Everything about David Ruffin totally explained
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.
Biography
Early years
As a young child, David, along with his other siblings (older brothers Quincy and Jimmy and sister Rita Mae), traveled with their father, a minister, and their stepmother as a family gospel group. Not much is known about Ruffin's childhood except that his father was abusive and his mother died in childbirth. What is known is that David Ruffin left home at fourteen years old, allegedly to pursue a ministership like his father.
Ruffin spent time in
Louisiana at a horse farm, in
Memphis (where it was alleged he was in a talent contest with Elvis Presley), and in
Arkansas. In the mid 1950s, Ruffin sang with
The Dixie Nightingales. He eventually made his way to
Detroit, Michigan, where his older brother
Jimmy Ruffin was pursuing a career in music while working at the Ford Motor Company. Jimmy landed a deal with Miracle Records, one of several labels owned by
Berry Gordy's Tamla (later
Motown) Records. David performed at shows around Detroit, and even lived with Berry Gordy's parents for a brief period.
In the late 1950s, Ruffin sang with The Voice Masters, which included future Motown 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, Gwen Gordy Fuqua, and Ruffin sang lead on two songs: "I'm In Love" and "Action Speaks Louder Than Words". Though Ruffin's name is on the label, the Voice Masters provide backup. The Anna label was absorbed by Motown Records in
1961. After the Voice Masters broke up, Ruffin signed with
Billy Davis' Checkmate Records in 1963. On Checkmate, Ruffin recorded the single "Mr. Bus Driver, Hurry", a minor local hit. During this period, he was also doing side gigs as a drummer for the Temptations. In January
1964, 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.
With the Temptations
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. In November 1964,
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.
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.
By 1967, however, ego problems with Ruffin became an issue for the group. He became addicted to
cocaine, and began missing 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). 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 leader, Otis Williams. In addition to the group's problems with his ego, Ruffin began inquiring into the Temptations' financial records, demanding an accounting of the group's money. This caused friction between Ruffin and Gordy.
In mid-
1968, the Temptations agreed that Ruffin finally crossed the line when he missed a 1968 concert to attend a concert being performed by his new girlfriend, Barbara Martin (daughter of
Dean Martin) instead. Ruffin was replaced with former
Contour Dennis Edwards, who had been a friend of Ruffin and the group as a whole beforehand. Despondent that he'd been fired from the group that he felt he'd single-handedly brought to success, Ruffin began turning up at and crashing Temptations' concerts. When the group started to perform a Ruffin-era song such as "My Girl" or "Ain't Too Proud to Beg", Ruffin himself would appear on the stage, grab the microphone from Dennis Edwards and steal the show, embarrassing the band but delighting the fans. The Temptations resorted to hiring 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. The settlement required Ruffin to remain with Motown to finish out his initial contract (Ruffin joined Motown as a solo artist, and always had a separate contract from the other Temptations, which some felt caused a lot of the in-fighting within the group).
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. His final Top Ten hit was
1975's "Walk Away From Love", produced by
Van McCoy, which reached #9 on the pop chart. In 1971, Ruffin recorded an album with his brother Jimmy, for which they did a popular cover of the
Ben E. King song "
Stand By Me". While his solo career initially showed promise, Ruffin 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 signed with
RCA, accompanied by former Temptations bandmate
Eddie Kendrick, who chose to rekindle their friendship when Kendrick himself started experiencing problems with the Temptations. In 1982, Ruffin joined The Temptations'
Reunion tour, and, in 1985, Ruffin started touring with Kendrick as a duo act.
In 1985, longtime Temptations fans
Hall & Oates teamed up with Ruffin and Kendrick to perform at the re-opening of the
Apollo Theater in New York. Their performance was released as a relatively successful live album and single. The four singers also sang a medley of Temptations hits at
Live Aid on
July 13,
1985.
John Oates later wrote a minor hit single for Ruffin and Kendrick, but the two duos fell out, allegedly due to
Daryl Hall's objections to Ruffin's heavy drug use. 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
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, at the age of 50, having just recorded the single "Hurt the One You Love" for
Motorcity Records.
Contrary to what was later depicted in
The Temptations television miniseries, Ruffin's body wasn't 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. To this day it's said that Ruffin's overdose was planned, as he carried a briefcase containing $45,000. It has been said that it wasn't a chauffeur but a friend who took him to a
crack house in Philadelphia. After polishing off ten vials of cocaine, David passed out, and his friend threw him in the back of the limo and drove him to the hospital at 2:55 AM. His friend only stated, "This is David Ruffin", and sped off as the nurses and doctors carried him into the hospital. Ruffin was pronounced dead on June 1, 1991, at 3:55 AM in Philadelphia. The case is considered to be an accidental overdose, although there are some questions surrounding the circumstances.
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'd no real control over the presentation of the material.
Personal life
Ruffin had a stormy relationship with singer
Tammi Terrell, and is alleged to have physically abused her. Ruffin was married twice: his wives were Sandra Ruffin and Joy Hamilton. With Sandra, Ruffin had three daughters: Cheryl, Nedra, and Kimberly. He also has a son, David Jr., by a former girlfriend.
Michael Jackson covered some of the expenses of his funeral, at which
Aretha Franklin and
Stevie Wonder performed.
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
1988: Ruffin & Kendrick
Singles
On the Tamla Motown Label (UK)
TMG689 My Whole World Ended (The Moment You Left Me) / I've Got to Find Myself a Brand New Baby 7" NOTE: also released directly by Motown [M-1140]
TMG711 I've Lost Everything I've Ever Loved / We'll Have a Good Thing Going On 7" NOTE: also released directly by Motown [M-1149]
TMG936 Take Me Clear From Here / Blood Donors Needed (Give All You Can) 7"
TMG1017 Walk Away From Love / Love Can Be Hazardous to Your Health 7"
TMG1022 Heavy Love / Me and Rock & Roll (Are Here To Stay) 7"
TMG1036 Discover Me / Smiling Faces Sometimes 7"
TMG1078 I can`t stop the rain / My whole world ended (the moment you left me) 7"
TMG1093 Rode by the place (where we used to live) / You`re my peace of mind 7"
On the Motorcity label (UK)
MOTC 33 Hurt the One You Love (12", 1991)Further Information
Get more info on 'David Ruffin'.
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