Otis “Damon” Harris — he used the name “Damon” to avoid confusion with Otis Williams, leader of The Temptations — passed away on February 18 at the age of 62. Prostate cancer was cited as the cause of death.
Born in Baltimore, Maryland, in 1950, Harris joined The Temptations in 1971 at the age of 20. He replaced Eddie Kendricks, one of the group’s original vocalists and was the lead singer on Temptations hits such as “Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone” (a 3-time Grammy winner), “Superstar (Remember How You Got Where You Are),” “Masterpiece,” “Plastic Man,” and more. Prior to joining The Temptations, Harris was a fan of the group and even sang in a group called The Tempts.
Harris left the Temptations in 1975 and worked as a solo artist. He released the albums Impact in 1976, The Pac is Back in 1977, and Silk in 1978. He retired from music to complete college. In the ’90s, he toured as The Temptations Review Starring Damon Harris and also toured with other members of The Temptations, including original members David Ruffin and Eddie Kendricks.