David ruffin - killer early soul - i'm in love hd

[MIKEW-UK]

[arr&bee]

Wow david must have been a teen when he did that one,good soul sound.

[marv2]

This song has long going in it for me. David's vocals in parts remind me of the Moonglows "Ten Commandments of Love". Parts of the backing track makes me think of Betty Everett's "You'll Have to Cry" from much later than this recording. David was whipping it up towards the end. love it!

[marv2]

Another one that has hit written all over it is this one here. I don't have to guess hard, but this sounds like a Van McCoy production. I can't remember who originally recorded this song "Off and On" but David does a great job with it:

[johnny_raven]

The original was Anacostia

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3r-pAc66Bxk

[marv2]

The original was Anacostia

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3r-pAc66Bxk

Thank you Johnny_Raven. I knew it sounded familiar to me.

[robb_k]

"I'm in Love" was recorded by Anna Records in 1960, so David was 19 years old. But, David had an earlier record out on George Goldner's Vega Records, which was an Anna production, produced by Berry Gordy, in 1958, when he was 17. He was packing records in Anna's back room, while living at Gwen, Berry and Anna's parents' house. He also worked for Pops Gordy's construction company.

[marv2]

"I'm in Love" was recorded by Anna Records in 1960, so David was 19 years old. But, David had an earlier record out on George Goldner's Vega Records, which was an Anna production, produced by Berry Gordy, in 1958, when he was 17. He was packing records in Anna's back room, while living at Gwen, Berry and Anna's parents' house. He also worked for Pops Gordy's construction company.

Robb_K I can always count on you to fill in with some great backing information. I knew about David's job packing records at Anna. I did not know Berry Gordy was involved in David's early records. Living with the Gordy's I would think would have gave David an advantage with Berry and Motown, but that just wasn't the case.

[robb_k]

Robb_K I can always count on you to fill in with some great backing information. I knew about David's job packing records at Anna. I did not know Berry Gordy was involved in David's early records. Living with the Gordy's I would think would have gave David an advantage with Berry and Motown, but that just wasn't the case.

Well, Gwen and Anna were Pops Gordy's kids, too. And they had record labels operating before Berry, and operating all the time Berry had Tamla and Motown in operation before David signed with Motown in mid 1962. The only time David wasn't working for Gwen during that period, was from late spring 1961 through mid 1962, when he was working for Gwen's and Berry's ex-partner, Billy Davis.

When Billy left Anna Records to start Chess' Detroit subsidiary, Check-Mate Records, in mid 1961, Anna Records folded, and Harvey Fuqua, Gwen and Anna formed Tri-Phi/Harvey Records. Several of the Anna artists went with Billy Davis to Chess/Check-Mate [[Jackey Beavers, Tony Clarke, Ty Hunter, and The other Voice Masters [[[[future Originals-C.P. Spencer [[AKA Spencer Stirling) and Hank Dixon), Lamont Dozier [[who recorded as Lamont Anthony), Willie Kendrick[[s), Allen Story, Ruben Fort, David Ruffin and others).

The others were signed by Gwen and Harvey' Tri-Phi [[Johnny Bristol, Wreg Tracey, The Ervin Sisters, Lorrie Rudolph, and others), and a few signed by Motown [[Winehead Willie Murray, and Herman Griffin).

When Check-Mate Records dissolved in mid 1962, because The Chess Brothers wanted Billy Davis to be their executive producer and main A&R man, running their entire operation full-time in Chicago, most of Check-Mate's artists who were not signed to Chess [[as were Ty Hunter, Jackie Beavers, Tony Clarke and Willie Kendrick[[s)), were signed by Motown [[Alan Story, Lamont Dozier, C. P. Spencer, Hank Dixon, [[another future Original),and David Ruffin).

It should be noted that although David Ruffin was signed to Motown as both a singing artist and a songwriter in mid 1962, he didn't get a release for Motown as an artist, until he joined The Temptations at the beginning of 1964. I'm pretty sure he co-wrote a few songs for them in 1962 and 1963, which were published by Jobete Music, but I don't think they ever got onto a release. I'm not sure if he recorded any demos for Motown before he joined The Temptations.

Then, in later mid 1963, Gwen's, Anna's and Harvey's Tri-Phi/Harvey/HPC/Message Records labels were absorbed into Motown, along with many of their artists and production people [[Johnny Bristol, Junior Walker & All Stars, Shorty Long, The Five Quails, The Spinners, Ann Bogan, The Merced Blue Notes, Wilbur Jackson, and Clyde Wilson [[AKA Steve Mancha)).

[robb_k]

Attachment 10989
Here are scans of David's pre-Motown recordings [[all released):





Notice that "B.Gordy" is credited with writing one of his songs. Sorry, I remembered incorrectly that Berry wrote David's songs on Vega Records and produced the session. It was Gwen who did that, together with Billy [[Roquel) Davis [[Berry's ex-songwriting partner). But Berry was working with Anna Records back then. Anna leased those cuts to George Goldner's Vega Records, just as Berry was leasing his Miracles' recordings to Goldner's End Records, and Anna was getting their productions distributed by Goldner's distributing company. David Ruffin was listed as "Little David Bush", on the insistance of his manager and first mentor [[whose last name was Bush).

[soulwally]

Attachment 10989
Here are scans of David's pre-Motown recordings [[all released):
Attachment 10984
Attachment 10985
Attachment 10986
Attachment 10987
Attachment 10988

Notice that "B.Gordy" is credited with writing one of his songs. Sorry, I remembered incorrectly that Berry wrote David's songs on Vega Records and produced the session. It was Gwen who did that, together with Billy [[Roquel) Davis [[Berry's ex-songwriting partner). But Berry was working with Anna Records back then. Anna leased those cuts to George Goldner's Vega Records, just as Berry was leasing his Miracles' recordings to Goldner's End Records, and Anna was getting their productions distributed by Goldner's distributing company. David Ruffin was listed as "Little David Bush", on the insistance of his manager and first mentor [[whose last name was Bush).

Great stuff Robb. Thanks for the information

[MIKEW-UK]

Robb, your knowledge is astounding!

Here's an interesting exchange regarding David's first recordings from our very own archives, with questions posed by the mother of David's only son...

http://soulfuldetroit.com/archives/5...tml?1033489695

[marv2]

Attachment 10989
Here are scans of David's pre-Motown recordings [[all released):





Notice that "B.Gordy" is credited with writing one of his songs. Sorry, I remembered incorrectly that Berry wrote David's songs on Vega Records and produced the session. It was Gwen who did that, together with Billy [[Roquel) Davis [[Berry's ex-songwriting partner). But Berry was working with Anna Records back then. Anna leased those cuts to George Goldner's Vega Records, just as Berry was leasing his Miracles' recordings to Goldner's End Records, and Anna was getting their productions distributed by Goldner's distributing company. David Ruffin was listed as "Little David Bush", on the insistance of his manager and first mentor [[whose last name was Bush).

I had no idea that David had recorded on so many labels prior to joining the Temptations.

[robb_k]

I had no idea that David had recorded on so many labels prior to joining the Temptations.

Only one of those labels [[Check-Mate) is outside The Motown Family, and that one only barely [[run by Gwen Gordy's ex-"boyfriend" and Berry's and Gwen's ex-partner, Billy Davis. The Vega cuts were Anna Records productions, leased to George Goldner's Vega Records. Fidelity Music was the partnership of Berry, Gwen and Billy.

[marv2]

Only one of those labels [[Check-Mate) is outside The Motown Family, and that one only barely [[run by Gwen Gordy's ex-"boyfriend" and Berry's and Gwen's ex-partner, Billy Davis. The Vega cuts were Anna Records productions, leased to George Goldner's Vega Records. Fidelity Music was the partnership of Berry, Gwen and Billy.

Robb, I can't thank you enough for sharing this great information. Thank you! Marv

[luke]

Love love love king David. Off and on sounds like Van and spinners/philly ish. Just missing a little something

[marv2]

With all of those singles David recorded prior to signing with Motown, they did not release anything on him until he had joined the Temptations in 1964? Why I wonder. That doesn't make sense.

[robb_k]

I'm pretty sure I saw listings for 3 songs that Jobete Music published in 1962 [[1) and 1963 [[2) that were solo written, or co-written by David. If I remember correctly, he was signed to a songwriter contact in late summer 1962, and, I believe, he was also signed to a singing artist's contract, as well. There's no doubt that David was working at Motown from mid 1962 until he joined The Temptations in early 1964. I saw those songs listed at "Don't Forget The Motor City" [[but, I believe I also saw documentation on them within Motown).

I wonder if Motown recorded him on solo recordings. He probably sang demos of the songs he wrote. But, I agree that they should have recorded him in those 2 years before 1964.

[marv2]

I'm pretty sure I saw listings for 3 songs that Jobete Music published in 1962 [[1) and 1963 [[2) that were solo written, or co-written by David. If I remember correctly, he was signed to a songwriter contact in late summer 1962, and, I believe, he was also signed to a singing artist's contract, as well. There's no doubt that David was working at Motown from mid 1962 until he joined The Temptations in early 1964. I saw those songs listed at "Don't Forget The Motor City" [[but, I believe I also saw documentation on them within Motown).

I wonder if Motown recorded him on solo recordings. He probably sang demos of the songs he wrote. But, I agree that they should have recorded him in those 2 years before 1964.

Yes, you see I understood why they were using the Temptations [[at least 4 of them at times ) to sing backup for Mary Wells on the Motortown Revue, but David had everything and even a bit more stage presence than Marvin Gaye and he was not used even as a warm up act for those tours.

[arr&bee]

That's a million robb,you have answered a question that i post recently[did david write]perhaps david was so valuble as a session singer that gwen would let him out of the studio.

[robb_k]

That's a million robb,you have answered a question that i post recently[did david write]perhaps david was so valuble as a session singer that gwen would let him out of the studio.

arr&bee, did you mean: "Perhaps David was so valuable as a session singer that Gwen would NOT let him out of the studio." ?

First of all, when David was hired by Motown in mid 1962, Gwen was still running her Tri-Phi and Harvey Records, together with her husband, Harvey Fuqua, until later-mid 1963. Secondly, I've never seen ANY documentation that listed David as a session background singer. In addition, he only wrote a handful of songs in that whole year and a half. So, I don't think he was considered too valuable as either a writer or session background singer to be used as a background singer on The Motortown Revue, or to be pushed as a solo singing artist or to join a group.

Furthermore, I'm not sure when David stopped working for Pops Gordy's construction company. Maybe he wasn't working full time at Motown. The Spinners and pre-Originals were chauffeurs and go-fers AT Motown. Maybe David was a part-time songwriter and construction worker until he was invited to join The Temptations at the beginning of 1964?

Anyone here know if that is true or not?