R.I.P Jimmy Ruffin (May 7, 1939 -17 Nov 2014). Known to many as the older brother of former Temptations lead David Ruffin, Jimmy Ruffin had a solid career of his own, with periods of chart success that resulted in three of Motowns greatest tunes of the late 60s and a surprise hit more than a decade later. Born in Collinsville, Mississippi in 1939, Ruffin moved to Detroit in the early 60s and was signed the Motowns Miracle label for a series of unsuccessful recordings. A half decade later, however, he experienced his first chart success, as his plaintive reading of What Becomes of a Brokenhearted (a song originally written for The Spinners) leaped into the Pop and Soul top 10 and became one of the most revered songs of the Motown catalog. Ruffin followed Brokenhearted with two major 1967 hits, Ive Passed This Way Before and Gonna Give Her All the Love I Got (ironically, both of which were also covered by David and the Temptations). In 1970, with their individual careers flagging, David (by then gone from the Tempts) and Jimmy teamed for I Am My Brothers Keeper, a modestly successful album that included a hit cover of Ben E. Kings Stand By Me. It was Jimmy Ruffins last notable Motown hit, though. Ruffin split Motown and continued to record with Polydor in the 70s, landing a couple of moderate hits in Europe. But he truly surprised the music world when re-emerged 1980 with an unlikely top 10 pop hit, Hold On To My Love on RSO Records, compliments of writer/producer Robin Gibb of the Bee Gees. The resulting album came and went quickly, and Ruffin, by then living in the UK, again went silent until 1986, when he recorded a couple songs with British pop group Heaven 17 that made some chart noise in Europe. In the 90s Ruffin hosted a radio show in the UK and became an anti-drug advocate following the death of his brother David by overdose. He later relocated to Las Vegas, Nevada and reportedly was writing and recording material in 2011 and 2012 that he hoped to release. He was hospitalized earlier this Fall in Las Vegas, and his family reported him to be in grave condition in October. Ruffin was one of the great singers who starred during the halcyon days of soul music. His death brings another sad loss from the Motown era, and he will be greatly missed By Chris Rizik - See more at: soultracks/story-jimmy-ruffin#sthash.xzotik2V.dpuf Re- posted with thanks to SoulTracks GARY
Posted on: Wed, 19 Nov 2014 20:25:55 +0000
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