Eddie Kendricks
Eddie Kendricks was an iconic American singer and songwriter known for his falsetto voice and role in the Temptations. Born Edward James Kendrick on December 17, 1939, in Union Springs, Alabama, he rose to fame in the Motown era before pursuing a successful solo career.
Kendricks grew up in Birmingham, Alabama, after his family relocated there. He met Paul Williams in their church choir during the late 1940s. In 1955, they formed the doo-wop group the Cavaliers with friends, later renaming to the Primes after moving to Detroit under manager Milton Jenkins.
Kendricks co-founded the Temptations, serving as first tenor and lead on hits like "The Way You Do the Things You Do," "Get Ready," and "Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me)." He arranged many vocals and managed wardrobe, including their signature purple suits. The group won a Grammy for "Cloud Nine" in 1969, with Kendricks earning four nominations total.
After leaving the Temptations in 1971 due to business and personal issues, Kendricks topped charts with "Keep On Truckin'" and hit number two with "Boogie Down" in the 1970s. He released nine albums on Tamla, showcasing his falsetto mastery.
Kendricks occasionally reunited with the Temptations and was portrayed by Terron Brooks in the 1998 NBC miniseries. He died on October 5, 1992, in Birmingham, Alabama, at age 52 from lung cancer.
Slick
Written-By – Leonard Caston, Ronald Matlock
5:07
A2 Baby
Written-By – Leonard Caston, Terri McFaddin
3:52
A3 I Want To Live (My Life With You)
Written-By – Diane Goosby, Leonard Caston
3:42
A4 You Got It
Written-By – Leonard Caston, Terri McFaddin
3:25
A5 Intimate Friends
Written-By – Gary Glenn
5:49
B1 Diamond Girl
Written-By – Jim Seals - Dash Cofts
4:25
B2 Then Came You
Written-By – Diane Goosby, Leonard Caston
7:31
B3 I'll Have To Let You Go
Written-By – Kathy Wakefield, Leonard Caston
4:34
B4 California Woman
Alto Saxophone – Larry Nozero
Written-By – Kathy Wakefield, Leonard Caston
3:31
Label: Tamla – T6-356S1
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album
Country: US
Released: 1977
Genre: R&B Soul
Style: Seventies Soul, Ballad
Slick (1977) is the ninth and final Tamla label studio album by former Temptations singer Eddie Kendricks, produced by Leonard Caston. Despite lack of promotion due to his imminent departure from Motown, the album delivers smooth, soulful, and sometimes spacey, mid-tempo R&B grooves. It reached No. 47 on the Billboard Soul Albums chart.
The album, produced by Leonard Caston, maintains the high-quality, polished R&B sound Kendricks was known for, featuring a mix of mellow, sophisticated soul and dance-oriented tracks.
Key Tracks:-
"Intimate Friends": Widely considered the album's standout "summertime slow jam," highly valued in the soul and R&B community.
"Then Came You": Described as a "surreal and spacey" track that creates a trance-like atmosphere for the listener.
"Something Shady (Is Going On)": A funky opener that highlights the collaboration between Kendricks and Terrell.
"California Woman": A groove-heavy track that rounds out the album's mix of cinematic soul and dance-floor ready tunes.
Features distinctive, high-tenor vocals from Kendricks with guest backing vocals from former Supreme, Jean Terrell (credited as Jean Thompson).
While it did not achieve the commercial success of his earlier work, Slick is considered a strong, overlooked entry in his catalog, representing a mature phase of his solo career before moving to Arista Records.