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Post by Jersey Guy on Nov 9, 2003 21:11:47 GMT -5
Not much has been said about Melvin Franklin on this board. He was certainly a great talent, and qualified as a strong member of the group with "five" lead singers. To me, he always seemed satisfied to stay in the background as a member of the classic lineup- until he was given the stage. He never disappointed me, and I never heard anyone say he wasn't a great singer. Anyone have any stories to share?
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Common
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Post by Common on Nov 28, 2003 20:50:00 GMT -5
Hey Andy! I feel that Melvin was one of the greatest Bass singers that ever lived. I like Truly, Truly Believe, which is my favorite Melvin lead.
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molly
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Post by molly on Nov 28, 2003 21:02:34 GMT -5
Andy. I don't have any Melvin stories,but I thought that bass voice was second to none. He was quite a dancer too. I think Melvin's focus was on the group,and he was comfortable being with other talented brothers.
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Post by Andy on Nov 29, 2003 11:53:57 GMT -5
Hi Common, Hi Molly: My only gripe about Melvin was that he was too devoted to Otis.
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Common
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Post by Common on Nov 29, 2003 12:15:20 GMT -5
Hi Common, Hi Molly: My only gripe about Melvin was that he was too devoted to Otis. Well, Andy, I'm sure while Melvin was devoted, I would think he didn't agree with everything that O said & did. That is what a true friendship is about. You don't have to agree with each other to have a close relationship. But I digress.....You know something else came to mind. Do you recall that story that O likes to tell that when he first met Melvin, Melvin thought O was a gang member? I had read on Kas' board that his brother, who posted a message on another board, said it didn't happen that way. I found that very interesting!
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molly
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Post by molly on Nov 29, 2003 14:47:21 GMT -5
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molly
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Post by molly on Nov 29, 2003 14:54:08 GMT -5
Hi Common, Hi Molly: My only gripe about Melvin was that he was too devoted to Otis. Hey Andy. They were boys I agree. I heard Melvin say once that somebody had to be the leader. I don't think Melvin had a lot of power issues with the group. I think he respected all the guys,but the "Group" was what was important to Melvin. Also I have also believed that Melvin and Otis together came to a lot of decisions concerning the group.{just a opinion} But Otis was the most vocal.{speaking NOT singing}
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Post by Queenie on Nov 29, 2003 15:00:22 GMT -5
Yes, I also found that same article Melvin's brother told a reporter in a interview Melvin always in the group no one did not have to tell him to join the group. In my opinion, I think Otis will sell his children if is a way to make money... When you have Otis as friend, you don't enemies.
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molly
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Post by molly on Nov 29, 2003 15:14:18 GMT -5
Yes, I also found that same article Melvin's brother told a reporter in a interview Melvin always in the group no one did not have to tell him to join the group. In my opinion, I think Otis will sell his children if is a way to make money... When you have Otis as friend, you don't enemies. :DRolling In The Floor LMAO :DAlso Melvin had a relationship with Barry before Otis met Barry. I'm referring to the scene in O's miniseries where they both met BG in the rest room. I still don't know how Otis was and is still credited as the founder of the group. I only wish he had found himself a little more integrity and talent.
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Common
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Post by Common on Nov 29, 2003 17:28:14 GMT -5
Molly, this is true that Melvin had a relationship with Berry before he came into the group. I have a book which features an interview where Melvin discussed, BY HIMSELF, the whole Tempts history. He said that his mother & Berry's mother were in the same women's club or some type of society group. He said he used to run errands for Mama Gordy. So I'm quite confused by some of the things that O has said in various interviews, especially about how he & Melvin met. Go figure!
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Common
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Post by Common on Nov 29, 2003 17:30:42 GMT -5
Yes, I also found that same article Melvin's brother told a reporter in a interview Melvin always in the group no one did not have to tell him to join the group. In my opinion, I think Otis will sell his children if is a way to make money... When you have Otis as friend, you don't enemies. LOL! That's the same article. I'm wondering why did Melvin go along with O's version of events in terms of how they met? I wonder if this story was manufactured by Motown. Just talking aloud.....
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Post by BeesNVMe on Nov 29, 2003 18:39:01 GMT -5
I agree that Melvin was definitely a 'group' person. I also think that Melvin was scared of Otis too. I saw on an interview with Otis and Melvin where Melvin was speaking and Otis was patting Melvin on the knee every other word that he spoke...like it's okay...Blue...you can talk. When the mini series first aired, Jet ran an article on the lawsuit Mama Rose filed. In the article, it stated that Mama Rose did not like the way her son was portrayed...like he was kinda slow or something. I know O had only so much say in what went into the mini series...but how could he have stood by and let his best friend be portrayed (non thinking for himself) Evidently, that's the way Suzanne, Otis, and others thought Melvin was. "Okay Otis, anything you say Otis," . The mini series portrayed him in a very docile manner. Does anyone think this was a facet of Mel's personality? Huh? Be truthful, yall!
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molly
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Post by molly on Nov 29, 2003 21:20:59 GMT -5
I agree that Melvin was definitely a 'group' person. I also think that Melvin was scared of Otis too. I saw on an interview with Otis and Melvin where Melvin was speaking and Otis was patting Melvin on the knee every other word that he spoke...like it's okay...Blue...you can talk. When the mini series first aired, Jet ran an article on the lawsuit Mama Rose filed. In the article, it stated that Mama Rose did not like the way her son was portrayed...like he was kinda slow or something. I know O had only so much say in what went into the mini series...but how could he have stood by and let his best friend be portrayed (non thinking for himself) Evidently, that's the way Suzanne, Otis, and others thought Melvin was. "Okay Otis, anything you say Otis," . The mini series portrayed him in a very docile manner. Does anyone think this was a facet of Mel's personality? Huh? Be truthful, yall! CP I really do think that Melvin's personality was non-confrontational. I also believe that when Melvin did disagree with Otis that is was done in private,where Otis was able to convince Melvin to see things his way. Because Otis calimed to Love Melvin so much,his depiction of him in his movie may have been the most accurate.
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Post by Andy on Nov 30, 2003 6:53:04 GMT -5
Hi Common: Melvin was always a mystery to me. Great talent but wat too supportive of Otis. Everyone who heard Mel sing, however, knew he was one of the great ones of any generation.
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Post by Andy on Nov 30, 2003 6:54:47 GMT -5
Hi Molly: I think I understand how Otis came to be the spokesman. Everyone took a vote. They decided that b/c he can't sing, Otis could talk.
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