Temptations Singer Dies: Damon Harris Dead At 62 From Prostate Cancer

The Temptations singer died on Monday, February 18, 2013. Damon Harris was the former Temptations singer who voiced the lyrics “papa was a rollin’ stone.”

Reports about Damon Harris’ death can not yet say for certain what the cause of death was, because the Joseph Richey Hospice in Baltimore has not confirmed anything. But before the Temptations singer died,  Damon Harris was known to have been diagnosed with prostate cancer at age 47. So it is possible the Temptations singer finally lost a 14 year battle to cancer.

After the original prostate cancer diagnosis, Damon Harris became active with cancer organization Stand Up To Cancer, which calls for men to receive regular prostate exams. The Examiner says He founded the Damon Harris Cancer Foundation in 2001. According to The Chicago Tribune, family spokesman Chuck Woodson explained why Damon Harris became vocal about cancer awareness:

“He didn’t want anyone to suffer the consequences that he suffered for not doing that.”

Damon Harris’ prostate cancer was supposedly in remission until three years ago. The cancer had “gotten pretty bad” by the end of the summer of 2012. Since November, Damon Harris was in the hospital until last week when he was transferred to the hospice.

Damon Harris was actually born as Otis Harris. The Chicago Tribune relates how the former Temptations singer had his first name changed:

“In 1971, Harris auditioned for The Temptations at the age of 21, more than a decade younger than the other members. He was brought into the group under one condition: He had to change his first name because the group already had an Otis — founding member Otis Williams.”

Before the Temptations singer died, Damon Harris won three Grammy Awards. He also recorded nine gold records. Damon Harris left The Temptations in 1975. He was 62 years old.