CLEVELAND — Editor's note: Video in the player at the top of this story was originally published in a previous Rock Hall article for the 2021 induction ceremony on Oct. 30, 2021.
A new feature is coming from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame next Friday.
The Rock Hall is partnering with the Motown Museum to host a virtual interview with Otis Williams, a 1989 inductee of the hall and the founder of the legendary group The Temptations.
The event is set to be hosted by Rock Hall Vice President of Education and Visitor Engagement Jason Hanley and will also include long-time manager Shelly Berger and members of The Temptations. The group is releasing a new album, TEMPTATIONS 60, as they celebrate their 60th anniversary.
“The Temptations set the bar for Motown groups,” Hanley said. “What better way to honor and celebrate the group’s 60th anniversary and new album release than by joining forces with the Motown Museum for this interview with Otis Williams. It is such a pleasure to talk to Otis, Shelly, and the group about their rich history, classic songs, and the legacy of the Temptations that continues today.”
Those that wish to view the interview can check it out on Friday, Feb. 4, at 7 p.m. EST on the Rock Hall’s YouTube Channel or at the Motown Museum YouTube Channel. The interview will then make its way to SiriusXM Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Radio, channel 310, on Feb. 15 at 4 p.m. EST.
“When we started out as a part of that Motown movement that took the world by storm in the 60s, I never could have imagined we’d still be performing today. To mark our 60th anniversary with two of the most distinguished institutions in American music culture, recognized for preserving, inspiring and teaching music history between generations, is such a great honor for me and The Temptations,” Williams said. “We feel blessed and have to give thanks to God.”
The Rock Hall has also added a jacket that was once worn on stage by Williams in the 1990s to the Detroit case in the Museum’s Cities and Sounds exhibit.