associated_acts years_active birth_place name background birth_date instrument article_title birth_name occupation
the temptations 1963 & ndash ; present fairfield , texas , usa cornelius grant solo_singer 27 april 1943 guitar cornelius grant
 cornelius grant guitarist , songwriter
cornelius grant

cornelius grant -lrb- born april 27 , 1943 in fairfield , texas , usa -rrb- is an american guitarist , composer , and band leader .
he served as the musical director , guitar player , and live show arranger for motown vocal group the temptations from 1964 until 1982 .
grant was born in fairfield , texas , a small town 80 miles south of dallas .
raised by his grandmother , who he adored , he taught himself how to play guitar at the age of nine .
when he was 13 , his family moved to detroit .
at 15 , he was playing in clubs , bars , talent shows , and other functions .
within three years he was playing with mary wells , then marvin gaye before the temptations snatched him up .
grant used a gibson birdland and a fender telecaster .
he created the opening guitar riff on `` i know i 'm losing you '' .
he wrote the hit song with eddie holland and norman whitfield .
he also wrote `` you 're my everything '' with roger penzabene and norman whitfield .
penzabene , a close friend of grant 's , wrote `` i wish it would rain '' and `` i could never love another '' .
grant also wrote `` take me in your arms and love me '' and `` ai n't no sun -lrb- since you been gone -rrb- '' -lrb- performed by gladys knight & the pips -rrb- ; `` you got to earn it '' , and `` i got ta find a way -lrb- to get you back -rrb- '' -lrb- performed by the temptations -rrb- ; and `` my weakness is you '' and `` i want my baby back '' -lrb- performed by edwin starr -rrb- ; grant also co-wrote `` i 'm more than happy -lrb- i 'm satisfied -rrb- '' for stevie wonder , and `` love and affection '' for marvin gaye .
with the temptations he had a chance to play to fans in the pacific , the caribbean , europe , the middle east , and africa .
they were guests at the white house courtesy of president richard nixon .
grant also met martin luther king , tricia nixon eisenhower , jesse jackson , elton john , and the beatles , and appeared on many television shows .
grant played on select motown studio sessions ' with the funk brothers from 1964 to 1970 , including gladys knight & the pips `` i heard it through the grapevine '' .
as a rule , grant played on all the sessions that featured songs he wrote or co-wrote , except one , `` you got to earn it '' , which smokey robinson cut while grant was on the road with the temptations .
in 1983 grant began writing for `` the hollywood reporter '' and contributed extensively to `` bre magazine '' as a columnist .
a current project , `` flashbacks and newtraks '' is a radio show featuring interviews , entertainment news , oldies music , and many points of view by him and his co-host sylkie green .
when grant gives lectures , he sometimes shares the podium with motown insiders such as don foster -lrb- former supremes and temptations manager -rrb- and tv writer/motown historian , ruth adkins robinson .
grant launched a magazine , a line of cigars , some temptation memorabilia , and music that can be purchased on his company 's website , and his non-profit organization called starz of tomorrow .
his aim for this organization is to showcase new solo artists , group artists , choreographers , writers , directors , sound engineers , and those working behind the scenes .
he wishes to give them an opportunity of a lifetime because he remembers what it was like being a young aspiring artist .
starz of tomorrow is making room for everyone to have their chance at being a star .
