Offstage, Ruffin was a jumble of contradictions playful but short-tempered, ambitious but hindered by hidden demons, at a time when substance abuse and mental health were widely misunderstood. Share this memorial using social media sites or email. There werent many paths to wealth and stardom for Black people in Southern states that were still trapped, in the 1940s and 1950s, under the oppressive weight of Jim Crow laws and segregation. 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. She said she last saw him on Wednesday. Very sad news. Nedra also leaves to cherish her memories, her mom and 3 children. based on information from your browser. Hell be all right.. Thanks for your help! Close this window, and upload the photo(s) again. Born in Shelbyville September 25, 1941, he attended Shelbyville schools for eleven . The reaction of his solo recording "My Whole World Ended (The Moment You Left Me)" in 1969 suggested a solo star was born. A relationship with another Motown star, the Philadelphia native Tammi Terrell, was shadowed by rumors of physical violence, which Ruffins family later denied. But then Hall and Oates invited Ruffin and Eddie Kendricks to perform a medley of Temptations classics when the Philadelphia duo played a benefit concert in May 1985 at the Apollo Theater in Harlem, N.Y. They were my gods, man, Hall said. It has been stated that Terrell's death saw Gaye go into a depression and suffered from drug abuse. In 1982, he paid $5,000 after a Wayne County circuit judge ordered him to serve 60 days in jail unless he did so. But David Ruffin could sing like a hurricane, and possessed an innate sense of how to connect with people, how to make them smile and laugh and feel what he felt. 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. And Im going to miss our get-togethers.. That same year, he was indicted on federal tax fraud charges. To add a flower, click the Leave a Flower button. December 26, 2022 (74 years old) View obituary. Some content is designated for subscribers only. 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. In 1979, he joined Warner Bros. after leaving Motown, but instead of a new beginning, it marked the beginning of the end for Ruffin. Failed to delete memorial. @thetemptations is 1 of my fav old skool groups, & I love the voice of her dad & former Temps lead singer #DavidRuffin, wrote one fan who shared condolences on Twitter. People figured you can stop a bad habit, but they dont understand addiction, said the soul singer Candi Staton, a longtime friend of Ruffins. Her siblings are Cheryl, Kimberly and David Ruffin, Jr. She was the niece of legendary Jimmy Ruffin who had a big hit with Motown, What Becomes of the Broken Hearted. However, Simpson claimed that the ailing Terrell was brought into the studio when she was strong enough to record over Simpson's guide vocals. Found more than one record for entered Email, You need to confirm this account before you can sign in. As the bands popularity grew, they toured relentlessly with other Motown artists along the Chitlin Circuit, a network of clubs and theaters on the East Coast, the Midwest, and the South that were welcoming to Black performers. Drag images here or select from your computer for Nedra Terea Ruffin memorial. Please contact Find a Grave at [emailprotected] if you need help resetting your password. The early 1980s saw Ruffin briefly jailed for tax evasion, but it also saw him join the Temptations' 1983 reunion tour. Continuing with this request will add an alert to the cemetery page and any new volunteers will have the opportunity to fulfill your request. While there were minor hits later, Ruffin was caught between various writers and producers, and except for "Walk Away From Love" in 1975, he never tapped his enormous potential again. Connect with the definitive source for global and local news. Ruffins upbringing had been rooted in pain, something his niece, Gina Ruffin Moore, discovered when she was a little girl, living in Fort Bragg, N.C. There is a problem with your email/password. He was the lead singer for the famed-influential Motown vocal group, "The Temptations." Her father, Quincy Ruffin, a member of the U.S. Army Special Forces, had long insisted that he had been an orphan. Ruffin's funeral is scheduled for Saturday at Bethel AME. 1 hit, ''My Girl.'' Three of the surviving Temptations, Melvin Franklin, Eddie Kendricks and Otis Williams, were among 2,500 people who packed New Bethel Baptist Church on Monday for Ruffin's funeral. The card on a bouquet from British singer Rod Stewart and his wife read, You were a great influence on me. Flowers added to the memorial appear on the bottom of the memorial or here on the Flowers tab. David Ruffin began writing songs when he was a teenager. 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. When he demanded certain privileges not afforded the other members of the group and wanted the group's name to be changed to David Ruffin and the Temptations (as had been done with Diana Ross and the Supremes), he was officially deemed out of control, and the band fired him in June 1968. This is a carousel with slides. Candi Staton sometimes revisits one of her favorite memories of her old friend. Translation on Find a Grave is an ongoing project. My Girl was the bands first No. In some areas weve had ongoing challenges with our newspaper delivery caused by a variety of economic factors. For memorials with more than one photo, additional photos will appear here or on the photos tab. Residents living in California, Vermont, New York, and Maine can cancel online by visiting their Account Management page once logged in to the website. The post Nedra Ruffin, daughter of the Temptations David Ruffin, dies from COVID-19 appeared first on TheGrio. When the crack cocaine epidemic surged in the 1980s, government leaders responded with tactics that disproportionately criminalized and punished people who had addictions, particularly in Black communities. Ruffin ventured inside, and somehow got his hands on a microphone. Learn about how to make the most of a memorial. As long as Id known David, he was always a very complex guy, very intense about things, Williams wrote in his 1988 memoir, Temptations. TheGrio is now on Apple TV, Amazon Fire, and Roku. 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. After recovering from her first surgery, she continued recording and performing live. Las Vegas biology teacher, 37, 'changed student's grade from F to A after she agreed to sleep with him. 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.. [What] good that came from his addiction and death [if such a thing is possible] . He sang in Memphis talent shows before eventually signing with .css-47aoac{-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;text-decoration-thickness:0.0625rem;text-decoration-color:inherit;text-underline-offset:0.25rem;color:#A00000;-webkit-transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;}.css-47aoac:hover{color:#595959;text-decoration-color:border-link-body-hover;}Motown Records and joining the Temptations. You can customize the cemeteries you volunteer for by selecting or deselecting below. David was hanging with a bad crew, Hall said. 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. The 58-year-old Detroiter was admitted to Beaumont Hospital, Royal Oaks on Mother's. His career had seemingly bottomed. One night in 1963, Terrell left Brown, after he assaulted her for not watching his entire performance. Her career began as a teenager, recording for Scepter/Wand Records, before spending two years as a member of James Brown's live show. Ruffin was still under contract with Motown Records when he left the Temptations, and he embarked on a solo career, finding some success with "My Whole World Ended (the Moment You Left Me)" in 1969. Your Scrapbook is currently empty. Edit a memorial you manage or suggest changes to the memorial manager. Nedra Ruffin, daughter of the late R&B singer David Ruffin ofthe Temptations, was described as a loving, kind, sweet individual with a heart of gold. Ruffin the voice of Motown classics like My Girl died at age 50 in 1991. Based on your location, delivery of your newspaper may come through the U.S Postal Service and arrive at the same time as your postal service. Failed to remove flower. Becoming a Find a Grave member is fast, easy and FREE. Learn more about merges. 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. But success was fleeting, and Ruffin dropped out of the music business for three years, emerging in 1975 with a top 10 single ("Walk Away From Love") and a few minor hits. The email does not appear to be a valid email address. The 58-year-old Detroiter was admitted to Beaumont Hospital, Royal Oaks on Mothers Day after facing health challenges in recent years. Smooth Breakfast with Eamonn Kelly It was not the first time he was accused of not living up to that order. TheDetroit residentattended Mumford High School in Detroit, and her career included modeling andbartending. Save to an Ancestry Tree, a virtual cemetery, your clipboard for pasting or Print. Please enter your email address and we will send you an email with a reset password code. Sign up for one (or all of them) today at, Get a fresh mix and perspective on the conversation of the day, putting your ears right in the center of it. She also recorded briefly for Checker Records, before signing with Motown in 1965. Everything in the world was changing, and I think David was in this position where people were just having him sing the same kinds of things, instead of trying to figure out who David was, said Paul Barker, the Motown Museums director of development and community activation. He was born on November 2, 1961 in Florence, AZ to Howard Arthur and Jewell Faye (Curtis . Three of the surviving Temptations, Melvin Franklin, Eddie Kendricks and Otis Williams, were among 2,500 people who packed New Bethel Baptist Church on Monday for Ruffins funeral. 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. Photos larger than 8Mb will be reduced. 0 cemeteries found in Detroit, Wayne County, Michigan, USA. Print delivery is available within the newspaper distribution area only. Singing with his heroes onstage was the high point of my life, no doubt about it, Oates said. I work on the investigations team, and narrative-driven projects. Stevie Wonder brought the audience to its feet with a rendition of his song I Love You, and Aretha Franklin rocked them with the gospel song He Looked Beyond My Faults and Saw My Needs.. Born David. Robert Palmer Metz, 81 years of age, passed away at home, Dec. 13, 2022 in San Manuel, AZ. You need a Find a Grave account to continue. Weve updated the security on the site. In 1982, Ruffin participated in a short-lived Temptations reunion; the band quickly lost patience when he missed some of their scheduled concerts. And that becomes your life. Existing subscribers can sign up for EZ Pay by visiting, Subscribers can update their payment method online by visiting. She loved to dance, said her daughter Terea Frazier. 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. There was an error deleting this problem. Please check your email and click on the link to activate your account. Your new password must contain one or more uppercase and lowercase letters, and one or more numbers or special characters. Williams described one Temptations appearance in Kentucky that ended in a hail of gunfire, as a group of white men began firing at the band as they loaded their bus, shouting racial slurs, and warning them, dont you ever come back here again!. Joining several groups in succession, Ruffin toured with the Womack Brothers, the Staple Singers and the Dixie Hummingbirds (all gospel groups). Speakers talked about the evils of drugs, which Ruffin had battled since the 1960s. 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 his being fired 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. Click "Create Account" and follow the instructions to make a profile. Once you have created your account, please use these credentials to sign in on our desktop or mobile website for full access to your subscriber benefits. Im going to miss her loving, giving ways. Murrell remembers watching Ruffin sometimes disappear into properties to buy drugs. She was performing at a club in Detroit. You are only allowed to leave one flower per day for any given memorial. As the group's new front man, Ruffin began to get the lion's share of media attention, but his erratic behavior, usually attributed to cocaine use, also began to draw attention. Are you sure that you want to delete this memorial? For three decades, Ruffins friends and family have mulled the what-ifs that haunt anyone who has lost someone they love to drug addiction, which has only recently come to be treated as a health epidemic, instead of a crime. He was getting high so much. The founding Temptations group member had shot himself on August 17, 1973 after an argument with his then-girlfriend. In the background for the first year and a half, in 1965 Ruffin took the vocal lead on hits such as "My Girl," "I Wish It Would Rain" and "Ain't Too Proud to Beg," and the band took off, appearing on American Bandstand and The Ed Sullivan Show while becoming stars on the international music scene. His condition had been complicated by diabetes. At the time, Robinson, who is married to Ruffins sister Cheryl, told the Michigan Chronicle the renaming was about honoring local history and Detroits contributions to R&B and soul music. All photos appear on this tab and here you can update the sort order of photos on memorials you manage. Flowers decorating the church included bouquets from Michael Jackson, Daryl Hall and John Oates, Diana Ross, the Spinners, and Martha Reeves and the Vandellas. Condolences to the family. This account has been disabled. DETROIT (AP) _ David Ruffin's old partners in the Temptations got a tearful standing ovation at the Motown singer's funeral with a three-man rendition of the group's first No. Three of the surviving Temptations, Melvin Franklin, Eddie Kendricks and Otis Williams, were among 2,500 people who packed New Bethel Baptist Church on Monday for Ruffins funeral. Your account has been locked for 30 minutes due to too many failed sign in attempts. Sometimes he was a fun-loving wild child in search of thrills; other times, he could turn self-destructive. Try again later. By this point she suffered from blindness, hair loss, and weighed only 93 pounds (42 kg). You can always change this later in your Account settings. Your new password must contain one or more uppercase and lowercase letters, and one or more numbers or special characters.