Happy Birthday to the founder and longest surviving member of the Temptations … Mr. Otis Miles Jr. …known to the world as Otis Williams! I am a product of the 50’s and early 60’s and knew that I was destined to someday become a singer, entertainer and musician. As a teenager I remember the first time I heard the greatest song I ever heard on my transistor radio … “My Girl”. The group … the temptin’ Temptations! The song just touched me and became my favorite melody for life! I had dreams of one day becoming a Temptation. As many of you know, I became a singer, musician and entertainer and have performed my favorite song with my band, Johnny Angel and the Halos, many, many times. But it runs deeper … I never dreamed that I would one day sing my favorite song with my favorite group …the Temptations! Pinch me… it’s true! Well, it all started with a call from a friend who worked at one of the hotels here in Pittsburgh. There was a meeting to talk about a new movie that was to be filmed here in da “Burgh. A meeting that had Otis Williams of the Temptations and a rumor that a movie was to be shot here in our city. Somehow, my name came up, and my friend was asked if he knew of Johnny Angel in Pittsburgh. That’s how it all started … I met with some of the movie people and at the time I was running shows at the Emerald Theater in the Rocks. They were looking for locations in Pittsburgh that resembled the Detroit neighborhoods since both cities were similar. We had Steel Mills and Detroit had the car industry and many of the neighborhoods were the same. If you watched the movie, the Emerald room and the 3-D lounge was converted to be the Rooster Tail and clubs in Detroit. A bit later after they shot the movie … the Temptations … I was asked if I wanted to MC a Motown Show at Starlake Amphitheater that had the Temptations on the show. I knew that the Temps were going to sing … “My Girl” and I told Otis that I always wanted to be a Temptation and I was the MC so I was actually on the same stage with the Temps. It was as close as I will ever be to be a Temptation … well it gets better. I was standing in the wings after introducing the Temptations in a trance watching my favorite group of all time … just then I heard the Bass start the intro to “My Girl” … Otis said to the audience … “you know him as Johnny Angel and he always had dreams of being a Temptation … come on out here Johnny!” Yes, my dream was coming true … I was about to sing my favorite song with my favorite group right here in my hometown! Of all the experiences I’ve had in my career … this was the highlight! Thank you, Smokey Robinson, for writing this beautiful song … thank you Otis Williams for inviting me to share the stage and sing my favorite song … with the Temptations! Again, Happy Birthday Otis Williams … Temptation and Motor City Icon!