:30 p.m. except on Wednesday, when there will be two performances, including a matinee at 2 p.m.
Those tickets are $25 or $27 and may be purchased at www.ci.fort-collins.co.us/lctix.
The groups will also appear at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 13 at the Union Colony Civic Center in Greeley. Tickets are $18-$28 and may be purchased by calling 356.5000 or going online to www.ucstars.com. | Only registered users can write comments.
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