*According to Billy Wilson of the Motown Alumni Association, former Temptations member Damon Harris (born Otis Robert Harris, Jr.) died Monday evening at the age of 62. Wilson’s report didn’t reveal the cause of death, but Harris had been suffering from prostate cancer.
Harris was born on July 17, 1950 in Baltimore, Maryland. He took the place of Eddie Kendricks, one of the original lead singers of the Temptations group. He was only Twenty years old when he joined the group, and was the youngest member of The Temptations during his time with the group.
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Wilson says Harris was so good as the replacement for Kendricks, that most people did not know it was Harris’ voice on the Grammy award-winning hits “Cloud Nine,” “Psychedelic Shack,” and other 70s Temptations hits. His tenure was from 1971 to 1975.
After leaving the legendary organization, Harris formed a Temptations tribute band named The Young Tempts (aka The Young Vandals).The group had a release that charted on the Isley Brothers label T-Neck. He also had a few minor regional hits in a group called Impact. Harris also put out an album titled “Damon Harris: Silk” in the 70s under Fantasy records; he re-released the album under his own accord in 1995.
The singer was diagnosed for cancer while making a comeback into the music industry. In 1997 the Motown Alumni Association started working with Harris on the creation of the Damon Harris Prostate Cancer Foundation in Canton, Michigan. Though the project did not fully materialize, Harris continued to nurture and built awareness on the devastating disease. Harris toured around the world with fellow future Temptations member Glenn Leonard.
In the video below, Damon Harris is shown speaking at the 2011 Cancer Survivor’s Day Celebration at the Johns Hopkins Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center.
Born in June 1950 makes he’s 62 year old. But anyway, RIP. His voice is forever.
I agree. The person that wrote the article did not work or research properly. Damon was not on those songs and that is disrespectful to Eddie Kendricks. He actually began his career on the Masterpiece Album “Papa was a rolling stone”.
I lived down the street from Butchie (as we used mot call him when i was a little girl. It’s sad reading about his passing. I just thought about him out of the blue on Monday. I remember the talent shows with him and the Young Vandals ( which I am sure was before the Temptations). We were so proud when he became a Temptation. RIP, Butchie.
If Damon joined the Tempts in 1971, he COULD NOT have been singing on “Cloud Nine” (1968) and “Psychedelic Shack” (1970) since Eddie was still in the group!
Billy Wilson always gets his facts wrong on all things Motown!
Thanx..asante..?l. Loved damon?…loved. EDDIE. More
yes i agree media diva.videos exist of eddie doing those songs.unless they wanted to say concerts of the songs after eddie had left.RIP Mr Harris.I will miss you. He made papa was a rolling stone,heavenly,love woke me up,Ma,Masterpiece,Aint no Justice the hits they became
So sad to hear of Damon’s passing. Media Diva and nasser are on point. Somebody did not do their homework. Damon deserved better. RIP Mr. Harris
Condolences to Damon Harris family and friends. ~RIP~
Some of the information in this article is incorrect. Damon did not sing on the songs, “Cloud Nine”, Psychedelic Shack”. His first recording wasn’t until the song “Superstar”, from the album entitled “Solid Rock” and which was released in the late fall of 1971. Damon recorded 7 albums while a member of The Temptations; they (1) “Solid Rock” (2) “In All Direction” (3) “Masterpiece” (4) “Live In Japan” (6) “1990″ (7) “A Song For You” . RIP Otis Robert “Damon” Harris and a safe journey.
Damon Harris was the closest thing to Eddie Kendricks the Temps ever had BUT as has been noted by others Eddie Kendricks sang on both The “Cloud Nine” and “Psychedelic Shack ” albums. Many of us are old enough to know because we saw them numerous times on TV and the “Cloud Nine” choreography is famous. EUR Web needs another go to Motown source.
Yeah, his facts are off. I’ve lived in Baltimore all my life, and I remember Damon with “The Young Vandals” they had a few hit recordings “In My Opinion” and “I’m Gonna Wait for You”. BTW, they are posted on You Tube is you care to hear them. I do know for a fact that the “The Young Vandals” was before he became a “Temptation”. I was in a talent show that his group was in, and Billy Griffin’s group “The Last Dynasty”. Billy Griffin went on to replace Smokey Robinson with “The Miracles”. I’m just a few years younger than these guys
Hi I remember when I started my first group and we would open our show with In my opinion a song that Damon recorded with the Vandels.He was a great tenor singer and he will be missed. Much love your friend Cliff Perkins & Soul Generation
I remember the song “Superstar” but I didn’t see Damon sing as a Temp until “Papa Was A Rolling Stone” was performed on the Ed Sullivan Show. I always thought he sounded closet to Eddie. Rest in Peace Damon. Your suffering is over!
Angie, trust me, I’m from Baltimore and old enough to remember. Damon did sing on the album entitled Solid Rock, which includes the song entitled, “Superstar”. I used to sing with 1st Tenor in a group called The Kendells between 1970-1983. I then sang, as a replacement for Damon Harris in The vandals/Impact between 1983-1986,
I trust you. If you re-read my post I state I do remember the song “Superstar”. I think it was out in 1971 or 1972 but I didn’t SEE Damon until he sang with the other Tempts on Ed Sullivan. I realized after listening to “Superstar” recently that it was Damon and not Eddie. I am a singer too! Are you still performing?
I hadn’t had the chance to re-read your comments. my apologies. And No, I am no longer performing. Not because I don’t want to do so. I just haven’t had the right opportunity. I’d love to sing 1st tenor with one of the old groups who can really still do it and do it well. But so far, that hasn’t happened.