David Ruffin

Appears On

About David Ruffin

David Ruffin's supple tenor vocals supplied the gritty lead on the Temptations' "Ain't Too Proud to Beg" and the caressing croon on "My Girl," among many other hits, but the singer had a robust career both before and after joining the group in the early 1960s. His earliest stint with the gospel group the Dixie Nightingales, David Ruffin joined his brother Jimmy in the Temptations. Initially supporting the falsetto leads of Eddie Kendricks, from 1965 he took the lead on hits such as "My Girl" and "I’m Losing You." His solo career began in '69, and almost 20 years later, a Temptations reunion kicked off a regular partnership with former bandmate Kendricks. The duo recorded a well-received album for RCA, but Ruffin died after a crack overdose in '91.

HOMETOWN
Whynot, MS, United States
BORN
January 18, 1941
GENRE
R&B/Soul
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