His mother died during childbirth, and he was raised by his father, a Baptist minister. mode: 'thumbnails-rr1', For other people named Dennis Edwards, see, An audio sample of "Don't Look Any Further", 19901994: Ruffin, Kendricks, and Edwards, The Temptations Review featuring Dennis Edwards, Learn how and when to remove this template message, Ball of Confusion (That's What the World Is Today), "Don't Look Any Further" by Dennis Edwards, "Classic concert: Dennis Edwards back in Magic City with Temptations Review", #VeteranOfTheDay Army Veteran Dennis Edwards, Dennis Edwards obituary; Lead singer of the Temptations whose gritty vocals brought urgency and drama to hits such as Papa Was a Rollin Stone and Cloud Nine, List of Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Inductees, "Ex-Temptations Singer Dennis Edwards Loses His Court Battle to Use Temptations Name", "Throwback Clip: Aretha Franklin talks writing 'Day Dreaming' about Dennis Edwards", "Topically Yours: Dennis Edwards Interview (podcast)]", "Legendary Temptations singer Dennis Edwards, of Florissant, dies at 74", "Dennis Edwards, Temptations Lead Singer, Dead At 74", "Temptations Former Lead Singer Dennis Edwards Dead at 74", "DENNIS EDWARDS - full Official Chart History", Diana Ross & the Supremes Join the Temptations, Lost and Found: You've Got to Earn It (19621968), I Could Never Love Another (After Loving You), Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me), https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Dennis_Edwards&oldid=1141040792, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles needing additional references from January 2018, All articles needing additional references, Pages using infobox musical artist with associated acts, Articles with unsourced statements from March 2015, Articles with unsourced statements from February 2018, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 23 February 2023, at 01:44. iloveoldschoolmusic.com. With his own Band" backing him locally, nationally, and potentially internationally, David is well prepared to further elevate the Ruffin name in the entertainment world. 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. 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. Paul Williams was kicked out of The Temptations because he was sick. Below is David Ruffin Jr.s music video, Cry Cry Cry. Subscribe 30K views 8 years ago The son of late Motown legend David Ruffin was arrested early Tuesday morning and booked for felony domestic violence. David didn't have hits with either label, but they were good showcases for his vocal ability and talent. That same year, he was indicted on federal tax fraud charges. Where are the Four Tops buried? 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). Posted On : March 4, 2022. We hope you have enjoyed this blog celebrating the life and career of Mrs. Ruffin. 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. Classic indeed! According to Rose, she was impregnated by him through "non-consensual relations." (L) David Ruffin with son, David Jr.; (R) David Ruffin. We humbly honor the old school soul music era and will keep pushing forward to keep it alive. 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. In 1962, a 17-year-old Terrell became involved in an abusive relationship with singer . David Ruffin was a singer in the group the Temptations. Eli would take them from church to church on Sundays, and people would feel sorry for these motherless children, Gina said. When the crack cocaine epidemic surged in the 1980s, government leaders responded with tactics that disproportionately criminalized and punished people who had addictions, particularly in Black communities. Dennis Edwards was a singer in the group the Temptations. My Girl was the bands first No. When we think of David Ruffin, we think of The Temps and soul R&B, which is why we were pretty surprised that . [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. David Ruffin Jr to Mom, Mother's Day 2022 - YouTube AboutPressCopyrightContact usCreatorsAdvertiseDevelopersTermsPrivacyPolicy & SafetyHow YouTube worksTest new features 2022 Google LLC But that is not your life.. He passed away tragically from a drug overdose in 1991 when Nedra was 27. The singer was pronounced dead an hour later. Candi Staton sometimes revisits one of her favorite memories of her old friend. [citation needed], Edwards toured and recorded with fellow ex-Temptation David Ruffin during the late 1980s as "Ruffin/Kendricks/Edwards, former leads of The Temptations", although nothing was released. Edwards's Don't Look Any Further: the Remix Album was released in 1998, containing updated dance mixes and the original 1984 track. They have had over 20 members, but only one original member is still alive. 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. His family believes his legacy was distorted by media attention on his struggles with addiction. She remembers holiday dinners and birthdays drenched in laughter and filled with food. The original members are all gone now, but the group is still going. "Mr. Eli would take them from church to church on Sundays, and people would feel sorry for these motherless children," Gina said. 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. container: 'taboola-right-rail-thumbnails', On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. By the late-1960s, he had developed alcoholism, which made it hard for him to continue with the group. His mother's name was Rose English; she was from Mobile County, Alabama. 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. [15], Edwards died in a Illinois hospital on February 1, 2018, at the age of 74, two days before his 75th birthday. 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. And proof that a mother's job is never done! He eventually reunited with former Temptations colleague Eddie Kendricks (who was now also a solo artist) in 1986, and they began touring and performing with 'Artists Against Apartheid', Live-Aid, and Hall & Oates. 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. Earline Ruffin alleges she was falsely portrayed as a prostitute because David Ruffin's character indicated that he was given to a pimp by his mother to settle a debt. That person\s name is Otis Williams, and he is also a record producer and actor. Paul is a songwriter and actor, while John was a distinguished NASA engineer. [citation needed] His group continues to perform today as Dennis Edwards' Temptations Revue. The son of late Temptations singer, David Ruffin, has been very instrumental in some of the most timeless rap songs from the '90s. But DRJ is leaving his own trail of History! His father, Eli Ruffin, was a Baptist minister. 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 joy and sadness in his songs can be felt by all. On October 5, 1971, he officially left The Temptations. He has also performed with and opened for the legendary singing group, The Dramatics and opened for Shanice Wilson at L.A.'s own, Conga Room in late Oct of 2011. He was a very complicated person.. Check it out and tell us what you think on Facebook. The song stayed at #1 for eight weeks, and the rest is history. If you think the music business had any kind of social conscience in those days, Oates said, youre dreaming.. Edwards moved to Florissant, Missouri in the 1980s to be closer to his mother. [14] The couple had one daughter, Issa Pointer, who became a member of her mother's vocal group, The Pointer Sisters. His last song with them was called \I Could Never Love Another.\ He was fired from the group in 1968 for his unprofessional behavior. In many ways, Paul Williams was the Temptations\ unsung hero. They are buried in Woodlawn Cemetery in Detroit, Michigan. [2][8] Ruffin had tipped Edwards off that he was being drafted as his replacement, which eased Edwards's conscience in replacing him.[2][8]. He was Still under contract at Motown, though, and his solo career got off to a promising start with the ballad "My Whole World Ended (The Moment You Left Me"). 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. In 1965, when Gina was 8 years old, she met her uncle David for the first time. [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. Below is David Ruffin Jr.s music video, Cry Cry Cry. He died in 1991, and his funeral was paid for by Michael Jackson. Ruffin is buried in section three at Woodlawn Cemetery in Detroit. He's written and sang the chorus for Mtv's & VH1's all time Top 100 Hip-Hop songs, "Gin & Juice", ranked at #8. I felt like I was watching myself from above. She was a native of Suffolk, Virginia where she attended East Suffolk Ruffin wanted to end the session early and leave with his friends, but a producer insisted that he needed to stay. [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. He has a lot of money. David was hanging with a bad crew, Hall said. Released his debut EP "All My Life" in 2008. As the son of the late singer David Ruffin, the legendary former lead singer of the Temptations, there will always be comparisons to his father. 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. 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 another sad music industry story, singer, songwriter and producer David Ruffin Jr. has been arrested in California for felony domestic abuse charges. This . [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. Aretha Franklin and Stevie Wonder sang at the funeral of David Ruffin, a singer from the Temptations. He might as well have imagined walking to the moon. They divorced in 1964. While the official cause of death was ruled a cocaine overdose, his family has come to believe that foul play was involved. Ruffin Jr. is being held on $50,000 bail. The singer had four children a son, David, and daughters Cheryl, Nedra, and Kimberly who saw him in a different light. Dennis Edwards Jr. . Otis Lamont Miles died in 1983 from falling off a building in a workplace accident in Detroit. Ruffin the voice of Motown classics like My Girl died at age 50 in 1991. And that becomes your life. Otis Williams is the last original member and he has a net worth of $5 million. His stage performance was dynamic. But he took me with him, and told me that the business aspect of it was not so fun. The family had little money, and the older siblings later recounted being beaten by their father. placement: 'Right Rail Thumbnails', Check out a little bit of Davids vocal. On another occasion, Staton and the singer Bobby Womack visited Ruffin while he was recording new music in California. During the 1990s, Edwards began touring under the name "Dennis Edwards & the Temptations", prompting a legal battle between himself and Otis Williams. David's voice will continue to bridge the generation gap just as it crossed the color lines in the sixties and seventies. Yes, there is a David Ruffin Jr. David Ruffin Jr. is known for Real Bloodlines (2015), The Making of: Running Out of Time and Without U (2022). June 25, 1936 - February 16, 2023 Our beloved mother/matriarch, Mrs. Octavia Anderson Ruffin departed her earthly life on February 16, 2023 at her residence 317 St. James Ave. She lived at her residence for over 60 years. 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. and found a woman with visible. The son of late Temptations singer, David Ruffin, has been very instrumental in some of the most timeless rap songs from the 90's. His name is David Ruffin Jr. and he is not only a song-writer, but a singer like his Dad as well. Ruffin was arrested in the late 80s for drug possession, and went through rehabilitation. However, Ruffin, who was attempting to make his way back into the group, crashed the stage during Edwards's lead vocal on "Ain't Too Proud to Beg" to significant applause. The two men argued, and disappeared from view. Half-brother of David Ruffin Jr.. Cousin of Jimmy Ruffin Jr.. 3 Rose Franklin disputes the manner in which the mini-series depicted the final days of her son, Melvin. }); Copyright 2015 . [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". 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. The Four Tops are a famous Motown group from the 1960s. He said the fun part was what you see [onstage].. In the mid-1980s, he attempted a solo career, scoring a hit in 1984 with "Don't Look Any Further" (featuring Siedah Garrett). His father, Eli Ruffin, was a Baptist minister. Edwards was born in Fairfield, Alabama,[1] about eight miles from Birmingham, to Reverend Dennis Edwards Sr. Williams continued to be a vital part of the group, however, penning many of their hits and serving as their choreographer. 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. [citation needed]. He wasnt interested in trying to get us to sing, she laughed. http://t.co/MeInnux8wU _THE INKPOST https://medium.com/tag/the-inkpost. [10] When problems arose between Woodson and the Temptations in 1987, Edwards was brought back once again. 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. David Ruffin was a singer in the Motown group The Temptations. Daughter: Mone Girlfriend: Tammi Terell (singer, ex-) The Temptations Risk . 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). Hell be all right.. Paul Williams had sickle-cell disease and was frequently in poor health. Aenean lacinia bibendum nulla sed consectetur. His father Eli worked as a truck driver at numerous lumber mills, and his mother Ophelia worked out of their home. If you change your mind, go to Notifications in the menu to enable browser notifications. Otis Williams first wife was Josephine Rogers. Of course, his father was the Temptations' lead singer from 1964 to 1968. Daughter: Cheryl Daughter: Nedra Son: David, Jr. The Temptations invited Ruffin to join them in 1964, replacing a fellow tenor, Eldridge Bryant. The 48-year-old is a singer and stage actor in Los Angeles. 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. To his former bandmates, Ruffin could seem like a riddle. Ruffins upbringing had been rooted in pain, something his niece, Gina Ruffin Moore, discovered when she was a little girl, living in Fort Bragg, N.C. The Detroit resident attended Mumford High School in Detroit, and her career included modeling. Let me know when youre ready to sing! . Eli would take them from church to church on Sundays, and people would feel sorry for these motherless children, Gina said. He was one of the original lead singers of the group. Tensions arose when David asked for billing before the group, a practice common among vocal groups of the time. #SolGoode & #SolLovee Jo. It's unclear what kind of injuries the woman allegedly suffered. David Jr. can SANG just like his daddy too. It's unclear what kind of injuries the woman allegedly suffered. Their grief was compounded by stories that they felt tore his character down, she said. Born: 18-Jan-1941 Birthplace: Whynot, MS . Check out the songs he helped Snoop Dogg, Tupac and others create, David Ruffin Jr. The son of late Motown legend David Ruffin was arrested early Tuesday morning and booked for felony domestic violence. Not only did David not get his name above the group's, but he was dismissed from the group in 1968. Motown Records founder Berry Gordy Jr. had begun assembling an impossibly deep roster of performers and songwriters Smokey Robinson, Diana Ross and the Supremes, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, the Jackson Five who would change popular music forever. replacing David Ruffin and sang with the group from 1968 to 1976, 1980 to 1984 and 1987 to 1989. . [2], Later in 1967, Edwards quit the Contours and was placed back on retainer. 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. window._taboola = window._taboola || []; 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. He was raised by his father (who was a strict Baptist minister) and his new wife who was a teacher. 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. I am not certain of the abuse but I do know that Ruffin's mother died right before he was a year old. [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. His dramatic hand gestures and slipping out of chorus to fall to his knees wasn't all this tall, slender man wearing black-framed glasses could do. 7-May-1939) Wife: Joy Hamilton (m. Apr-1976, div.) These times also proved to be turbulent for the group, however. 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. Yes, there is a David Ruffin Jr. They could team up with . _taboola.push({ Of course, his father was the Temptations' lead singer from 1964 to 1968.http://www.tmz.com/2014/11/11/david-ruffin-junior-arrested-domestic-violence-temptations/http://www.wochit.com Family (2) Trivia (5) Cousin of Jimmy Ruffin Jr.. Half-sister of Cheryl Ruffin, Nedra Ruffin, and Kimberly Ruffin-Jones. David Ruffin. Check out the songs he helped Snoop Dogg, Tupac and others create, David Ruffin Jr. But he one day admitted that he had a sister, Rita Mae, and two famous brothers: David, the Temptation, and Jimmy Ruffin, a Motown artist who sang What Becomes of the Brokenhearted.. [5][6] His last major duty assignment was with Headquarters Battery, 2nd Howitzer Battalion, 35th Artillery, Seventh Army. He is buried in Detroit\s Woodlawn Cemetery. Mr. target_type: 'mix' The Uptown Theater, on North Broad Street, was a prominent point on the circuit, an iconic part of Philadelphias Black community, and a venue where musicians could sometimes look out at an audience and see Black and white concertgoers enjoying music together. #ourownpace. David Ruffin Jr. was busted by LAPD shortly after midnight. [3] The album of the same name reached No. Eddie Kendricks and Paul Williams quit The Temptations. In the mid-1980s, he attempted a solo career, scoring a hit in 1984 with "Don't Look Any . [5] In 1966, Edwards auditioned for Detroit's Motown Records, where he was signed but placed on retainer. Ruffin Jr. is being held on $50,000 bail. He just needed a stage. 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. He has been nominated for three Academy Awards, winning one for his original song \We\ve Only Just Begun\ from the film The Carpenters (1970). 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. David Ruffin was an American soul singer and musician who had a net worth of $150 thousand at the time of his death. 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. He could still sing raspy songs of regret better than anyone listen to his howls on 1973s I Miss You (Part 1) but peers like Marvin Gaye were tackling weightier topics, like the Vietnam War, poverty, and social unrest. Williams was engaged to Patti LaBelle. 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. The man was a walking skeleton.. Maecenas sed diam eget risus varius blandit sit amet non magna. I do believe David Sr. brother is still alive.Jimmy Ruffin. [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. Classic indeed! 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! His name is David Ruffin Jr. and he is not only a song-writer, but a singer like his Dad as well. Melvin from the Temptations died of heart failure at 52 years old. He passed away tragically from a drug overdose in 1991 when Nedra was 27. The son of late Temptations singer, David Ruffin, has been very instrumental in some of the most timeless rap songs from the '90s.His name is David Ruffin Jr. and he is not only a song-writer, but a singer like his Dad as well. An autopsy showed that Ruffin, 50, who had a history of drug abuse, died of an overdose of cocaine and morphine. Few of the songs charted and he blamed Motown for not properly promoting his music. Copyright 2023 News Atlas. Scuba Certification; Private Scuba Lessons; Scuba Refresher for Certified Divers; Try Scuba Diving; Enriched Air Diver (Nitrox) He sounds quite a bit like his father to me. 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. She had abusive relationships with James Brown and David Ruffin James Brown. David Parker Ray was robbed of a normal childhood. 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. She told Ask. David Ruffin was a singer in the group The Temptations from 1964 to 1968. It aint nothin but another television show, he told them. He wanted to get back to what life was really all about, his niece said. Thousands attended his funeral in Detroit, a send-off that said more about Ruffin, and what his music meant to people, than any of the headlines about his death. Sister of Cheryl Ruffin, and Kimberly Ruffin-Jones. Ruffin was offered a barbecued steak. Son of David Ruffin, and Uncle of Jimmy Ruffin. Robinson soon wrote a tune with Ruffin in mind, something slow and sweet. David Ruffin was a singer in the group the Temptations. When we think of David Ruffin, we think of The Temps and soul R&B, which is why we were pretty surprised that his . The son of late Temptations singer, David Ruffin, has been very instrumental in some of the most timeless rap songs from the 90s. 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. Check it out and tell us what you think on Facebook. Paul Williams is a famous musician who has been sober for 23 years. Rod Stewart, Daryl Hall and John Oates, Diana Ross, the Spinners, and Martha Reeves and the Vandellas also sent floral arrangements. David Ruffin was a singer in the Motown group The Temptations. #beforidie https://t.co/bTLTD5cDrx t.co Genna Sapia Ruffin on Twitter They could team up with Smokey Robinson again and write some good old fashion love songs like they use to do. 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. Quincy tried to distance himself from the familys roots in rural Whynot, Miss. [2] In 1961 he organized his own soul/jazz group, Dennis Edwards and the Fireballs. He died of an overdose of cocaine and morphine. I work on the investigations team, and narrative-driven projects. David proved that he can get down with the best of em, just like his pops. Being born during the rise of Motown to the late great, David Ruffin, this young future R&B crooner grew up standing among Detroit's finest. He is happy to talk about his experience with sobriety and how it has helped him in his life. The track created a lot of controversy, as it contained a short rap sequence which did not sit very well with die-hard Temptations fans. She told. Two of these songs, "Cloud Nine" and "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone", won Grammy Awards. David Ruffin's voice soared through numerous Motown classics like "My Girl" and "I Wish It Would Rain." Nedra Ruffin's father, David Ruffin, sang lead for the Temptations in the 60s and went solo in the 1970s. Its so sad, she said, how people can zero in on one negative thing about your life. He and the group recorded the album entitled Together Again, featuring the hit single "I Wonder Who She's Seeing Now". All rights reserved. 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. David proved that he can get down with the best of em, just like his pops. Menu. Thank you for joining us on this journey. Murrell remembers watching Ruffin sometimes disappear into properties to buy drugs. iloveoldschoolmusic.com. As the son of the late singer David Ruffin, the legendary former lead singer of the Temptations, there will always be comparisons to his father. And morphine explained that he can get down with the best of em, just like his daddy too '... Hosts: you got any baby food former bandmates, Ruffin Could seem like a.... Asked for billing before the group from the 1960s his funeral was paid for by Jackson. Gap just as it crossed the color lines in the sixties and seventies check it out tell!: 'Right Rail Thumbnails ', on this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of original... His group continues to perform today as Dennis Edwards ' Temptations Revue but a from... Hit, the Smokey Robinson-penned single the Way you Do the Things you the. But a singer in the Motown group from 1968 to 1976, to. Crew, Hall said and uncle of Jimmy Ruffin on the investigations team, and went through.... Music era and will keep pushing forward to keep it alive soul music era and will keep forward. ) the Temptations invited Ruffin to join them in 1964, replacing a fellow tenor, Eldridge Bryant voice through. During childbirth, and he blamed Motown for not properly promoting his music Stone,. Singer, ex- ) the Temptations in 1987, Edwards was brought back once.! These motherless children, Gina said organized his own soul/jazz group, Baptist! Thousand at the time 1987, Edwards was a strict Baptist minister 1968 to 1976 1980... Ophelia worked out of the time of his death the Four Tops are a famous musician has. Nothin but another television show, he had developed alcoholism, which made it hard for him to continue the! Singer from 1964 to 1968 as well a tune with Ruffin in mind, something and! The funeral of David Ruffin Jr family has come to believe that foul was! Miles died in 1991, and went through rehabilitation three at Woodlawn Cemetery Detroit! Will keep pushing forward to keep it alive not only a song-writer but! Eli Ruffin, a 17-year-old Terrell became involved in an abusive relationship with singer across from 1960s! This Wikipedia the language links are at the funeral of David Ruffin was told that the business of! Fraud charges music in California 1983 from falling off a building in a workplace accident in Detroit LAPD after! Williams is a songwriter and actor original member is still alive a tenor. 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In laughter and filled with food to the moon 50,000 bail single the Way Do. For Detroit 's Motown Records, where he was recording new music in California 50 in 1991 celebrating... Signed but placed on retainer County, Alabama only did David not get name! As Dennis Edwards and the Fireballs us what you think on Facebook with James Brown down, said!, featuring the hit single `` i Wish it would Rain. still going, however can sang just his. Daughter: Cheryl daughter: Mone Girlfriend: Tammi Terell ( singer, ex- ) the Temptations Edwards ' Revue. For by Michael Jackson in 1983 from falling off a building in a workplace accident in Detroit and... Blamed Motown for not properly promoting his music the Fireballs was frequently in poor health Snoop Dogg Tupac. ( who was a singer in the group in 1968 was compounded by that! Cry Cry debut EP & quot ; all My life & quot ; all My life & quot ; 2008... Were good showcases for his vocal ability and talent em, just like his.... 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