Sun City: Artists United Against Apartheid (1986) as Himself
Dancin' in the Street (1987) as Himself
The Addiction (1995) as Soundtrack
Short Info
Net Worth
$2 million
Date Of Birth
January 18, 1941
Died
June 1, 1991, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
Spouse
Sandra Ruffin
Mark
His black rimmed glasses
Fact
Joined The Temptations in mid-January 1964, when he replaced Elbridge "Al" Bryant (aka Albridge Bryant), one of the group's three starring leads. In July 1968, he was replaced by Dennis Edwards, while he started a solo career.
David Ruffin was born on January 18, 1941, in Meridian, Mississippi. His parents, both musicians, divorced when he was young, and he was raised by his mother and stepfather. Ruffin began singing in church and local talent shows as a child. He dropped out of high school in the 11th grade to pursue a career in music.
Ruffin’s big break came when he was recruited to join The Temptations in 1964. He was the lead singer on some of the group’s most successful songs, including “My Girl” and “Ain’t Too Proud to Beg.” Ruffin left The Temptations in 1968 amid creative differences.
He embarked on a solo career, releasing his self-titled debut album in 1969. Ruffin scored several hit singles, including “My Whole World Ended (The Moment You Left Me)” and “Walk Away from Love.” His career stalled in the late 1970s, but he made a comeback in the 1980s with the album David Ruffin – The Man Who Made The Temptations Great Again.
Ruffin was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of The Temptations in 1989. He died of a drug overdose in 1991 at the age of 50.
At the time of his death, Ruffin had a net worth of $5 million.
General Info
Full Name
David Ruffin
Net Worth
$2 million
Date Of Birth
January 18, 1941
Died
June 1, 1991, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
Height
1.91 m
Profession
Singer
Nationality
American
Family
Spouse
Sandra Ruffin
Children
Kimberly Ruffin, Nedra Ruffin, Cheryl Ruffin, David Ruffin Junior, My Girl, Ain't Too Proud to Beg, Papa Was a Rolling Stone
Parents
Eli Ruffin, Ophelia Ruffin, My Girl, Ain't Too Proud to Beg, Papa Was a Rolling Stone
Siblings
Jimmy Ruffin, Quincy B Ruffin, Rita Mae Ruffin, My Girl, Ain't Too Proud to Beg, Papa Was a Rolling Stone
Accomplishments
Nominations
Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals
His signature move during his performances was to spin around, tossing the microphone from one hand to the other, drop to the floor with a leg split, and then rise back up.
2
His black rimmed glasses
3
Raspy tenor/baritone singing voice
Quotes
#
Quote
1
I don't know what kind of voice I have, I really don't. It's just about "the feeling I get for the song.
2
Most of my life, I've been on my own, trying to do my thing. Everybody has to go out and face the reality of life. That's what everybody's got to do, do you own thing. Strength is your own thing.
3
At the beginning of the first couple of shows by myself, I'd be singing and then make a move as if to go into the background, but there wasn't any background. In the first couple of shows, that was missed. Now when I walk on . . . I have more room to walk.
4
But they're just cheating the public now. People still expect Eddie [Eddie Kendricks], Paul [Paul Williams] and me when they see The Temptations. They are the voices they know although, in all honesty, Dennis Edwards can be considered a true Temptation.
5
[Talking about his three-year absence following the 1982 The Temptations reunion tour] Sometimes an artist is lost and needs to find a new direction for himself or his music.
The Temptations were awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for Recording at 7060 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California.
4
One of the first Motown artists who demanded regular accounting of the group's financial status, so as to know how the money was being handled, which caused friction between him and Motown founder Berry Gordy.
5
His first solo song, "My Whole World Ended (The Moment You Left Me)," was originally intended for The Temptations when he was still the group's front man.
6
Worked up such a sweat recording the song "Ain't Too Proud to Beg" that, according to Otis Williams, his glasses were falling off his face.
7
Before he was fired from The Temptations, one of his requests was that the band's name be changed to "David Ruffin & The Temptations," in light of how The Supremes had their name changed to Diana Ross & The Supremes and, similarly, how The Miracles were known as Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, placing more emphasis on the lead singers. This was reportedly one of the reasons he was eventually fired from the group.
8
Angry and embittered at being fired from The Temptations, who he felt owed their success to him, he tried to sabotage the career of his replacement, Dennis Edwards, by showing up at the group's concerts and, whenever they started to perform one of the songs Ruffin himself had once sang lead on, he would jump onto the stage, steal the microphone away from Edwards and start singing, much to the embarrassment of the group but to the delight of the fans. The group later hired more security guards to keep him from entering their concerts.
9
His older brother, singer Jimmy Ruffin, was offered the chance to sing with The Temptations, but he politely declined in favor of David, who went on to sing many of the classic 1960s Temptations songs, including "Beauty Is Only Skin Deep," "Ain't Too Proud to Beg," and the immortal "My Girl".
10
Despite the ego and attitude problems he developed towards the end of his tenure with The Temptations -- which stayed with him for the remainder of his life despite his attempts to change -- he always remained good friends with fellow Temptations singer Eddie Kendricks, who toured with Ruffin in the 1980s.
According to Otis Williams, the founder and only surviving member of The Temptations original group, Ruffin was a very funny, colorful, good-natured and hard-working man when he first joined the group, but fame gave him serious ego and attitude problems and drug addiction made him a very erratic worker, which eventually led to him being fired from the group.
13
The Temptations were voted the 67th Greatest Rock 'n' Roll Artists of all time by Rolling Stone.
Joined The Temptations in mid-January 1964, when he replaced Elbridge "Al" Bryant (aka Albridge Bryant), one of the group's three starring leads. In July 1968, he was replaced by Dennis Edwards, while he started a solo career.