Melvin Franklin
| Melvin Franklin | |
|---|---|
Melvin Franklin performs with The Temptations on The Ed Sullivan Show
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | David Melvin English |
| Born |
October 12, 1942 Montgomery, Alabama, U.S. |
| Origin | Detroit, Michigan, U.S. |
| Died | February 23, 1995 (aged 52) Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Genres | |
| Occupation(s) | Singer |
| Instruments | |
| Years active | 1958–1995 |
| Labels | |
| Associated acts | The Temptations (1960-1994) |
David Melvin English (October 12, 1942 – February 23, 1995) better known by the stage name Melvin Franklin, or his nickname "Blue", was an American bass singer. Franklin was best known for his role as a member of Motown singing group The Temptations from 1960 to 1994.
David English was born in Montgomery, Alabama to Rose English, a teenage mother from nearby Mobile. His biological father was the preacher of the English family's church in Mobile, who, according to his mother, impregnated her through non-consensual relations. Following David's birth, Rose English married Willard Franklin and moved to Detroit, her grandmother insisting young David be left behind in her care. David English finally moved to Detroit with his mother and stepfather in 1952 at age ten.
Taking on his stepfather's surname for his stage name as a teenager, David English—now Melvin Franklin—was a member of a number of local singing groups in Detroit, including The Voice Masters with Lamont Dozier and David Ruffin, and frequently performed with Richard Street. Franklin often referred to Street and Ruffin as his "cousins".
In 1958, a classmate of Franklin's at Northwestern High School, Otis Williams, invited Franklin to join his singing group, Otis Williams and the Siberians. Franklin joined the group as its bass singer, and remained with Williams and Elbridge Bryant when they, Paul Williams, and Eddie Kendricks formed The Elgins in late 1960. In March 1961, the Elgins signed with Motown Records under a new name; The Temptations. He had a fondness for the color blue, and so he was nicknamed "Blue" by fellow singers. According to Otis Williams, Franklin romantically pursued Supremes singer Mary Wilson at one point.
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