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  1. #1
    honest man Guest

    when did jimmy ruffin stop singing with motown

    Hello had a jimmy ruffin day today ,tremendous.So many songs i had not heard for years, does anyone know if jimmy finished with motown 1970..,as i have seen his songs listed on motown up to 1972.if 1970 was the end of his motown tenure, where did he record until TELL ME WHAT YOU WANT,Cheers.

  2. #2
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    he left Motown in 1970 anything released after is a reissue or pulled from the vaults...

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    I thought so. I always assumed he left Motown after the duet album with David Ruffin tanked.

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    he did "On The Way Out" was the first single Motown released after he departed..

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    Anyone know his single East Side, West Side?

  6. #6
    RossHolloway Guest
    Does anyone know the story behind why he left Motown in 1970?

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    I would suspect it would be the usual artists disagreements - low royalty rate,lack of creative control and the Motown machine promoting J5 and Ross over other acts...

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    I remember an interview he did in Blues & Soul when he had left Motown and was living In England, where he stated lack of promotion by U.S. Motown. He had been voted number 2 must popular Male Vocalist in the U.K. at that time, and his records were huge in that market. Certain tracks like Its Wonderful to be loved by you were smashes in the U.K. but were not even deemed worthy of release in the U.S. No wonder Edwin Starr advised to move to England, or was it the other way round...Paulo XXX

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    Paulo

    The hits that made Jimmy big in the UK at that time were relative oldish tracks [[starting with TMG 649 reissued as 740) and not what the USA was into at that time. I can understand why his status at Motown slipped a few notches after seeing the rather lack lustre reaction to the album "Groove Governor".

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    Any man who is voted #2 male vocalist in England should have had much support from his record company!!

  11. #11
    topdiva1 Guest
    Quote Originally Posted by luke View Post
    Any man who is voted #2 male vocalist in England should have had much support from his record company!!
    You are so right.

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    On the face of it, it's what most people would expect to happen. Sadly, it didn't.

    I can only guess to the reason and suspect that UK Motown were looking at what was happening in the States and that cast doubt in their minds on Jimmy's future earning potential in the UK. The album Groove Governor was never released in the UK in the same format as in the States and instead, after what seemed a long long time, we got the "Forever" comilation [[STML 11161) containing tracks that were not even issued in the States. The fact that bonus tracks were issued probably meant that UK Motown WERE concentrating on Jimmy but just not happy to release any of the finished recordings they had received from the US, as a 45.

    This is only my opinion. I could be well wrong but it seems to fit the scenario from how I remember it. I loved Jimmy Ruffin and I was eagerly awaiting the Groove Governor album. I think I eventually got a copy from the record shop where Elton John used to often work....a good few months after it was first issued in the States

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    I agree. What U.S. Motown released on Jimmy at that stage would have surely bombed in the U.K. What was released in England, however, showed that Motown UK knew their market. Of course, many other artists had success via Motown UK, that did not translate back in the U.S. Marv Johnson being a prime example. And we all surely remember Diana Ross & Im Still Waiting. Number 1 UK, bombed in U.S. I do think however, that a lack of promotion in the U.S. was partly to blame...Paulo XXX

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    Im in U.S. How much autonomy did UK Motown have from US Motown?

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    Hadn't thought of that one Paulo. But absolutely, UK Motown having a number one hit with Diana, with their UK choice gave them more power. They had already done wonders with all that back catalogue stuff resulting in paying more than just a few bills. Money talks!!

    It was a shame that I'm Still Waiting wasn't a hit in the USA..did it hit something like 92? Just as well though, I am not sure our US cousins would have been happy if it had. None of my US penpals at the time even liked the song!

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    Is it possible that Diana herself did not like the song?

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    Roger-Either I missed my medication or you posted on the wrong thread. Which song are you talking about?

    Luke....Perhaps surprisingly, Motown in Europe had a lot of control in their own territories. I figure that was because each unit ought to better know their market. Sorry if it sounds too business-like but it's my job to look where the money is! However, some countries courted US Motown more than others. Robbert would be better equipped to answer in respect of Holland. This topic could be a thread in itself

  18. #18
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    WestGrand....

    You mean "I'm Still Waiting". This is a Jimmy Ruffin thread! However, since you mentioned it....

    It didn't seem to make a difference at the time, did it? Tony Blackburn had generated so much interest in the song, UK Motown would have been foolish to ignore it. A bit like what happened to Marvin's Grapevine in the States. Motown artists [[generally) didn't have any real say in what was released. Half the time, they only found out about it when it was on sale in the shops! Cal explained.....just imagine going in the studio cutting one song, then another, then another...maybe at 2 in the morning...a few days later, the same thing happens..and so on......meanwhile the one from 2 months ago goes on sale.

  19. #19
    honest man Guest
    Hello going off course again, can't be doing with another D.ROSS debate.thought i'd start a new thread ,does anyone know where jimmy was /recorded,from 1970 to 1973, please, cheers.

  20. #20
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    Honest Man..as far as I can recall, he recorded for Polydor and had a big dance hit with Tell Me What You Want. He also had a single on MOJO called Mothers Love. Sure there is some other things. I will get back to you, but hope this info herlps....Paulo XXXX

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