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David Ruffin

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Whynot, Mississippi (1941 – 1991)

David Ruffin (Davis Eli Ruffin 1941 - 1991 ) was an American soul singer born in Whynot, Mississippi who is most famous for his stellar work as lead singer of The Temptations from 1964 to 1968. His gruff, inflected voice was featured on numerous soul hits like”PlayAin’t Too Proud To Beg”, “Since I Lost My Baby”, “PlayMy Girl” and “PlayI Wish It Would Rain”.

His skyrocketing solo career was soon tempered by a dark side he could not control, and his life ended tragically of drug overdose in a seedy Philadelphia tenement.

He started his professional musical career as a teen traveling with The Dixie Nightingales, out of Memphis, Tennessee and eventually he and his brother Jimmy Ruffin found their way to Detroit, and by age 17, they were accepted into the fledgling Motown family by Berry Gordy.

Opportunity arose for David to join the Temptations in 1964, with Ruffin taking lead vocals on the huge hit PlayMy Girl. With fellow lead vocalist Eddie Kendricks and talented Motown songwriters and Gordy’s promo machine backing them, they were unstoppable. Ruffin however soon began showing ego problems, showing up late in his own limo, and demanding the group be known as David Ruffin & The Temptations.

By 1969, the often erratic and high, Ruffin had been voted out of the Temps, and started his solo career with the hit “PlayMy Whole World Ended (The Moment You Left Me)”.
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