Ruffin 4-headed microphone

[NativeNuYorker]

Does anyone know if David Ruffin got a patent for the 4-headed microphone? Did Berry Gordy get a patent instead? Was Ruffin paid for his brilliant idea?

[arr&bee]

Wow,good question,maybe otis got it and if so i hope he shared with david's estate.

[marv2]

One thing I have learned is that almost anything of any significance does not disappear. I recently saw on one of those roadshow antique shows where a guy in Michigan had one of the Temptations wardrobe trunks from the mid 60s and was looking to sell it. A girl in France recently found Mary Wilson's Supremes costume used on the Tennessee Ernie Ford Show at a garage sale there. So the 4 head microphone stand is somewhere. Whether it was patented, I highly doubt it. I have also learned that some of the group names were never copyrighted or trademarked.

[NativeNuYorker]

I remember attending shows at the Apollo theatre and when that stand was brought out the crowd, including myself, would go crazy in anticipation of The Temps finally coming on stage. I've always wondered if it was patented, if Ruff received compensation for it, or did the benefits go to Gordy. I just attended a 4 Tops/Temptation show last night at NJPAC and it occurred to me that they no longer use the 4 headed mic and most of the audience may not even be familiar with it.

[arr&bee]

The four headed mike made the temps stand out-it was too cool,and as i see it this cool stage prop should be in either-the smithsonian or the african american museum.