Ali-Ollie Woodson was as tough as all of them. He could hang with David without breaking a sweat.
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That was on thing about Motown, Detroit, etc and whatever and that was no matter how good you thought you were, they could always go right out and find another singer just as good or better. You saw what happened with the Supremes in 1969-70. In terms of just pure singing talent, just about anyone you can mention had someone out there that sang just as good. Hello JJ Barnes, where are you tonight bro? LOL!
I have to do this. Big fan of Levi and Marvin. But Ruffin’s vocal range just leaps above theirs. I’ll give one song.
https://youtu.be/FNhOUTmO0Yo
Listen to this honestly and tell me another Motown artist that can touch Ruffins vocal range. Honestly. Listen to the entire song.
You prefer Ruffin, nothing wrong with that. He's great and he kills "World of Darkness", but I think both Marvin and Levi could've sang the same song and been just as effective. For my taste I'd rather hear Marvin and Levi sing it than David, but it's a personal preference. David definitely possessed a gift from God, but so did the other men. None of them are any better than the other, they're just each somebody else's favorite.:)
He really did have an incredible range. So many great vocal performances to choose from, both as a Tempt and a solo. Some of his Warner Bros material is so underrated. I am partial to his work as a Tempt though. "Since I Lost My Baby", "I Know I'm Losing You", "Say You", "That'll Be the Day", some of my favorite David moments as a Tempt. "Common Man", "Statue of a Fool", "Just Let Me Hold You", "A Day In the Life of a Working Man", some of my fav David solo moments. The man was a force.
Having seen both the Temptations and the Tops live when in their prime [[no pun intended), I'd give the edge to Levi Stubbs over David Ruffin when it came to concert performances.
I have been looking, but unable to find one photo of David ruffin & Mr. Gordy, together..please post if found!!
It is almost certain Berry was at the Ed Sullivan taping of Diana and Temps performance. I would think there are pix of Berry with everyone.
I have tried but can't find any either. I would like to think there must be one, somewhere, but its just not on the internet.
David Ruffin, as great as his talent and singing ability was, would sooner or later get on the last nerve of practically everybody he came into contact with and I assume eventually Mr Gordy decided that David just wasn't worth the headaches. With Ruffin, it was essentially risk/reward, and in virtually every case...the risk wasn't worth the reward in the end...
I can agree to this: David was a real handful...
Thanks Dvus… Having been somewhat close enough to observe some of this...and even had a brief discussion about David with the great Paul Williams shortly before his death...I'm led to believe that it was the Temptations themselves that grew weary of David's antics when he was with the group and perhaps led by Otis [[as was probably one of the accurate perspectives in the Temptations movie based on Otis's book), that , I'm sure with Berry's blessing, decided to part ways with David who always seemed to have things in a state of disarray and disruption within the group structure... Once the group decided to 86 David in favor of Dennis, now Berry was sort of stuck with David, and because of Ruffins unique talent, I'm sure Berry was determined to exploit that talent and use it to his benefit for fun and profit. Davids solo career started out with promise, releasing a couple of nice charted tunes, yet David was not really all in on promoting his career and I'm not so sure with everything going on at Motown, David was Berrys primary concern. At that point, Davids behavior and likely his reliability as a trusted performer in Berrrys stable of talent began to wane, and likely became more of a headache than an asset to Berry who was in the midst of big plans for his company, including the impending move to Los Angeles, and fretting over Davids antics was likely something Berry, being the astute businessman he was, just wasn't going to waste his time or energy on with a lot bigger "fish to fry"... At that point, David just became his own biggest obstacle to success in his solo career and went full on David... He just was not as important to Motown since the Tempts were doing quite well under the direction of Norman Whitfield with Dennis doing the lead tenors and David made himself highly expendable...Not the center of attention he seemed to view himself as when he was the show stopper in his Temptation glory days...Realizing that likely contributed to Davids downfall...
Hey, stubass...thanks for the insite..I am pretty sure that, David, as a performer, was uncontrollable!! From my understanding, ruffin was suspended for not promoting "the moment you left me", per mr. Edwards. So i think u are point. Mr. Gordy stated that he released the song, "because he thought that is what he wanted"...THANKS, AGAIN!!
Did David ever express, publicly or otherwise, any remorse for quitting/being fired from the Temptations?
According to Otis' book and the film...yes he did... Based on his personality, Its unlikely he expressed much remorse as he was somewhat one of those [[I wouldn't change a thing) kind of guys, but I have no doubt that he knows he F'd up bigtime... I last saw David at United Sound at a vocal session for one of his Don Davis produced post Motown solo efforts late 70's/early 80's. It was just David and a female backup singer there in the studio. David was friendly, but IMO...not all there. I've heard similar opinions from others I know who were hired on Ruffin projects in his final years and something was missing and his attitude was, lets just say...odd...
The last time I saw David Ruffin alive was New Year's Eve 1984-85 at the Premier Center, Madison Heights [[right outside Detroit). It was at Mary Wilson's and Eddie Kendricks gala New Year's Eve show. It was the night that David reunited with Eddie to begin performing together again. David came out of audience walking and singing right past us. Once on the stage, he and Eddie duet to "Your My Everything". The also performed the finale with Mary Wilson [[with Karen Jackson and Robin Alexander) to sing "Someday We'll Be Together" and "Auld Lang Syne". It was an incredible moment in music history.
To me, David Ruffin & Levi Stubbs tie as great lead vocalist of groups.
edafan
Have to agree with you there edafan. :D
Maybe david said..ain't nobody comin to see you berry!!
David suffered from bipolar disorder. I'm convinced of it.
This guy thought he could turn sh*t into gold until he was kicked out of the Temptations but he came from a broken home where his father physically abused him and besides from having Jimmy as a close brother always felt like a loner.
Getting in the Temptations, he felt they were his family but like a family, the big brothers couldn't maintain their "younger brother's" antics.
When he finally was ousted, he told Cornelius Grant that they'll beg him to come back but they never did. David never wanted to be a solo artist and wanted to return to the Temptations. I think him getting kicked out led him to depression and increased his cocaine addiction to the point there was no coming back.
An ego can be a man's greatest asset or biggest downfall.