Otis Williams, the legendary musician, songwriter, and record producer has been married to three women between 1961 and 1997. His first marriage was with Josephine Rogers, followed by Ann Cain, and Arleata Williams. However, he has remained single 27 years after his last marriage ended. It would be recalled that Williams honed his craft as the founder and surviving member of the original The Temptations. At the age of 83, Williams has proven that he can still hold his own as his band continues to sway the crowds and hold the interest of fans. So far, the group has released over 50 albums in over 50 years.
For a man who is able to lead such a successful group, it is only fair that we find out more about the women who were in his life behind the cameras.
Ortis Williams and Josephine Rogers were Married for Four Years
Josephine Rogers got married to singer, songwriter, and record producer, Williams in 1961. Apparently, the two met back in 1960 when he was still a struggling musician singing with The Distants. After the group failed, Josephine and Ortis had a full-blown relationship that eventually led to marriage.
Their marriage coincided with The Temptations rise as a musical group to look out for. Focusing on Rogers’ background, there is very little information about her date of birth or the identity of the other members of her family.
Regardless of this, Rogers and Williams’ marriage was blessed with a son named Otis Lamont Williams who was born on May 8, 1961. Notably, Williams was trying to balance family life and being a celebrity. This eventually caused a rift between him and his wife leading to divorce in 1964. Following this, their then three year old child stayed with Josephine and is said to have been raised in Detroit.
He Lost his Only Child with Josephine in 1983
As if the record producer’s failed marriage was not enough, he also lost the only connection he had with Josephine when their son died in 1985. According to reports, Lamont died after he fell off a building at the construction site he was working at. His obituary states that he was 24 at the time and he had died in Michigan.
Ortis’ Second Marriage with Ann Cain Lasted for 6 Years
A few years after his first marriage failed, The Temptations founder moved on with Ann Cain. The two tied the knot in 1967. Like his first marriage, Cain also stayed in the background choosing to focus on keeping their home while he pursued his career. Sadly, the marriage ended in 1973.
His Last Marriage with Arleata Williams was the Longest
Having tried two marriages, Otis gave himself some time before walking down the aisle with another woman. He got married to Arleata ‘Goldie’ Williams in 1983 after a few years of dating. From what we gathered, Arleata was born Arleata Shortride in Newark, New Jersey.
Moving on, she may have worked as a Playboy bunny in the past if an October 2017 Instagram update is anything to go by. Away from this, it was a third marriage for Otis and Goldie’s first publicized marriage. Apparently, she had another relationship that led to the birth of her daugher, Elan Carter. After their marriage, Otis is said to have adopted her daughter. Notably, they did not welcome any child during their marriage.
Publicly many thought this union was the last marriage for Otis seeing that he and Arleata were together for over a decade. Nonetheless, this was not to be as the marriage ended in divorce in 1997.
On her own, Arleata who is said to have a nack for handmade items does not seem to have remarried following the divorce. Though she also keeps a low profile, she shares updates about fun times with friends and family members. By family members, we mean her daughter Elan, a former Playboy model and mother of two children one of whom is Trace Pierce, a rising singer who took after Otis’ footsteps.
See Also: Patti Labelle’s Children: A Look At Her Family Life And 60 Million Net Worth
Who is Ortis Williams’ Wife Now?
At the moment, the musician is not married nor has he indicated if he is in any relationship. While this may be surprising to learn about a man who has a history of marrying many women, it is not the first time that a celebrity stays single following the failure of many marriages. Aside from keeping his love life quiet, Williams is still an active member of The Temptations and the last original Temptations surviving member.
