Remembering Jimmy Ruffin Motown singer Jimmy Ruffin, whose hits include What Becomes Of The Brokenhearted and Hold On To My Love, died Monday, November 17 in a Las Vegas hospital at the age of 78. Ruffin was the older brother of longtime Temptations lead singer David Ruffin, who died of drug-related causes in 1991 at the age of 50. Ruffins children, Philicia and Jimmy Lee Ruffin Jr., confirmed their fathers death yesterday but did not reveal the cause. Rolling Stone reports the Ruffin family issued a statement that said, Jimmy Ruffin was a rare type of man who left his mark on the music industry. My family in its entirety is extremely upset over his death. He will truly be missed. We will treasure the many fond and wonderful memories we all have of him. We appreciate all of the love and prayers from our family, friends, his colleagues and his adoring fans. Ruffin was born on May 7, 1936 in Collinsville, MI, where he and David sang with a gospel group, the Dixie Nightingales. When Jimmy was 25, the Ruffin brothers made their way to Detroit, where both were signed to Motown Records by Berry Gordy. Ruffin enjoyed a string of hits in the 60s, including What Becomes Of The Brokenhearted, which peaked at No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100 in October of 1966. [Ed. note: thanks to The 45 King, Steve Resnik for the chart info]. It also became a Top 10 hit in the U.K. when it was re-issued in 1974. Ruffin made a comeback in 1980 with Hold On To My Love, which was produced by Robin Gibb of the Bee Gees. Funeral arrangements are pending, the family said.
Posted on: Thu, 20 Nov 2014 15:33:01 +0000