David Ruffin's Firing From The Temptations - Why Does No One Care?

[WaitingWatchingLookingForAChance]

When David left, unthinkable at the time, I didn’t know what to think. Cloud 9 and TCB nearly erased David from my mind. I don’t think his greatness is appreciated commensurate his talent.

when the next unthinkable thing happened: diana ross leaving the Supremes, I assumed the transition would be very similar to that experienced by the Temptations a year earlier. I just assumed the group would just continue As they were and when I first saw the new group on ad Sullivan, they were wonderful and the record was phenomenal, but I still missed diana ross - It wasn’t Like with the Temptations, the supreme’s became just another group to me - it took a year, but by the time they were on Tom Jones, I was cringing. That night I knew they were toast even though I loved their first two albums, they had three fine singers in the group, but they didn’t have a star And I knew I was clinging to something that no longer existed. And, corny as it may sound, i mourned that loss.

Makes a lot of sense and something I hadn't thought about. The Tempts had the mulit-lead thing going, so their popularity didn't necessarily depend on one stand out star. The Supremes were fueled by the star quality of Diana, whereas Jean wasn't the household name that Diana had become. Much like The Commodores when Lionel Ritchie left; I think all the attention pretty much went right along with Lionel, "Rising Star" and not much was left for the group.

[TheMotownManiac]

Makes a lot of sense and something I hadn't thought about. The Tempts had the mulit-lead thing going, so their popularity didn't necessarily depend on one stand out star. The Supremes were fueled by the star quality of Diana, whereas Jean wasn't the household name that Diana had become. Much like The Commodores when Lionel Ritchie left; I think all the attention pretty much went right along with Lionel, "Rising Star" and not much was left for the group.

one of the negs In Mary’s book is her creating an “us VS. Her” thought process after Jan 14th 1970 - who did better, who was better, who got what etc which put many fans on sides they had never considered before. Jean, like David, was very talented, but she didn’t have star quality nor years of high end stage experience. That did not lessen her ability as a great singer with great talent - it’s just that too much was expected from this girl who had no similar experience and no dream to do this type of work. Dennis had been working for Motown and in a busy, though not popular, somewhat similar situation to the Tempts so he was used to singing in the required style, while Jean was not and really didn’t care to be. Jean was asked to step into shoes that had been custom fit for Diana Ross, who, 50 years later, is still knocking them dead - very very very big shoes to fill. I don’t think even the great Berry Gordy realized that big talent wasn’t enough until it was too late. I’ve never believed one drop of the BS about wanting the new group to fail, and we now have a lot more insight to prove that was BS. [[Supremes failed singles weren’t promoted while Ross’ failed singles just weren’t good etc...)
Again, I can see why, after replacing a unique, gifted iconic performer like David Ruffin so smoothly, Berry thought or at least hoped for a similar result with his flagship group.

Bless them all for being so wonderful and meaningful to us that we still care for five-plus decades.

[Bluebrock]

one of the negs In Mary’s book is her creating an “us VS. Her” thought process after Jan 14th 1970 - who did better, who was better, who got what etc which put many fans on sides they had never considered before. Jean, like David, was very talented, but she didn’t have star quality nor years of high end stage experience. That did not lessen her ability as a great singer with great talent - it’s just that too much was expected from this girl who had no similar experience and no dream to do this type of work. Dennis had been working for Motown and in a busy, though not popular, somewhat similar situation to the Tempts so he was used to singing in the required style, while Jean was not and really didn’t care to be. Jean was asked to step into shoes that had been custom fit for Diana Ross, who, 50 years later, is still knocking them dead - very very very big shoes to fill. I don’t think even the great Berry Gordy realized that big talent wasn’t enough until it was too late. I’ve never believed one drop of the BS about wanting the new group to fail, and we now gave a lot more insight to prove that was BS. [[Supremes failed singles weren’t promoted while Ross’ failed singles just weren’t good etc...)
Again, I can see why, after replacing a unique, gifted iconic performer like David Ruffin so smoothly, Berry thought or at least hoped for a similar result with his flagship group.

Bless them all for being so wonderful and meaningful to us that we still care for five-plus decades.

Wow! What an excellent summary of events MotownManiac. Without doubt the best post i have read on this subject. Thank you so much.

[PeaceNHarmony]

one of the negs In Mary’s book is her creating an “us VS. Her” thought process after Jan 14th 1970 - who did better, who was better, who got what etc which put many fans on sides they had never considered before. Jean, like David, was very talented, but she didn’t have star quality nor years of high end stage experience. That did not lessen her ability as a great singer with great talent - it’s just that too much was expected from this girl who had no similar experience and no dream to do this type of work. Dennis had been working for Motown and in a busy, though not popular, somewhat similar situation to the Tempts so he was used to singing in the required style, while Jean was not and really didn’t care to be. Jean was asked to step into shoes that had been custom fit for Diana Ross, who, 50 years later, is still knocking them dead - very very very big shoes to fill. I don’t think even the great Berry Gordy realized that big talent wasn’t enough until it was too late. I’ve never believed one drop of the BS about wanting the new group to fail, and we now gave a lot more insight to prove that was BS. [[Supremes failed singles weren’t promoted while Ross’ failed singles just weren’t good etc...)
Again, I can see why, after replacing a unique, gifted iconic performer like David Ruffin so smoothly, Berry thought or at least hoped for a similar result with his flagship group.

Bless them all for being so wonderful and meaningful to us that we still care for five-plus decades.

Yes, Yes, and Yes! And particularly the last sentence -