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American singer David Ruffin (Photo by Sue Cassidy Clark/FPG/Archive Photos/Getty Images)
From 1964 to 1968, the sound of the legendary R&B group The Temptations was defined by the gritty voice of lead singer David Ruffin. He provided smooth and soulful vocals on some of the group’s biggest hits, including “My Girl” and “Ain’t Too Proud to Beg.” But like many successful musical artists, Ruffin dealt with personal demons, including a struggle with addiction that ultimately led to his tragic passing in 1991.
From his rise to fame, to his dramatic downfall, this is the story of David Ruffin.
Mississippi Roots
David Eli Ruffin was born in Whynot, Mississippi on January 18, 1941. His mother passed away shortly after his birth, leaving Ruffin to be raised by his father Eli, who was a truck driver and a Baptist minister.
On a Mission to Be a Minister
Ruffin left home at age 14, intending to become a minister. But along the way, he got his first taste of the music business, performing in talent shows around Memphis. Eventually, he started writing songs of his own and touring with gospel groups, including The Womack Brothers and The Staple Singers.
Building Motown
By age 16, Ruffin made his way to Detroit and decided to sing secular music. In 1957, he met Motown Records founder Berry Gordy. The 16-year-old lived with Gordy’s father, who was a contractor and helped him with the construction work on the Motown Records headquarters. In an interview, Ruffin joked about building Motown…literally.
Joining The Temptations
In 1964, Ruffin was tapped to replace Elbridge Bryant in the R&B group The Temptations. Ruffin started singing backup, but he eventually took his place in the spotlight, singing lead on some of the group’s biggest hits, including the group’s first number one single, 1965’s “My Girl,” “I Wish It Would Rain” and “Ain’t Too Proud to Beg.”
Meeting Tammi Terrell on Tour
In 1965, Tammi Terrell, a talented young singer, joined the Motown family and started touring with The Temptations. Within a year, Terrell and Ruffin started a romantic relationship, and it wasn’t long before Ruffin proposed. However, the two never made it down the aisle. Terrell found out that not only was Ruffin married to his wife, Sandra, with whom he had three children, but he also had another girlfriend on the side.
Issues With Abuse
But by 1967, Terrell and Ruffin’s relationship was over, after a violent argument that led to Ruffin hitting Terrell in the head with a motorcycle helmet. Terrell sadly passed away in 1970 due to complications related to brain cancer.
Stealing the Show
Even after Ruffin split from the group, he was known to show up and steal the show from the remaining members. And while it drove fans of The Temptations crazy, his bandmates didn’t appreciate it so much. This famous scene from The Temptations biopic is perfect example.
“Otis so mad he didn’t even spin😂,” wrote someone on TikTok.
Problems Within The Group
As The Temptations’ popularity grew, Ruffin’s growing ego began to cause problems among the members. One of the biggest issues was his wanting to change the name of the group to David Ruffin and the Temptations, highlighting himself as the leader. Ruffin left the group in 1968 and was replaced by Dennis Edwards.
In an interview, Temptations member Otis Williams said Ruffin’s desire to prioritize himself over the other group members went against their promise that they would not change, no matter how much fame came their way.
“Success can act as a very strong aphrodisiac, and when you are a group, you have to move and think as one unit. You can’t have five guys going in five different directions,” he said.
But while the story goes that Ruffin was fired, he had a different view of what went down.
“I don’t see how you could fire someone out of a group of that magnitude. I just think that that was time for a change and life lands a crushing blow sometimes,” he said in an interview. “At that time, things just could not be smoothed out.”
Problems With the Law
In the 1980s, Ruffin faced lots of legal issues. In 1982, he was indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of income tax evasion, which totalled more than $300,000. In 1988, he was arrested in Detroit for crack cocaine possession. After his arrest, Ruffin was sentenced to two years of probation and community service, but he eventually violated the probation and was forced to enter a treatment program.
The Temptations Reunion Tour
Although he had been gone from the group for decades, David Ruffin joined The Temptations on a 1983 reunion tour. However, his struggle with addiction led to problems on the road and cut the group’s reunion short as he missed the first three shows.
Tragic Passing
David Ruffin died on June 1, 1991, after collapsing in a Philadelphia crack house. He was taken to a local hospital by a limousine, where he passed away. Doctors determined his cause of death was due to a drug overdose.
He Walked in the Line of Fire
Although fans were saddened by his untimely passing, many who were close to him say they weren’t surprised that his issues with addiction would be the thing that ultimately led to his death.
“He walked in the line of fire,” Ruffin’s then-girlfriend Dianne Showers said at the time of his death. “I asked his ex-wife and daughters a lot of times to have him committed somewhere for approximately two years. He usually denied that he was doing anything.”
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