David Ruffin

David Ruffin net worth is $2 Million. Also know about David Ruffin bio, salary, height, age weight, relationship and more …

David Ruffin Wiki Biography

Davis Eli Ruffin was born on 18 January 1941, in Meridian, Mississippi USA, and was a musician and singer, best known to have been one of the lead singers of The Temptations during the “Classic Five” period. He was responsible for songs such as “Ain’t Too Proud to Beg” and “My Girl”. All of his efforts helped put his net worth to where it is today. He passed away in 1991.

How rich was David Ruffin? As of mid-2016, sources inform us of a net worth that is at $2 million, mostly earned through a successful career in the music industry. He’s part of the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame, and is ranked as one of the 100 Greatest Singers of All Time by Rolling Stone magazine. All of these achievements ensured the position of his wealth.

Ruffin’s mother died just 10 months after his birth, and later on he along with his family would travel as a family gospel group. They opened for artists such as Mahalia Jackson and The Five Blind Boys of Mississippi, but David also sang in choirs and in talent shows whenever he had an opportunity. At the age of 14, he left home to try and pursue a ministry, and then met jazz musician Phineas Newborn, Sr., and became part of The Dixie Nightingales and sang with The Soul Stirrers. During his travels, he would meet many of the big names in music at the time, including Elvis Presley and Little Richard. He eventually left gospel music to pursue more secular music.

He moved to Detroit and recorded two songs under the name “Little David Bush” – “You and I” and “Believe Me”. He then worked with Marvin Gaye and started creating music as part of the Voice Masters. He worked at Anna Records and recorded a few songs with members of The Originals. Despite having work as a solo artist here, he was unsuccessful, but eventually, he met an up-and-coming group called The Temptations, and started touring with them. He became an official member of the group in 1964. His net worth was beginning to grow.

He initially sang background, with the lead role given to Paul Williams or Eddie Kendricks. Eventually, he was noticed in the group and was given the opportunity to lead vocals, including on the record of the song “My Girl” in 1964, and it would become the group’s first number one single. They then they released other songs that became big hits, including “Since I Lost My Baby”, “I Wish it Would Rain”, and “Beauty is Only Skin Deep”. His success continued until 1967, when he was having problems with the group because of his addiction to cocaine. His ego was also inflating, and after missing a few performances, he was fired and replaced by Dennis Edwards. Despite being fired, he would suddenly appear on stage to steal some of the performances from the group.

With his personal issues, he asked to be a solo artist, and it led to his single “My Whole World Ended (The Moment You Left Me)” from the album “My Whole World Ended”. The song reached the top ten charts and it was followed by a second album called “Feelin’ Good”. During this time he recorded a few notable songs, including “Walk Away from Love” and “Statue of a Fool”, although some of his work during this time was shelved until a later date. Despite initially having a good run in his solo career, it then declined due to his continued addiction.

He left Motown to become a part of Warner Bros and released a few more albums. A Temptations reunion was attempted during 1982 but it was short lived due to Ruffin’s addiction. He would tour a few more times after that, one of which was alongside Hall & Oates.

For his personal life, it is known that Ruffin married Sandra Barnes in 1961 and they have three daughters but their marriage eventually ended. In 1976, he married Joy Hamilton and he also had a son with girlfriend Genna Sapia who lived with him until his death. David passed away in 1991 after a reaction to cocaine, though speculation was that there was foul play involved due to money missing from his person.

IMDB Wikipedia $2 million 1.91 m 1941 1941-01-18 1991 African American American Cheryl Ruffin Dancin’ in the Street David David Ruffin David Ruffin Junior David Ruffin Net Worth Davis Eli Ruffin Dennis Edwards Eddie Kendricks Eli Ruffin Elvis Presley January 18 Jimmy Ruffin June 1 Kimberly Ruffin Little Richard Mahalia Jackson Marvin Gaye Mississippi Musician Nedra Ruffin Ollie & The Nightingales Ophelia Ruffin Paul Williams Pennsylvania Philadelphia Phineas Newborn Quincy B Ruffin Rita Mae Ruffin Ruffin Sandra Ruffin m. 1978–1984 Singer Singers Sr. The Ruffin Brothers The Temptations United States United States of America Whynot

David Ruffin Quick Info

Full Name David Ruffin
Net Worth $2 Million
Date Of Birth January 18, 1941
Died June 1, 1991, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
Place Of Birth Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
Height 1.91 m
Profession Singer
Nationality American
Spouse Sandra Ruffin (m. 1978–1984)
Children Kimberly Ruffin, Cheryl Ruffin, Nedra Ruffin, David Ruffin Junior
Parents Eli Ruffin, Ophelia Ruffin
Siblings Jimmy Ruffin, Quincy B Ruffin, Rita Mae Ruffin
Nicknames Davis Eli Ruffin , Ruffin, David , The Ruffin Brothers
IMDB http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0749278/
Allmusic http://www.allmusic.com/artist/david-ruffin-mn0000811598
Music Groups The Temptations, Ollie & The Nightingales
Nominations Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals
Movies Dancin’ in the Street

David Ruffin Trademarks

  1. His signature move during his performances was to spin around, tossing the microphone from one hand to the other, drop to the floor with a leg split, and then rise back up.
  2. His black rimmed glasses
  3. Raspy tenor/baritone singing voice

David Ruffin Quotes

  • I don’t know what kind of voice I have, I really don’t. It’s just about “the feeling I get for the song.
  • Most of my life, I’ve been on my own, trying to do my thing. Everybody has to go out and face the reality of life. That’s what everybody’s got to do, do you own thing. Strength is your own thing.
  • At the beginning of the first couple of shows by myself, I’d be singing and then make a move as if to go into the background, but there wasn’t any background. In the first couple of shows, that was missed. Now when I walk on . . . I have more room to walk.
  • But they’re just cheating the public now. People still expect Eddie [Eddie Kendricks], Paul [Paul Williams] and me when they see The Temptations. They are the voices they know although, in all honesty, Dennis Edwards can be considered a true Temptation.
  • [Talking about his three-year absence following the 1982 The Temptations reunion tour] Sometimes an artist is lost and needs to find a new direction for himself or his music.

David Ruffin Important Facts

  • Ex-brother-in-law of Clara Jackson.
  • Was romantically linked to Tammi Terrell.
  • The Temptations were awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for Recording at 7060 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California.
  • One of the first Motown artists who demanded regular accounting of the group’s financial status, so as to know how the money was being handled, which caused friction between him and Motown founder Berry Gordy.
  • His first solo song, “My Whole World Ended (The Moment You Left Me),” was originally intended for The Temptations when he was still the group’s front man.
  • Worked up such a sweat recording the song “Ain’t Too Proud to Beg” that, according to Otis Williams, his glasses were falling off his face.
  • Before he was fired from The Temptations, one of his requests was that the band’s name be changed to “David Ruffin & The Temptations,” in light of how The Supremes had their name changed to Diana Ross & The Supremes and, similarly, how The Miracles were known as Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, placing more emphasis on the lead singers. This was reportedly one of the reasons he was eventually fired from the group.
  • Angry and embittered at being fired from The Temptations, who he felt owed their success to him, he tried to sabotage the career of his replacement, Dennis Edwards, by showing up at the group’s concerts and, whenever they started to perform one of the songs Ruffin himself had once sang lead on, he would jump onto the stage, steal the microphone away from Edwards and start singing, much to the embarrassment of the group but to the delight of the fans. The group later hired more security guards to keep him from entering their concerts.
  • His older brother, singer Jimmy Ruffin, was offered the chance to sing with The Temptations, but he politely declined in favor of David, who went on to sing many of the classic 1960s Temptations songs, including “Beauty Is Only Skin Deep,” “Ain’t Too Proud to Beg,” and the immortal “My Girl”.
  • Despite the ego and attitude problems he developed towards the end of his tenure with The Temptations — which stayed with him for the remainder of his life despite his attempts to change — he always remained good friends with fellow Temptations singer Eddie Kendricks, who toured with Ruffin in the 1980s.
  • Is portrayed by Leon in The Temptations biographical miniseries The Temptations (1998).
  • According to Otis Williams, the founder and only surviving member of The Temptations original group, Ruffin was a very funny, colorful, good-natured and hard-working man when he first joined the group, but fame gave him serious ego and attitude problems and drug addiction made him a very erratic worker, which eventually led to him being fired from the group.
  • The Temptations were voted the 67th Greatest Rock ‘n’ Roll Artists of all time by Rolling Stone.
  • Member of The Temptations famous ‘Classic 5’ line-up.
  • Joined The Temptations in mid-January 1964, when he replaced Elbridge “Al” Bryant (aka Albridge Bryant), one of the group’s three starring leads. In July 1968, he was replaced by Dennis Edwards, while he started a solo career.
  • Distant cousin of Melvin Franklin.
  • Younger brother of Jimmy Ruffin.
  • Had four children Cheryl, Nedra, David jr, and Mone.
  • Favorite actor was Richard Burton.
  • His father was a Baptist Minister.
  • Favorite actress was Sophia Loren.
  • Created the four-headed microphone.

David Ruffin Filmography

Title Year Status Character Role
Misfits 2010 TV Series performer – 1 episode Soundtrack
Skeppsholmen 2002 TV Series performer – 1 episode Soundtrack
The Addiction 1995 performer: “Addiction” Soundtrack
The Temptations 1998 TV Series Man in Coppa Cabana Actor
Grammy Legends 1990 TV Special Himself (as The Temptations) Self
Soul Train 1973-1988 TV Series documentary Guest / Himself Self
Dancin’ in the Street 1987 Video documentary Himself Self
Sun City: Artists United Against Apartheid 1986 Video documentary Himself Self
Artists United Against Apartheid: Sun City 1985 Video short Himself (uncredited) Self
MTV Video Music Awards 1985 1985 TV Special Himself – Performer (as The Temptations) Self
Live Aid 1985 TV Special documentary Himself Self
New American Bandstand 1965 1970-1975 TV Series Himself Self
Della 1970 TV Series Himself Self
Laugh-In 1968 TV Series Himself – Guest Performer Self
The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour 1967 TV Series Himself Self
The Ed Sullivan Show 1967 TV Series Singer Self
The Lloyd Thaxton Show 1966 TV Series Himself Self
It’s What’s Happening, Baby! 1965 TV Special Himself (as The Temptations) Self
Ready, Steady, Go! 1965 TV Series Himself Self
Thank Your Lucky Stars 1965 TV Series Himself Self
Unsung 2012 TV Series documentary Himself Archive Footage
TV in Black: The First Fifty Years 2004 Video documentary Himself Archive Footage
The Temptations 1998 TV Series Man in Coppa Cabana (as The Temptations) Archive Footage
Motown 40: The Music Is Forever 1998 TV Movie documentary Himself Archive Footage
The Original Leads of the Temptations 1992 Video documentary Himself Archive Footage
Smokey Robinson: The Quiet Legend 1990 TV Movie documentary Himself Archive Footage
Hittimittari 1985 TV Series Himself Archive Footage
Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever 1983 TV Movie documentary Himself (Temptations member / solo artist) Archive Footage
Say Brother 1969 TV Series Himself Archive Footage