Philadelphia, PA., June 1, 1991, 27 years ago.

[woodward]

We lost the most famous Temptation singer ever: David Ruffin.

This was truly a major loss and his legacy lives on forever and forever.

Play something today and listen to David. He was fabulous.

[luke]

He sure was! My favorite male vocalist. I’m Losing You and Since I Lost My Baby still get to me.

[marv2]

He was one of the all time greats! Just 6 years prior, in 1985 David had returned triumphantly to Philly along with Eddie Kendricks and Hall & Oats for the "Live Aid" concert at RFK and beamed around the World. Rest in peace David.

[lockhartgary]

He sure was! My favorite male vocalist. I’m Losing You and Since I Lost My Baby still get to me.
Those are probably my 2 favorite David led songs as well.

[TomatoTom123]

Ah man, one of my favourites, David Ruffin. What a voice. Legendary!

[sansradio]

I’ll never forget that day. My entire original nuclear family and some of our relatives had all converged on Houston for my sister’s med school graduation when the news flashed across the TV in her living room. We all sat in stunned silence. We had lost someone irreplaceable.

[TomatoTom123]

Wow sans... I can say, it's good to know that David means as much to other people too. :)

[midnightman]

That was one crazy day. I remember getting the JET magazine article the week of his death...

I hate how his death got depicted as just another crack death. He died of an adverse reaction and he died at a hospital, not a crack house, as his son said in justifiable anger:

"My father didn't die in a crack house, he died in a hospital... [staring at the camera] my father didn't die in a crack house, HE DIED IN A HOSPITAL. :mad: " - David Ruffin Jr.

[marv2]

When I first saw the news clips of the story, I immediately knew the area in Philly where he had been, etc. I remember they briefly interviewed John Whitehead of Mcfadden & Whitehead. I attended the funeral in Detroit. The whole week was hectic and the funeral service was complete pandemonium!

[midnightman]

Eddie got arrested, Ollie and Dennis trying to outsing the other and Farrakhan [[which was a bizarre thing to see when I saw it on Unsung) spoke.

Weird day at the funeral for sure.

[char]

i COULDNT BELIEVE IT LIKE EDDIE AND DAVID SAID IN THIER SONG. WHY DID THEY DO THAT YOU KNOW I RESPECT ALL THE TEMPTATIONS BUT I CANT LISTEN TO ANYONE OF THEIR REPLACEMENTS SING THIER SONGS. I CANT. DAVID NEVER YELLED IN HIS SONGS I DIDNT UNDERSTAND MR OLLIE I NEVER LISTENED TO HIM PERFORM LIKE HE IS TRYIN TO HARD DAVID NEVER HAD TO TRY IT CAME SO NATURAL EDDIE ALSO. THEY CAN NEVER BE UNSUNG TO ME

[nativeNY63]

i COULDNT BELIEVE IT LIKE EDDIE AND DAVID SAID IN THIER SONG. WHY DID THEY DO THAT YOU KNOW I RESPECT ALL THE TEMPTATIONS BUT I CANT LISTEN TO ANYONE OF THEIR REPLACEMENTS SING THIER SONGS. I CANT. DAVID NEVER YELLED IN HIS SONGS I DIDNT UNDERSTAND MR OLLIE I NEVER LISTENED TO HIM PERFORM LIKE HE IS TRYIN TO HARD DAVID NEVER HAD TO TRY IT CAME SO NATURAL EDDIE ALSO. THEY CAN NEVER BE UNSUNG TO ME
"Temptations forever!"

[arr&bee]

With all respect to the great-marvin gaye..david ruffin was the best singer motown ever had,yes and that includes the great-levi stubbs,i love both of those great artist but david just had..it,the guy could move you to tears,such as with the aforementioned-since i lost my baby or the tearjerker-now that you've won me and then make you smile with the sheer beauty of-my girl,there will not be another quite like mr.ruffin..stop right there,let me picture you in my mind for the last time[one last look]-david ruffin forever!

[marv2]

About a month ago I found some pictures of me and my family right after leaving David's visitation at Swanson's Funeral Home in Detroit.

[BigAl]

It happened that Mary Wilson, that night, was doing a gig at Blues Alley in DC [[she was living in DC at the time), and I was at the second show that night. She got the news in the dressing room before the show and of course was devastated. Still, as they say, the show must go on, and she gave a great, heartfelt performance, one of her best, no doubt knowing that David would have approved. She didn't do her usual meet/greet afterward but did allow well-wishers to speak to her briefly while she was in her Jeep before she drove home. [[Sadly, this was the same Jeep in which her son Rafi was killed.)

[marv2]

It happened that Mary Wilson, that night, was doing a gig at Blues Alley in DC [[she was living in DC at the time), and I was at the second show that night. She got the news in the dressing room before the show and of course was devastated. Still, as they say, the show must go on, and she gave a great, heartfelt performance, one of her best, no doubt knowing that David would have approved. She didn't do her usual meet/greet afterward but did allow well-wishers to speak to her briefly while she was in her Jeep before she drove home. [[Sadly, this was the same Jeep in which her son Rafi was killed.)

Mary was at the funeral too. Local Detroit stations tried to interview her afterwards but she couldn't say much.