. ▁Franklin ▁joined ▁the ▁group ▁as ▁its ▁bass ▁singer , ▁and ▁remained ▁with ▁Williams ▁and ▁El bridge ▁Bry ant ▁when ▁they , ▁Paul ▁Williams , ▁and ▁Edd ie ▁K end r icks ▁formed ▁The ▁El g ins ▁in ▁late ▁ 1 9 6 0 . ▁In ▁March ▁ 1 9 6 1 , ▁the ▁El g ins ▁signed ▁with ▁Mot own ▁Records ▁under ▁a ▁new ▁name ; ▁The ▁T empt ations . ▁He ▁had ▁a ▁fond ness ▁for ▁the ▁color ▁blue , ▁and ▁so ▁he ▁was ▁nick named ▁" Blue " ▁by ▁fellow ▁sing ers . ▁According ▁to ▁Ot is ▁Williams , ▁Franklin ▁rom ant ically ▁purs ued ▁Sup rem es ▁singer ▁Mary ▁Wilson ▁at ▁one ▁point . ▁ ▁Ot is ▁and ▁Mel vin ▁were ▁the ▁only ▁found ing ▁T empt ations ▁who ▁never ▁left ▁the ▁group . ▁One ▁of ▁the ▁most ▁famous ▁bass ▁sing ers ▁in ▁music ▁over ▁his ▁long ▁career , ▁Franklin ' s ▁deep ▁vocals ▁became ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁group ' s ▁signature ▁tra dem arks . ▁Franklin ▁sang ▁a ▁hand ful ▁of ▁featured ▁leads ▁with ▁the ▁group ▁as ▁well , ▁including ▁the ▁songs ▁" I ▁Tr uly , ▁Tr uly ▁Bel ieve " ▁( The ▁T empt ations ▁W ish ▁It ▁Would ▁Rain , ▁ 1 9 6 8 ), ▁" Sil ent ▁Night " ▁( G ive ▁Love ▁At ▁Christmas , ▁ 1 9 8 0 ), ▁" The ▁Pro ph et " ▁( A ▁Song ▁for ▁You , ▁ 1 9 7 5 ), ▁and ▁his ▁signature