Thousands attended his funeral in Detroit, a send-off that said more about Ruffin, and what his music meant to people, than any of the headlines about his death. There was a problem getting your location. David Ruffin, Eddie Kendricks and The Temptations' musical director Cornelius Grant were leaving the funeral, when they were robbed. Ruffin, 58, died May 19 at Beaumont Hospital, Royal Oak as a result of complications from COVID-19. The email does not appear to be a valid email address. Born David. From a seat in the audience, he began to serenade her. Ruffin wanted to end the session early and leave with his friends, but a producer insisted that he needed to stay. Ruffin's funeral is scheduled for Saturday at Bethel AME. Ruffin had a wife, three children, and another girlfriend in Detroit. It was just called a bad habit. RareSoul.com: Home to R&B, Doo-Wop & Soul Music. Several members of The Temptations and their extended entourage were robbed after group member Paul Williams funeral today (August 24, 1973). Sometimes there are unexpected delays due to production problems or adverse weather conditions. She was bleeding, shedding blood. Their grief was compounded by stories that they felt tore his character down, she said. We have set your language to Lamont Robinson, founder and CEO of the National Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame and brother-in-law to Ruffin, said Nedra Ruffin was instrumental in getting the renaming of Parkside Street in Detroit to David Ruffin Avenuein June 2019. Tammi Terrell was one of the most popular singers of Motown's early hit factory in the 1960s, particularly with her duet partner and close friend Marvin Gaye. A crowd rushed the church as the service began, and one man had his thumb severed when a door was slammed on it. Candi Staton sometimes revisits one of her favorite memories of her old friend. If you no longer have access to the email address you used when you set up the account, please call Customer Service or chat online with an agent by clicking on the link below, or calling Customer Service (phone number and service hours are below). Sign in to your account in the app to unlock your unlimited access. RIP Ms Ruffin. 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She told Ask The Messengers in 2018 that shed also struggled with drug and alcohol addiction but got clean 18 months after her father passed away. Much of the ensuing news coverage treated the details of Ruffins death salaciously. That year, Terrell accepted Ruffin's marriage proposal. Her father, Quincy Ruffin, a member of the U.S. Army Special Forces, had long insisted that he had been an orphan. Born in Shelbyville September 25, 1941, he attended Shelbyville schools for eleven . Thank you for fulfilling this photo request. All photos uploaded successfully, click on the Done button to see the photos in the gallery. Picture: Getty After Terrell announced their engagement onstage, she discovered that he was already married. Soon after that, she was in intensive care and put on a ventilator, according to Ruffin-Robinson, who said, She never came off.. He was the lead singer for the famed-influential Motown vocal group, "The Temptations." She was confused, fatigued and having trouble breathing, and was admitted to the hospital the day after Mothers Day. If you have a family member or close friend who has died from COVID-19 and you would like to share their story, please visit our memorial wall and select Share a story.. Browse 174 david ruffin stock photos and images available, or start a new search to explore more stock photos and images. When Tammi Terrell had become a star, she continued to suffer from migraines and headaches she had since childhood. As long as Id known David, he was always a very complex guy, very intense about things, Williams wrote in his 1988 memoir, Temptations. Ruffin was born Davis Eli Ruffin on January 18, 1941, in Whynot, Mississippi. Close this window, and upload the photo(s) again. She loved to dance, said her daughter Terea Frazier. DETROIT (AP) _ David Ruffins old partners in the Temptations got a tearful standing ovation at the Motown singers funeral with a three-man rendition of the groups first No. He arrived at her familys house in North Carolina in an eye-catching white limousine that had been fitted with white mink carpet, accompanied by a large, white dog. Resend Activation Email. Williamson joined The Temptations in 2006 and performed with the group until 2015, singing lead on their Back to the Front, and Still Here, albums. Ruffin was offered a barbecued steak. At age 13, he left home to become a minister but soon found himself singing in Memphis talent shows instead. In 1982, he paid $5,000 after a Wayne County circuit judge ordered him to serve 60 days in jail unless he did so. Tammi left him because she didn't want her butt whipped.". You can customize the cemeteries you volunteer for by selecting or deselecting below. We have set your language to All photos uploaded successfully, click on the Done button to see the photos in the gallery. Share this memorial using social media sites or email. DETROIT (AP) _ David Ruffins old partners in the Temptations got a tearful standing ovation at the Motown singers funeral with a three-man rendition of the groups first No. She recalls once climbing into Ruffins Chevrolet Corvette convertible when they were both on tour, and panicking when the car rocketed through traffic. They blamed the person, instead of the disease.. Please enter your email address and we will send you an email with a reset password code. Are you sure that you want to delete this memorial? Ruffin died of a crack overdose June 1 at age 50. If you no longer remember the password, try clicking on the Forgot password link on the sign in page to trigger an email with a link to reset your password. Are you adding a grave photo that will fulfill this request? There is 1 volunteer for this cemetery. Ruffin was a key player in getting the street where her fathers Detroit home is located renamed David Ruffin Avenue in 2019, according to Lamont Robinson, founder of the National Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame. Hours later he was dropped off in front of a hospital, where he died of a drug overdose. Try again later. Are you sure that you want to delete this photo? The way they sang moved me, like probably nobody ever has., When Oates was 19, he and Hall had watched the Temptations from front-row seats at the Apollo, and met the towering Ruffin in a backstage stairwell. His brother Jimmy also signed with Motown records and had breakout song with "What Becomes of the Brokenhearted.". Quickly see who the memorial is for and when they lived and died and where they are buried. Add to your scrapbook. After the services, Kendricks was arrested on a warrant accusing him of failing to pay $26,000 in back child support. To many other music artists, David Ruffin's musical influence is everlasting. Become a subscriber, manage account information, change payment or delivery details. December 26, 2022 (74 years old) View obituary. Rudolph Vacek. David Ruffin could not capitalize on his first solo singles for various labels, so he shared his private pain in The Temptations' biggest hits. With Ruffin at the helm, the Temptations hit it big with such songs as "My Girl" and "Ain't Too Proud to Beg" before Ruffin's drug use caused the band to implode and fire him. He fed it to his dog, and asked his surprised hosts: You got any baby food? David Ruffin then tucked into a jar of baby peaches, and quietly explained that he was plagued by an ulcer. 1 hit, My Girl.. Despite her optimism, her tumour worsened, and needed more surgeries. The singer was pronounced dead an hour later. Print delivery is available within the newspaper distribution area only. Try again later. This account has been disabled. You may not upload any more photos to this memorial, This photo was not uploaded because this memorial already has 20 photos, This photo was not uploaded because you have already uploaded 5 photos to this memorial, This photo was not uploaded because this memorial already has 30 photos, This photo was not uploaded because you have already uploaded 15 photos to this memorial. He recorded an album with the Voice Masters and signed with a Motown subsidiary, but the music just didn't catch on. David Ruffin & Eddie Kendricks - Just my imagination Ian Warren 1.5M views 8 years ago Mix - #DAVIDRUFFIN (Whole Funeral 1991) The Temptations, David Ruffin, Eddie Kendricks, and more The. I work on the investigations team, and narrative-driven projects. A system error has occurred. She said she last saw him on Wednesday. @thetemptations is 1 of my fav old skool groups, & I love the voice of her dad & former Temps lead singer #DavidRuffin. Use the links under See more to quickly search for other people with the same last name in the same cemetery, city, county, etc. But Ruffin also reached out to his brother Quincy in 1991, and suggested they go back to Mississippi, and walk along a lake together, their feet in the sand. When Gaye spotted Terrell, he rushed to her side and the duo began singing 'You're All I Need to Get By', and they were given a standing ovation. For more information about Premium Editions please visit. The two men argued, and disappeared from view. When you receive an email from us, scroll to the bottom of the email and click unsubscribe. Weve updated the security on the site. Started by SunKissWanderer. His tenure with the Temptations ended abruptly, in 1968, when the group fired him for skipping one of their concerts; Ruffin had opted instead to watch one of Dean Martins daughters sing at the Latin Casino, in Cherry Hill. Fate drew him back to Philadelphia in the 1980s, when he was far removed from the limelight, and on the other side of an up-and-down solo career. 7.2K views, 67 likes, 78 loves, 106 comments, 40 shares, Facebook Watch Videos from DAVID RUFFIN JR FAN PAGE: #DAVIDRUFFIN (Whole Funeral Service) David and Jimmy Ruffin, though, had their voices. On October 14, 1967, while performing 'Your Precious Love' with Marvin Gaye at HampdenSydney College, Virginia, she collapsed into Gaye's arms onstage. The Uptown Theater, on North Broad Street, was a prominent point on the circuit, an iconic part of Philadelphias Black community, and a venue where musicians could sometimes look out at an audience and see Black and white concertgoers enjoying music together. If you are a seasoned subscriber and your rate has increased, we sent you notification about this change, but should you have questions about it, please contact Customer Service (phone number and service hours are below). He is a disc jockey based in Detroit, Michigan whose on-air journey of musical and social development shaped a generation of music-lovers in Detroit and throughoute southeastern Michigan and Canada. December 29, 2022 (63 years old) View obituary. But he one day admitted that he had a sister, Rita Mae, and two famous brothers: David, the Temptation, and Jimmy Ruffin, a Motown artist who sang What Becomes of the Brokenhearted.. Our online site's home page, section fronts and advertising products will remain accessible to anyone, even without a subscription. . January 9, 2023 (56 years old) View obituary. My Girl was the bands first No. Im going to miss her loving, giving ways. Please try again later. The group was already in distress over Paul Williams death. This is a carousel with slides. Cheryl Ruffin-Robinson said her family has long believed that there was foul play involved in her fathers death, and many questions they have about his final hours are still unanswered. This relationship is not possible based on lifespan dates. Ruffin is survived by her mother, Sandra Ruffin; a son, Clifford Pearson, anddaughters, Terea Frazier andDeAiress Frazier;six grandchildren;sisters Cheryl Ruffin-Robinson (Lamont)and Kimberly Mone Ruffin Jones,and a brother, David Ruffin, Jr. The Temptations perform onstage at the Apollo Theater in 1964 in New York City, Photo: Don Paulsen/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images, Rock Icon KISS Is Saying Goodbye (For Real), Your Privacy Choices: Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads, Name: David Ruffin, Birth Year: 1941, Birth date: January 18, 1941, Birth State: Mississippi, Birth City: Whynot, Birth Country: United States. This is a carousel with slides. Download our newest episodes now! He was a very complicated person.. Thanks for using Find a Grave, if you have any feedback we would love to hear from you.