David Ruffin (Davis Eli Ruffin) (January 18, 1941 – June 1, 1991) was an American soul singer most famous for his work as lead singer of The Temptations from 1964 to 1968. Image File history File links David Ruffin, from the cover of 20th Century Masters: The Best pf David Ruffin. ... is the 18th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the movie, see 1941 (film). ... Whynot is a rural community located in southeastern Lauderdale County, Mississippi. ... June 1 is the 152nd day of the year (153rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1991 (MCMXCI) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the 1991 Gregorian calendar). ... Nickname: City of Brotherly Love, Philly, the Quaker City Motto: Philadelphia maneto (Let brotherly love continue) Location in Pennsylvania Coordinates: Country United States State Pennsylvania County Philadelphia Founded October 27, 1682 Incorporated October 25, 1701 Mayor John F. Street (D) Area    - City 369. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Rhythm and blues (or R & B) is a musical marketing term introduced in the United States in the late 1940s by Billboard magazine. ... For popular forms of music in general, see Popular music. ... The soul, according to many religious and philosophical traditions, is the self-aware essence unique to a particular living being. ... Disco is a genre of dance-oriented pop music that was popularized in dance clubs (discothèques) in the mid-1970s, and which dominated mainstream pop until the late 1970s. ... A musical instrument is a device constructed or modified with the purpose of making music. ... Harry Belafonte singing, photograph by C. van Vechten Singing is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, which is often contrasted with speech. ... This does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Motown Records, Inc. ... Warner Bros. ... RCA Records is one of the flagship labels of Sony BMG Music Entertainment. ... “Temptations” redirects here. ... Eddie Kendricks (born Edward James Kendrick, December 17, 1939 – October 5, 1992) was an American singer and songwriter. ... Jimmy Ruffin (born May 7, 1939 in Collinsville, Mississippi) is an African-American soul singer and older brother of David Ruffin, one of the lead singers for The Temptations. ... is the 18th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the movie, see 1941 (film). ... June 1 is the 152nd day of the year (153rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1991 (MCMXCI) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the 1991 Gregorian calendar). ... For other uses, see Soul music (disambiguation). ... “Temptations” redirects here. ...

Biography

Early years and The Temptations

Born in Whynot, Mississippi, David (actual name Davis Eli) Ruffin was the youngest of three sons born to Opheila and Eli Ruffin. His mother Ophelia died when Davis was a mere ten months old and his father married another woman who became his stepmother, Earline Ruffin. Along with his other siblings (older brothers Quincy and Jimmy and sister Rita Mae), they traveled with their father, a minister, as a family gospel group. Not a lot of information is known about Ruffin's childhood except that his father was abusive. What is known is that David left home at 14 years old, allegedly to pursue a ministership like his father. David spent time in Louisiana at a horse farm, Memphis (where it was alleged he was in a talent contest with Elvis Presley), and Arkansas. In the mid 1950s, David sang with the Dixie Nightingales. After that stint, he eventually made his way to Detroit. There he met up with his older brother Jimmy Ruffin, who was pursuing a career in music while working at the Ford Motor Company. Jimmy landed a deal with Miracle Records, a local record label of the future music giant, Berry Gordy. David played gigs around Detroit and even lived with Berry Gordy's parents for a brief period. He sang with The Voicemasters, which included future legendary producer Lamont Dozier and members of the singing group The Originals. The act was featured on the Anna label, run by Berry Gordy's sister, the late Gwen Gordy Fuqua. Two songs are featured with Ruffin on lead: "I'm In Love" and "Action Speaks Louder Than Words". Though Ruffin's name is on the label, the Voicemasters provide backup. The label was then absorbed by Motown Records in 1961. After the Voicemasters broke up, David hooked up with producer Billy Davis on Checkmate records in 1963. Ruffin recorded a single "Mr Bus Driver, Hurry," which made some noise around Detroit. At this time, he was doing side gigs as a drummer for the Temptations. In January 1964 David Ruffin became a member of The Temptations after founding member Elbridge "Al" Bryant was fired from the group. Jimmy Ruffin was initially offered the opportunity to sing with the group, but Jimmy politely declined in favor of David. The Ruffins were distant cousins of Temptation bass singer Melvin Franklin. Whynot is a rural community located in southeastern Lauderdale County, Mississippi. ... Jimmy Ruffin (born May 7, 1939 in Collinsville, Mississippi) is an African-American soul singer and older brother of David Ruffin, one of the lead singers for The Temptations. ... Motown Records, also known as Tamla-Motown outside of the United States, is a record label originally based out of Detroit, Michigan (Motor City), where it achieved widespread international success. ... See also: 1960 in music, other events of 1961, 1962 in music, 1960s in music and the list of years in music // Events January 15 - Motown Records signs The Supremes January 20 - Francis Poulencs Gloria is premiered in Boston February 12 - The Miracles Shop Around becomes Motowns first... See also: 1963 in music, other events of 1964, 1965 in music, 1960s in music and the list of years in music // Events January 1 - Top of the Pops premieres on BBC television. ... Elbridge Al Bryant (September 28, 1939 - October 26, 1975) was an African American tenor singer, one of the founding members of Motown singing group The Temptations. ... Melvin Franklin (David Melvin English) (October 12, 1942 – February 23, 1995) was an American bass singer, best known for his role as a member of Motown singing group The Temptations from 1961 to 1994. ...

The bespectacled Ruffin initially sang background vocals on the Temptations' records while the role of lead singer generally alternated between Eddie Kendricks and Paul Williams until November 1964, when songwriter/producer Smokey Robinson wrote a single especially for Ruffin to sing lead on. That song, "My Girl", became the group's first #1 single and its signature song, and elevated Ruffin to the role of lead singer and front man. Eddie Kendricks (born Edward James Kendrick, December 17, 1939 – October 5, 1992) was an American singer and songwriter. ... Paul Williams is the name of three popular music musicians: Paul Williams, songwriter for Carpenters and many others, as well as actor in movies and TV. Paul Williams, rhythm and blues saxophonist Paul Williams, one of the lead singers of the popular Motown act The Temptations Other Paul Williams: Paul... A songwriter is someone who writes the lyrics to songs, the musical composition or melody to songs, or both. ... In the music industry, a record producer (or music producer) has many roles, among them controlling the recording sessions, coaching and guiding the musicians, organizing and scheduling production budget and resources, and supervising the recording, mixing and mastering processes. ... William Smokey Robinson, Sr. ... My Girl. ...

The follow-ups to "My Girl" were also extremely successful singles, including "Since I Lost My Baby" (1965), "Ain't Too Proud to Beg" (1966), "All I Need" (1967), and "I Wish It Would Rain" (1967). The lanky, 6'3" Ruffin's passionate and dramatic performances endeared him to the Temptations' audiences and fans. According to Otis Williams, Ruffin (playfully nicknamed "Ruff" by the group) was initially a natural comedian and a hard-working singer when he first joined the group. Ruffin's most notable non-vocal contribution to the Temptations was the masterminding of their trademark four-headed microphone stand. Since I Lost My Baby is a 1965 hit single recorded by The Temptations for the Gordy (Motown) label. ... See also: 1964 in music, other events of 1965, 1966 in music, 1960s in music and the list of years in music // January 4 - Fender Guitars is sold to CBS for $13 million. ... Aint 2 Proud 2 Beg is also the name of a 1991 TLC single. ... // January 3 - Hullabaloo shows promotional videos of The Beatles songs Day Tripper and We Can Work It Out. January 8 - Shindig! airs for the last time on ABC, with musical guests the Kinks and the Who January 14 - Young singer David Jones changes his last name to Bowie to avoid... All I Need may refer to: All I Need, a song by The Temptations from their 1967 album The Temptations with a Lot o Soul All I Need, a song by Raven from their 1986 album The Pack is Back All I Need, a song by My Bloody Valentine from... See also: 1960s in music. ... I Wish It Would Rain, released December 21, 1967, is a 1968 hit single recorded by The Temptations for the Motown label and produced by Norman Whitfield. ... Otis Williams (born Otis Miles, Jr. ...

By 1967, however, ego problems with Ruffin became an issue for the Temptations. Ruffin became addicted to cocaine, and began regularly missing group meetings, rehearsals, and performances. Refusing to travel with the other Temptations, Ruffin and his then-girlfriend Tammi Terrell traveled in a custom limo (with the image of his trademark black rimmed glasses painted on the door, no less). After The Supremes had their name changed to Diana Ross & the Supremes in early 1967, Ruffin felt that he should become the focal point of the Temptations, just as Diana Ross was for her group, and began demanding that the group name be changed to "David Ruffin & the Temptations." This led to a number of fights between Ruffin and the group's de facto leader, Otis Williams, who insists that he gave Ruffin fair warning that if he did not change his attitude, he would be fired. What is also seldom mentioned is that, in addition to the group's problems with David's ego, he was one of the first Motown artists to question where the money was going, and so Ruffin was also demanding an accounting of the group's money. This also caused friction between Ruffin and Gordy. Cocaine is a crystalline tropane alkaloid that is obtained from the leaves of the coca plant. ... Tammi Terrell (born Thomasina Montgomery) (April 29, 1945 – March 16, 1970) was an American Motown singer in the 1960s, best known for her duets with Marvin Gaye. ... A limousine (or limo) is a long luxury car, traditionally black in color. ... The Supremes, later billed as Diana Ross and The Supremes, were a Motown all-female singing group. ... Diana Ross (born Diane Ernestine Earle Ross[1] on March 26, 1944) is an American singer and actress, whose musical repertoire spans R&B, soul, disco, jazz, and pop. ...

David Ruffin (center) with the Temptations 1967.

In mid-1968, the Temptations decided they could no longer put up with Ruffin's behavior and, after agreeing that he'd finally crossed the line when he missed a 1968 concert to attend a concert being performed by his new girlfriend, Barbara (Gail) Martin (daughter of Dean Martin) instead, they replaced him with former Contour Dennis Edwards, who had been a friend of Ruffin and the group as a whole before the replacing happened. Bitter and upset that he had been fired from the group that he believed owed to him their success, Ruffin began turning up at Temptations concerts. When the group started to perform a Ruffin-era song such as "My Girl" or "Ain't Too Proud to Beg", he would appear on the stage, grab the microphone from Dennis Edwards and start singing, stealing the show, embarrassing the band but delighting the fans. The Temptations hired extra security to prevent Ruffin from attending their shows. Meanwhile, Ruffin filed suit against Motown Records, seeking a release from the label and an accounting of his money. Motown countersued to keep the singer from leaving the label and eventually the case was settled. David had to remain with Motown to finish his contract that he signed earlier on. It has been said that Ruffin had a separate contract from his fellow Temptations members which some felt caused a lot of the in-fighting within the group. The Temptations circa 1967, from the cover to Temptations: Gold (2005). ... The Temptations circa 1967, from the cover to Temptations: Gold (2005). ... Year 1967 (MCMLXVII) was a common year starting on Sunday and the summer of 1967 was known as The Summer of Peace and Love (link will display full calendar) of the 1967 Gregorian calendar. ... See also: 1967 in music, other events of 1968, 1969 in music, 1960s in music and the list of years in music // January 4 - Guitarist Jimi Hendrix is jailed by Stockholm police, after trashing a hotel room during a drunken fist fight with bassist Noel Redding. ... Dean Martin (born Dino Paul Crocetti, June 7, 1917 – December 25, 1995) was an Italian American singer, film actor, and comedian. ... The Contours were one of the early soul singing groups signed to Motown Records. ... Dennis Edwards (born February 3, 1943 in Birmingham, Alabama) is an American soul and R&B singer, most noted for being one of Motown act The Temptations lead singers. ... Dennis Edwards (born February 3, 1943 in Birmingham, Alabama) is an American soul and R&B singer, most noted for being one of Motown act The Temptations lead singers. ...

Solo years

Ruffin's first solo single was a song originally intended for the Temptations, "My Whole World Ended (The Moment You Left Me)". The single reached the US pop & R&B Top Ten, and Ruffin continued releasing solo material into the 1970s, with his final Top Ten hit being 1975's "Walk Away From Love", produced by Van McCoy. He also recorded an album with his brother Jimmy during this period, in which they did a popular cover of the Ben E. King song Stand By Me. While his solo career initially showed promise, it reportedly went into decline in part because of his cocaine addiction and the lack of support from Motown. After leaving Motown in 1977, Ruffin recorded for Warner Bros. Records, and later sang with RCA, accompanied by former Temptations bandmate Eddie Kendricks, who chose to rekindle their friendship when Kendricks started experiencing problems within the group. In 1982, Ruffin joined the Temptations reunion tour, and, in 1985, Ruffin started touring with Eddie Kendricks. Reportedly, one night Ruffin went to watch Kendricks perform in a nightclub, Kendricks spotted him in the crowd, pointed him out and invited him to come up and perform on stage. Afterwards they talked about touring on their own as a duo. My Whole World Ended (The Moment You Left Me) was the solo debut single for former Temptations lead singer David Ruffin, released on Motown Records in early 1969 (see 1969 in music). ... // Charles Wuorinen, aged 32, becomes the youngest composer ever to win the Pulitzer Prize for Music. ... See also: 1970s in music. ... Van McCoy Van Allen Clinton McCoy (January 6, 1940 - July 6, 1979) was a music producer, musician, and songwriter who had a massive hit with the disco song The Hustle in 1975, after writing hits for soul acts like Gladys Knight and the Pips, and Ruby and the Romantics, as... Ben E. King (born Benjamin Earl Nelson on September 28, 1938, in Henderson, North Carolina) then moved to Harlem, NY at the age of nine. ... See also: 1976 in music, other events of 1977, 1978 in music, 1970s in music and the list of years in music // Queens Bohemian Rhapsody is named The Best Single Of The Last 25 Years by BPI. In this year, the St. ... Warner Bros. ... RCA, formerly an acronym for the Radio Corporation of America, is now a trademark owned by Thomson SA through RCA Trademark Management S.A., a company owned by Thomson. ... Eddie Kendricks (born Edward James Kendrick, December 17, 1939 – October 5, 1992) was an American singer and songwriter. ...

In 1985, longtime fans Hall & Oates teamed up with them to perform at the reopening of the Apollo theatre in New York. This was released as a relatively successful live album and single. Then, the four singers sang a medley of Temptations hits at Live Aid on July 13, 1985. John Oates later wrote a minor hit single for them, but the two duos fell out, allegedly due to Daryl Hall's problem with Ruffin's heavy drug use. Hall & Oates is a popular music duo made up of Daryl Hall & John Oates. ... Ethiopia, as its borders were in 1985. ... -1... Daryl Hall (born Daryl Franklin Hohl on October 11, 1946, Pottstown, Pennsylvania) is an American singer and songwriter best known as half of the music duo Hall & Oates (with music partner John Oates). ...

After being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1989 with the other Temptations, Ruffin, Kendrick, and Dennis Edwards began touring and recording as "Ruffin/Kendrick/Edwards: Former Leads of The Temptations." The project was cut short, however, when David Ruffin died of a drug overdose on June 1, 1991 in Detroit, Michigan at the age of 50. Contrary to what Temptation Otis Williams claimed in his autobiography (later adapted into the Temptations television miniseries), Ruffin's body was not randomly found in the middle of the street, nor did it lie unclaimed in a morgue for over a week. Instead, Ruffin's chauffeur drove him to the hospital, identifying him as "David Ruffin of the Temptations". A few days later, Ruffin's children claimed his body. ^[1] The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame at sunset. ... A drug overdose occurs when a drug is ingested in quantities and/or concentrations large enough to overwhelm the homeostasis of a living organism, causing severe illness or death. ... June 1 is the 152nd day of the year (153rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1991 (MCMXCI) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the 1991 Gregorian calendar). ... Nickname: Motto: Speramus Meliora; Resurget Cineribus (Latin for, We Hope For Better Things; It Shall Rise From the Ashes) Location in Wayne County, Michigan Coordinates: , Country United States State Michigan County Wayne County Founded 1701 Incorporation 1806 Government  - Type Strong Mayor-Council  - Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick (D) Area  - City  143. ... The Temptations was a four-hour television miniseries broadcast in two-hour halves on NBC, based upon the history of one of Motown’s longest-lived acts, The Temptations. ...

Ruffin was portrayed by actor Leon Robinson in the 1998 television miniseries The Temptations. Leon won high praise for his portrayal of Ruffin, but Ruffin's family was upset by the way the miniseries portrayed Ruffin, and filed a lawsuit against the producers of the miniseries and also Otis Williams, whose memoirs had been the source material for the miniseries. The case was dismissed in favor of the defendants, with Williams later claiming that he had no control over the presentation of the material. Leon as J.T. Matthews in The Five Heartbeats (1991). ... The Temptations was a four-hour television miniseries broadcast in two-hour halves on NBC, based upon the history of one of Motown’s longest-lived acts, The Temptations. ...

Personal life

Ruffin had a stormy relationship with singer Tammi Terrell. He was married twice: his wives were Sandra Ruffin and Joy Hamilton. With Sandra, Ruffin had three daughters: Cheryl, Nedra, and Kimberly. He has a son named David Jr., by longtime girlfriend Genna Sapia. Tammi Terrell (born Thomasina Montgomery) (April 29, 1945 – March 16, 1970) was an American Motown singer in the 1960s, best known for her duets with Marvin Gaye. ...

When Ruffin died in June of 1991, Michael Jackson partially covered some of his funeral expenses, at which Aretha Franklin and Stevie Wonder performed. Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958), commonly known as MJ as well as the King of Pop, is an American musician, entertainer, and pop icon whose successful career and controversial personal life have been a part of pop culture for the last three decades. ... Aretha Louise Franklin (born March 25, 1942) is an American soul, R&B, and gospel singer, songwriter, and pianist. ... Stevie Wonder (born Stevland Hardaway Judkins on May 13, 1950, name later changed to Stevland Hardaway Morris),[1] is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer. ...

Solo discography

Albums

David Ruffin

• 1969: My Whole World Ended
• 1969: Feelin Good
• 1971: David (unreleased until June 25, 2004 and currently out of print)
• 1973: David Ruffin
• 1974: Me And Rock N Roll Are Here To stay
• 1975: Who I Am
• 1976: Everything's Coming Up Love
• 1977: In My Stride
• 1979: So Soon We Change
• 1980: Gentleman Ruffin

The Ruffin Brothers

• 1971: I Am My Brother's Keeper (with Jimmy Ruffin)

Ruffin & Kendrick Jimmy Ruffin (born May 7, 1939 in Collinsville, Mississippi) is an African-American soul singer and older brother of David Ruffin, one of the lead singers for The Temptations. ...

• 1988: Ruffin & Kendrick

The Temptations

• see Temptations discography

The cover for the landmark 1969 Temptations LP Cloud Nine. ...

Notes

1. ^ * Cheryl Ruffin-Steinback, et al. v. Suzanne De Passe, et al. Appeal filed Sept 28, 2001 in United States Court of Appeals. Text available here.

External links

• David Ruffin's Gravesite