Marvin Gaye / #MarvinGayeLou Rawls / #LouRawls andDavid Ruffin / #DavidRuffin (Lead singer of the #Temptations). As you can see, the brothas pretty talented, and has found a way to combine his love for hip hop with his soulful singing ability. Snoop Dogg might not be the legendary Snoop that he is today, if it hadnt been for his 1993 classic, Gin and Juice, setting his career on fire. David was hanging with a bad crew, Hall said. David Ruffin was an American soul singer and musician who had a net worth of $150 thousand at the time of his death. There werent many paths to wealth and stardom for Black people in Southern states that were still trapped, in the 1940s and 1950s, under the oppressive weight of Jim Crow laws and segregation. He moved to Philadelphia in 1989, lived with a girlfriend, Diane Showers, and palled around with Linster Butch Murrell, the owner of a small limo service. His tenure with the Temptations ended abruptly, in 1968, when the group fired him for skipping one of their concerts; Ruffin had opted instead to watch one of Dean Martins daughters sing at the Latin Casino, in Cherry Hill. Quincy tried to distance himself from the familys roots in rural Whynot, Miss. Legends are never forgotten and David Ruffin IS a musical LEGEND. Of course, his father was the Temptations' lead singer from 1964 to 1968. 1 record, but proved to be so much more a paean to love that has endured for more than five decades. In January 1999, it was ruled that Edwards was legally barred from using the band's name, which led Edwards's group to be called The Temptations Review featuring Dennis Edwards. Hell be all right.. Copyright 2023 News Atlas. [13] Edwards was briefly married to Ruth Pointer, whom he wed in Las Vegas in 1977. Picture: Getty In an episode of music documentary series Unsung, it was revealed that Terrell suffered from health, mental and physical trauma after being raped when she was a teenager on her way home from school by three boys.. The son of late Temptations singer, David Ruffin, has been very instrumental in some of the most timeless rap songs from the 90s. After doing a lil research on David Ruffin Jr. weve learned that when he told his dad he wanted to rap instead of sing, his Pops reportedly told him, Well I aint backing you up on a fad. the Temptations most popular song, My Girl, a Motown artist who sang What Becomes of the Brokenhearted., California residents do not sell my data request. Himself, Do you know something we don't? The Four Tops are a famous Motown group from the 1960s. [8] Edwards was the first singer to join the Temptations after their "Classic 5" period. Later that year, he was assigned to join The Contours after their lead singer, Billy Gordon, fell ill.[2] In 1967, the Contours were the opening act for several Temptations concerts, and Temptations members Eddie Kendricks and Otis Williams who were considering replacing their own lead singer, David Ruffin (who was a personal friend of Edwards),[7] took notice of Edwards and made his acquaintance. Murrell remembers watching Ruffin sometimes disappear into properties to buy drugs. The Temptations officially introduced Edwards on July 9, 1968 on stage in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania. Their grief was compounded by stories that they felt tore his character down, she said. [2] He was not allowed to sing or listen to secular music at home, and his mother disapproved when he began pursuing a career singing rhythm and blues music. During the 1990s, Edwards began touring under the name "Dennis Edwards & the Temptations", prompting a legal battle between himself and Otis Williams. She starts to sing the same words that he did slowly, carefully, like someone unfolding an old letter that might crumble. As the bands popularity grew, they toured relentlessly with other Motown artists along the Chitlin Circuit, a network of clubs and theaters on the East Coast, the Midwest, and the South that were welcoming to Black performers. In the mid-1980s, he attempted a solo career, scoring a hit in 1984 with "Don't Look Any . But David Ruffin could sing like a hurricane, and possessed an innate sense of how to connect with people, how to make them smile and laugh and feel what he felt. Subsequent releases failed, however, as did duets with his brother Jimmy Ruffin. His friend Donald Brown drove him to the hospital, but he was already dead when they got there. His father, Eli Ruffin, was a Baptist minister. [citation needed] Edwards was portrayed by Charles Ley in the 1998 biographical television mini-series The Temptations, though he was not heavily focused upon, as the mini-series gave more attention to the Ruffin/Kendricks-era Temptations lineup. Law enforcement sources say the the woman is Ruffin Jr.'s girlfriend and we're told she was also arrested and booked for felony domestic violence. Through photos and stories, we hope to provide a glimpse into her life, her work, and what she meant to the people who knew her. Edwards was born in Fairfield, Alabama,[1] about eight miles from Birmingham, to Reverend Dennis Edwards Sr. It aint nothin but another television show, he told them. [3] The album of the same name reached No. The son of late Temptations singer, David Ruffin, has been very instrumental in some of the most timeless rap songs from the '90s. [3] During this time, Edwards was engaged to Yvonne "Frankie" Gearing, the lead singer of Quiet Elegance, who toured with The Temptations as their backing group. People never get tired of Motown because Motown is real music. [citation needed] His group continues to perform today as Dennis Edwards' Temptations Revue. Aretha Franklin and Stevie Wonder sang at the funeral of David Ruffin, a singer from the Temptations. Daughter of David Ruffin. She was performing at a club in Detroit. In the past years, highly touted music publications such as The Rolling Stone, The Source and Rap Pages have labeled him as "talented and up-and-coming" ButDavid credits his father, along with current soloist, Joe, Usher, Anthony Hamilton and 80s crooners, Alexander ONeal, James D-Train Williams, and the great Marvin Gaye as the major influences on his style of singing. David Ruffin was a singer in the group the Temptations. The Four Tops are a famous Motown group from the 1960s. He was getting high so much. Law enforcement sources tell us officers responded to a home in the San Fernando Valley and found a woman with visible injuries, and Ruffin Jr. was taken into custody. [3] In 1982, Edwards got the chance to sing with Ruffin and Eddie Kendricks as part of the Reunion album and tour. The Detroit resident attended Mumford High School in Detroit, and her career included modeling. _taboola.push({ His mother's name was Rose English; she was from Mobile County, Alabama. [2], Later in 1967, Edwards quit the Contours and was placed back on retainer. Only months after his birth his mother Ophelia Ruffin died, and his father later remarried, to a schoolteacher. But there was no escaping the racial hatred that coursed through much of the country. (L) David Ruffin with son, David Jr.; (R) David Ruffin. Stream ad-free with Amazon Music Unlimited on mobile, desktop, and tablet. }); Copyright 2015 . He had a spot on his liver and the doctor said he needed to retire from the group. [citation needed] The Temptations Review group was inducted into the Rhythm and Blues Music Hall of Fame on October 4, 2015 in Detroit, Michigan, when Edwards was also given the Living Legend Award. His stage performance was dynamic. We hope you have enjoyed this blog celebrating the life and career of Mrs. Ruffin. I am not certain of the abuse but I do know that Ruffin's mother died right before he was a year old. His father, Eli Ruffin, was a Baptist minister. Law enforcement sources tell us officers responded to a home in the San Fernando Valley . Mother: Ophelia Ruffin (d. before David was one year old) Brother: Jimmy Ruffin (b. Dennis Edwards Jr. (February 3, 1943 - February 1, 2018) was an American soul and R&B singer who was best known as the frontman in The Temptations, on Motown Records.Edwards joined the Temptations in 1968, replacing David Ruffin and sang with the group from 1968 to 1976, 1980 to 1984 and 1987 to 1989. He was 50. Released his debut EP "All My Life" in 2008. The Ruffins\ mother died when David was a baby, and their father, Eli Ruffin, later forced the siblings to become a singing group the Spiritual Trying Four. When we think of David Ruffin, we think of The Temps and soul R&B, which is why we were pretty surprised that . When we think of David Ruffin, we think of The Temps and soul R&B, which is why we were pretty surprised that his . "Mr. Eli would take them from church to church on Sundays, and people would feel sorry for these motherless children," Gina said. It was shortly before 3 a.m. on June 1 when Brown pulled up to the emergency room entrance to the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, and told hospital staff that his passenger, David Ruffin, had overdosed. David Ruffin Collapsed at Crack House, blared one headline from the Washington Post; Overdose Called Massive: He Must Have Built Up Strong Tolerance in Past, Doctor Says, read another, from the Philadelphia Daily News. David Ruffin Jr. : A few SONS of the Worlds Most Entertaining singers of all times have come together for a Tribute to their Fathers. He then moved to Detroit, Michigan, and was signed to Anna Records in 1960 and then Check-Mate Records in 1961. Cheryl Ruffin-Robinson said her family has long believed that there was foul play involved in her fathers death, and many questions they have about his final hours are still unanswered. Paul Williams and John Williams are brothers. Below is David Ruffin Jr.s music video, Cry Cry Cry. Glad to know that there is a David Ruffin Jr. that has great talent like his father. It is David Ruffin Jr. we can partly thank for that, because he wrote the timeless hook: Rollin down the street, smokin indo, sippin on gin and juice/ Laid back (with my mind on my money and my money on my mind). David didn't have hits with either label, but they were good showcases for his vocal ability and talent. Check it out and tell us what you think on Facebook. A relationship with another Motown star, the Philadelphia native Tammi Terrell, was shadowed by rumors of physical violence, which Ruffins family later denied. Where are the Four Tops buried? He died in 1991, and his funeral was paid for by Michael Jackson. He had one of the most recognizable voices in music. By the late-1960s, he had developed alcoholism, which made it hard for him to continue with the group. Singing with his heroes onstage was the high point of my life, no doubt about it, Oates said. The Son of a Legend, David Ruffin Jr, understands the expectations that have been placed upon him, but hopefully once his voice is heard, it might become more pleasantly obvious, that he does his best to continue the RUFFIN Soul! Motown re-launched Edwards's solo career, in 1984 with the hit single "Don't Look Any Further", a duet with Siedah Garrett. On another occasion, Staton and the singer Bobby Womack visited Ruffin while he was recording new music in California. He fed it to his dog, and asked his surprised hosts: You got any baby food? David Ruffin then tucked into a jar of baby peaches, and quietly explained that he was plagued by an ulcer. David proved that he can get down with the best of em, just like his pops. Ruffin Jr. is being held on $50,000 bail. Eddie left the Temptations because his friends Paul Williams and Ruffin died of drug overdoses, and his other friend Kendricks has cancer. Six-foot-two and lamppost skinny, his face framed by thick, dark eyeglasses, Ruffins vocal cords powered the Temptations most popular song, My Girl it went to No. He was raised by his father (who was a strict Baptist minister) and his new wife who was a teacher. mode: 'thumbnails-rr1', When asked of the Trials and Tribulations of the music industry he simply states, "I'm a focused and determined artist. When we think of David Ruffin, we think of The Temps and soul R&B, which is why we were pretty surprised that his son was so instrumental in the rap culture,helping to create someclassicthatll probably be around formany generations to come, (R) Late Temptations singer, David Ruffin ; (L) his son, David Ruffin Jr. [2], As a teenager, Edwards joined a gospel vocal group called The Mighty Clouds of Joy, and studied music at the Detroit Conservatory of Music. His career had seemingly bottomed. The Temptations should do some music with him and bring that old Motown sound back again. They could team up with Smokey Robinson again and write some good old fashion love songs like they use to do. David Ruffin was a singer in the group The Temptations from 1964 to 1968. But David Ruffin died in Philadelphia on June 1, 1991, the victim of what doctors determined to be an accidental overdose of cocaine. The man was a walking skeleton.. The man most of us know by his unmistakable, calming yet disturbed raspy voice was born Davis Eli Ruffin on January 18, 1941, in Whynot, Mississippi. Ruffin wanted to end the session early and leave with his friends, but a producer insisted that he needed to stay. Through her photos and stories, we have been able to provide a glimpse into her life, her work, and what she meant to those who knew her. Candi Staton sometimes revisits one of her favorite memories of her old friend. David Jr is currently preparing to tour independently with 4942 as well as spearheading The Sons Of Motown project. 3 Rose Franklin disputes the manner in which the mini-series depicted the final days of her son, Melvin. He is happy to talk about his experience with sobriety and how it has helped him in his life. When David was about 13 or 14, Gina said, he used to always play a game Lets pretend Im on The Ed Sullivan Show! and stand on a piece of wood, singing, and tell the other kids to clap for him.. Ruffins ability to embody the ecstasy and agony of songs about love gained and lost cast an unbreakable spell on countless admirers who once watched, slack-jawed, as he and the Temptations, and other Motown legends, dazzled crowds. David Jr. also revealed that he worked on several Death Row Records albums, helping to create Dr. Dres B*t*hes Aint S*it (Chronic album); Snoop Doggs songs, The Shiznit (Doggystyle album) and Gs Up Hoes Down (Doggystyle Album); Tupacs Ambitionz Az A Ridah (All Eyez On Me album), and he also worked on songs from the 8 Mile and Poetic Justice soundtracks, among others. It's unclear what kind of injuries the woman allegedly suffered. Yes, there is a David Ruffin Jr. Former Kirov Ballet Academy accountant pleads guilty to embezzling $1.5 million, Women's Health: A Year of Triumph Despite Turmoil, Celebrating Data Privacy Week 2023: Understanding ISO 31700 and Privacy By Design, Celebrate National Pi Day with the Best Pies in Houston, Microsofts Cloud Business and AI Opportunities, Investing in a Gold IRA: Our Experience With Augusta Precious Metals, North American stocks rally for fifth straight session, The 2021 US Open at Torrey Pines An Unforgettable Tournament. [8] He continued similar stunts for about a month until, according to Edwards, the group decided to lay-off Edwards with the promise of a solo deal from Motown and rehire Ruffin. Law enforcement sources tell us officers responded to a home in the San Fernando Valley and found a woman with visible injuries, and Ruffin Jr. was taken into custody. He arrived at her familys house in North Carolina in an eye-catching white limousine that had been fitted with white mink carpet, accompanied by a large, white dog. The son of late Temptations singer, David Ruffin, has been very instrumental in some of the most timeless rap songs from the 90s. Ruffin the voice of Motown classics like My Girl died at age 50 in 1991. She was a native of Suffolk, Virginia where she attended East Suffolk Edwards remained in the Temptations until being fired by Otis Williams in 1977 just before the group's departure from Motown to Atlantic Records. David Ruffin. [3] In 1961,[4] Edwards recorded a single for the obscure Detroit label, International Soulville Records, "I Didn't Have to (But I Did)" b/w "Johnnie on the Spot". Edwards had a relationship with singer Aretha Franklin, who stated he was the inspiration behind her 1972 soul song "Day Dreaming". In another sad music industry story, singer, songwriter and producer David Ruffin Jr. has been arrested in California for felony domestic abuse charges. David Ruffin Jr. is known for Real Bloodlines (2015), The Making of: Running Out of Time and Without U (2022). [5] In 1966, Edwards auditioned for Detroit's Motown Records, where he was signed but placed on retainer. Check out the songs he helped Snoop Dogg, Tupac and others create, David Ruffin Jr. Edwards's Don't Look Any Further: the Remix Album was released in 1998, containing updated dance mixes and the original 1984 track. Nedra Ruffin's father, David Ruffin, sang lead for the Temptations in the 60s and went solo in the 1970s. My Girl was the bands first No. David Sr. would probably be beaming with pride right about now. This blog is dedicated to celebrating the life and career of one of the most iconic figures in Motown history, David Ruffin Jr.\s mother, Mrs. Ruffin. People figured you can stop a bad habit, but they dont understand addiction, said the soul singer Candi Staton, a longtime friend of Ruffins. Family (2) Trivia (5) Cousin of Jimmy Ruffin Jr.. Half-sister of Cheryl Ruffin, Nedra Ruffin, and Kimberly Ruffin-Jones. Later that year, the group had their first hit, the Smokey Robinson-penned single The Way You Do the Things You Do. When Ruffin was told that the song was climbing the Billboard charts, he burst into tears. That person\s name is Otis Williams, and he is also a record producer and actor. A Hip-Hop Classic with Dr Dre and Snoop Dogg, and has worked with other stellar artists such as Kurupt, Daz, Nate Dogg, Sisquo & Jazz of DruHill, just to name a few. When the world lost David Ruffin, it lost a life too short-lived, a heavenly voice, and a whimsical, charismatic man. David Ruffin was born Davis Eli Ruffin on January 18, 1941, in Whynot, Mississippi. It could have been a storybook start to a third act revival. Williams described one Temptations appearance in Kentucky that ended in a hail of gunfire, as a group of white men began firing at the band as they loaded their bus, shouting racial slurs, and warning them, dont you ever come back here again!. [2] In 1961 he organized his own soul/jazz group, Dennis Edwards and the Fireballs. Longtime lead vocalist David Ruffin . From a young age, David Jr. recognized his father, David Ruffin Sr., was famous and he loved seeing him perform on stage as lead vocalist of The Temptations on many of their biggest hits. David and Jimmy Ruffin, though, had their voices. All rights reserved. Hall and John Oates invited Ruffin and Eddie Kendricks, another former Temptation, to join them onstage at John F. Kennedy Stadium during Live Aid, where the 89,484 people in attendance greeted the former Motown greats with thunderous applause. Offstage, Ruffin was a jumble of contradictions playful but short-tempered, ambitious but hindered by hidden demons, at a time when substance abuse and mental health were widely misunderstood. Paul is a songwriter and actor, while John was a distinguished NASA engineer. The Temptations should do some music with him and bring that old Motown sound back again. Edwards joined the Temptations in 1968, replacing David Ruffin and sang with the group from 1968 to 1976, 1980 to 1984 and 1987 to 1989. He was one of the original lead singers of the group. To his former bandmates, Ruffin could seem like a riddle. David Ruffin was a singer in the Motown group The Temptations. http://t.co/MeInnux8wU _THE INKPOST https://medium.com/tag/the-inkpost. Trending. He is still with the Temptations, and 27 singers have served time with the quintet. After doing a lil research on David Ruffin Jr. weve learned that when he told his dad he wanted to rap instead of sing, his Pops reportedly told him, Well I aint backing you up on a fad. In 1965, when Gina was 8 years old, she met her uncle David for the first time. Leaving home at 13 to pursue the ministry, it was David's select showmanship that caught the eyes of some in the secular music industry. She told. As you can see, the brothas pretty talented, and has found a way to combine his love for hip hop with his soulful singing ability. (L) David Ruffin with son, David Jr.; (R) David Ruffin. He wanted to get back to what life was really all about, his niece said. By his mid-20s, Ruffin was the most electric member of the Temptations, and a regular presence in North Philadelphias Uptown Theater, where 2,000 or so fans often squeezed into the theaters Art Deco contours to hear the bands lush harmonies, their arms and legs a blur of matching suits and flawless choreography. He just needed a stage. David Ruffin was a singer with the group the Temptations. In 1964 he joined The Temptations, who had yet to chart a hit, at Motown Records. [10] When problems arose between Woodson and the Temptations in 1987, Edwards was brought back once again. Many other famous singers sent flowers to the service, but Jackson did not attend. They have had over 20 members, but only one original member is still alive. Ftr: I'm proud of you, them & me tho. Half-brother of David Ruffin Jr.. Cousin of Jimmy Ruffin Jr.. She had abusive relationships with James Brown and David Ruffin James Brown. The joy and sadness in his songs can be felt by all. His voice proved to be powerful, as he went on to sing lead on Temptations hits that brought joy and happiness in the turbulent times of the 1960s. Listen to your favorite songs from David Ruffin Jr.. David, she shouted, slow down, for heavens sake!, I aint going to kill you, girl, he responded. Get TMZ breaking news sent right to your browser. Born: 18-Jan-1941 Birthplace: Whynot, MS . David's voice will continue to bridge the generation gap just as it crossed the color lines in the sixties and seventies. Otis Williams is the last surviving member of the Temptations\ classic lineup. His family believes his legacy was distorted by media attention on his struggles with addiction. The son of late Motown legend David Ruffin was arrested early Tuesday morning and booked for felony domestic violence. The Temptations invited Ruffin to join them in 1964, replacing a fellow tenor, Eldridge Bryant. }); Copyright 2015 . In 1982, Ruffin participated in a short-lived Temptations reunion; the band quickly lost patience when he missed some of their scheduled concerts. The family had little money, and the older siblings later recounted being beaten by their father. Snoop Dogg might not be the legendary Snoop that he is today, if it hadnt been for his 1993 classic, Gin and Juice, setting his career on fire. He passed away tragically from a drug overdose in 1991 when Nedra was 27. I remember the stepmother being interviewed after the show. He had been battling meningitis before his death.[16][17]. 2 on the R&B charts and included the radio singles "(You're My) Aphrodisiac" and "Just Like You". David Parker Ray was born in Belen, New Mexico and died in Hobbs, New Mexico. I do believe David Sr. brother is still alive.Jimmy Ruffin. The 48-year-old is a singer and stage actor in Los Angeles. Millions tuned in to CBS on Sunday nights to watch Ed Sullivan, and the band was rattled before they performed for his audience except for Ruffin, who didnt break a sweat. Ruffin was best known for being part of the musical group the Temptations during their \Classic Five\ period. Did you know that David Ruffin had a son? Yes, there is a David Ruffin Jr. David Parker Ray was born on November 6, 1939 and died on May 28, 2002. Williams, who grew up in Texas, packed up and moved to Michigan with his mother when he was 10 (his parents separated shortly after Williams was born). The track was recorded at Fredrick Knight's recording studio in the duo's old home town of Birmingham, Alabama; it was produced and engineered by house music pioneer Alan Steward. But Ruffin also reached out to his brother Quincy in 1991, and suggested they go back to Mississippi, and walk along a lake together, their feet in the sand. The way they sang moved me, like probably nobody ever has., When Oates was 19, he and Hall had watched the Temptations from front-row seats at the Apollo, and met the towering Ruffin in a backstage stairwell. He left the group in 1977 to pursue a solo career, but rejoined them later. Daughter: Mone Girlfriend: Tammi Terell (singer, ex-) The Temptations Risk . David Ruffin Jr to Mom, Mother's Day 2022 - YouTube AboutPressCopyrightContact usCreatorsAdvertiseDevelopersTermsPrivacyPolicy & SafetyHow YouTube worksTest new features 2022 Google LLC Ruffin, 58, died May 19 at . David Parker Ray was robbed of a normal childhood. David Ruffin of the Temptations had a daughter named Nedra Ruffin. He and the group recorded the album entitled Together Again, featuring the hit single "I Wonder Who She's Seeing Now". They had a son together named Otis Lamont Miles. Eddie Kendricks and Paul Williams quit The Temptations. For three decades, Ruffins friends and family have mulled the what-ifs that haunt anyone who has lost someone they love to drug addiction, which has only recently come to be treated as a health epidemic, instead of a crime. In many ways, Paul Williams was the Temptations\ unsung hero. Scuba Certification; Private Scuba Lessons; Scuba Refresher for Certified Divers; Try Scuba Diving; Enriched Air Diver (Nitrox) Among many others, David wrote and sang the chorus for Mtv's & VH1's all time Top 100 Hip-Hop songs, "Gin & Juice", ranked at #8. [9] Edwards was also inducted into Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame with The Temptations in 2013. Menu. I dont want to get too hippy-dippy about it, but I felt like I was out of my body., They repeated the experience at Live Aid, and then Oates produced a song, One More for The Lonely Hearts Club, that Ruffin and Kendricks recorded for a 1987 album. They ended up at a property on 52nd Street near Columbia Avenue in West Philadelphia, where Ruffin split 10 vials of crack cocaine with another man, William Nowell, according to reports at that time. He didnt write those songs, but he owned them. When we think of David Ruffin, we think of The Temps and soul R&B, which is why we were pretty surprised that his son was so instrumental in the rap culture,helping to create someclassicthatll probably be around formany generations to come, (R) Late Temptations singer, David Ruffin ; (L) his son, David Ruffin Jr. Best of 2022 Top 250 Movies Most Popular Movies Top 250 TV Shows Most Popular TV Shows Most Popular Video Games Most Popular Music Videos Most Popular Podcasts. Much of the ensuing news coverage treated the details of Ruffins death salaciously. David Ruffin was a singer in the Motown group The Temptations. Edwards moved to Florissant, Missouri in the 1980s to be closer to his mother. Ruffin had made a compelling case for the position after he climbed onstage with the band in a Detroit lounge, and began throwing the microphone up in the air, catching it, doing full splits, plus singing like a man possessed, Williams wrote. Weeks after the tour ended, David was dropped off at a Philadelphia hospital and an hour later the man who sang the biographical tune "Statue Of a Fool" from every bit of his heart and soul was pronounced dead. He is buried in Detroit\'s Woodlawn Cemetery. Oh, I knocked him out cold, Ruffin said, shaking his hand. I work on the investigations team, and narrative-driven projects. [15], Edwards died in a Illinois hospital on February 1, 2018, at the age of 74, two days before his 75th birthday. Nedra Ruffin's father, David Ruffin, sang lead for the Temptations in the 60s and went solo in the 1970s. He is singing, Cant Get Next To You. Let me know when youre ready to sing! . Its so sad, she said, how people can zero in on one negative thing about your life. target_type: 'mix' But his family and friends felt his achievements were diminished, when he died, by news coverage that all but blamed him for having struggled with addictions. Few glimpsed such vulnerability in Detroit, where Ruffin tried to make it as a solo artist in the early 1960s. She told Ask. In the mid-1980s, he attempted a solo career, scoring a hit in 1984 with "Don't Look Any Further" (featuring Siedah Garrett). There were hints that Ruffins future would be tumultuous. His voice was really good and helped the group become famous. Ruffin is buried in section three at Woodlawn Cemetery in Detroit. When she was a teenager in the mid-1970s, her father took her on the road with him as he toured in support of a hit single, Walk Away From Love., I was interested in singing. Ruffin, 50, died early. His name is David Ruffin Jr. and he is not only a song-writer, but a singer like his Dad as well. We now understand why his dad was so adamant about Jr.s other musical abilities. [8] When Ruffin failed to show for his return engagement in Gaithersburg, Maryland the next night, Edwards was permanently kept on and the Temptations refused to entertain rehiring Ruffin any further. We humbly honor the old school soul music era and will keep pushing forward to keep it alive. I felt like I was watching myself from above. After he left The Temptations, he had a successful solo career where he sang songs like My Girl and Walk Away from Love. David Ruffin\s estate is worth $150 thousand. [A]ll I needed was the right song for his voice, and I felt like I would have a smash hit record, Robinson once told NPR. Almost 10 years later,. Eli would take them from church to church on Sundays, and people would feel sorry for these motherless children, Gina said. 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