It wasnt called a disease. When David was about 13 or 14, Gina said, he used to always play a game Lets pretend Im on The Ed Sullivan Show! and stand on a piece of wood, singing, and tell the other kids to clap for him.. Ruffin had made a compelling case for the position after he climbed onstage with the band in a Detroit lounge, and began throwing the microphone up in the air, catching it, doing full splits, plus singing like a man possessed, Williams wrote. Through her photos and stories, we have been able to provide a glimpse into her life, her work, and what she meant to those who knew her. He began singing as a toddler, just two years old, in his father's church. Dennis Edwards Jr. (February 3, 1943 February 1, 2018) was an American soul and R&B singer who was best known as the frontman in The Temptations, on Motown Records. He taught me how to drive, took me to get my license, and taught us how to ride horses, Cheryl Ruffin-Robinson said. David Ruffin\s funeral was paid for by Michael Jackson, who also sent a floral arrangement. Edwards remained in the Temptations until being fired by Otis Williams in 1977 just before the group's departure from Motown to Atlantic Records. They would go to different churches on Sundays and people would give them money. She told. 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. The Temptations are a group of singers who have been around for a long time. He and the group recorded the album entitled Together Again, featuring the hit single "I Wonder Who She's Seeing Now". We now understand why his dad was so adamant about Jr.s other musical abilities. target_type: 'mix' By the late-1960s, he had developed alcoholism, which made it hard for him to continue with the group. 7-May-1939) Wife: Joy Hamilton (m. Apr-1976, div.) 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. window._taboola = window._taboola || []; He left the group in 1977 to pursue a solo career, but rejoined them later. This . They could team up with . I can speak for ALL US RUFFINS in saying. Sometimes he was a fun-loving wild child in search of thrills; other times, he could turn self-destructive. The 48-year-old is a singer and stage actor in Los Angeles. He moved to Philadelphia in 1989, lived with a girlfriend, Diane Showers, and palled around with Linster Butch Murrell, the owner of a small limo service. #SolGoode & #SolLovee Jo. Only months after his birth his mother Ophelia Ruffin died, and his father later remarried, to a schoolteacher.David began singing and touring at a very young age with his father and siblings in a gospel group. Subscribe to our newsletter. That person\s name is Otis Williams, and he is also a record producer and actor. Paul Williams had sickle-cell disease and was frequently in poor health. The son of late Temptations singer, David Ruffin, has been very instrumental in some of the most timeless rap songs from the 90's. His name is David Ruffin Jr. and he is not only a song-writer, but a singer like his Dad as well. Daughter of David Ruffin. Mother: Ophelia Ruffin (d. before David was one year old) Brother: Jimmy Ruffin (b. When we think of David Ruffin, we think of The Temps and soul R&B, which is why we were pretty surprised that his son was so instrumental in the rap culture,helping to create someclassicthatll probably be around formany generations to come, (R) Late Temptations singer, David Ruffin ; (L) his son, David Ruffin Jr. Williams continued to be a vital part of the group, however, penning many of their hits and serving as their choreographer. target_type: 'mix' David Parker Ray was robbed of a normal childhood. 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. Sit back and relax!. [citation needed] Edwards was portrayed by Charles Ley in the 1998 biographical television mini-series The Temptations, though he was not heavily focused upon, as the mini-series gave more attention to the Ruffin/Kendricks-era Temptations lineup. His voice was really good and helped the group become famous. David, she shouted, slow down, for heavens sake!, I aint going to kill you, girl, he responded. Much of the ensuing news coverage treated the details of Ruffins death salaciously. His family believes his legacy was distorted by media attention on his struggles with addiction. Tensions arose when David asked for billing before the group, a practice common among vocal groups of the time. Ruffin, 58, died May 19 at Beaumont Hospital, Royal Oak as a result of complications from COVID-19. [A]ll I needed was the right song for his voice, and I felt like I would have a smash hit record, Robinson once told NPR. The Temptations soon reached a higher plane, the stage that Ruffin had fantasized gracing when he was still in Mississippi. Aenean lacinia bibendum nulla sed consectetur. In another sad music industry story, singer, songwriter and producer David Ruffin Jr. has been arrested in California for felony domestic abuse charges. He was getting high so much. When asked of the Trials and Tribulations of the music industry he simply states, "I'm a focused and determined artist. But David Ruffin died in Philadelphia on June 1, 1991, the victim of what doctors determined to be an accidental overdose of cocaine. 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. [10] When problems arose between Woodson and the Temptations in 1987, Edwards was brought back once again. When we think of David Ruffin, we think of The Temps and soul R&B, which is why we were pretty surprised that . [13] Edwards was briefly married to Ruth Pointer, whom he wed in Las Vegas in 1977. As you can see, the brothas pretty talented, and has found a way to combine his love for hip hop with his soulful singing ability. He was a very complicated person.. Family (2) Trivia (5) Cousin of Jimmy Ruffin Jr.. Half-sister of Cheryl Ruffin, Nedra Ruffin, and Kimberly Ruffin-Jones. The Temptations are a group of singers who have been around for many years. Thank you for carrying this torch for me. She told Ask. In the mid-1980s, he attempted a solo career, scoring a hit in 1984 with "Don't Look Any . When David Ruffin was a child, his mother died and his father made him sing in a group called the Spiritual Trying Four. The singer was pronounced dead an hour later. Of course, his father was the Temptations' lead singer from 1964 to 1968. [2], Later in 1967, Edwards quit the Contours and was placed back on retainer. 1 in 1965, and has since been played 498 million times on the streaming service Spotify and a string of other instantly recognizable classics: Aint Too Proud to Beg, I Wish It Would Rain, (I Know) Im Losing You.. Snoop Dogg might not be the legendary Snoop that he is today, if it hadnt been for his 1993 classic, Gin and Juice, setting his career on fire. [2], As a teenager, Edwards joined a gospel vocal group called The Mighty Clouds of Joy, and studied music at the Detroit Conservatory of Music. Edwards was again replaced by Woodson in 1989 after leaving the group for a third and final time. Ruffin was arrested in the late 80s for drug possession, and went through rehabilitation. The man most of us know by his unmistakable, calming yet disturbed raspy voice was born Davis Eli Ruffin on January 18, 1941, in Whynot, Mississippi. Ruffin was excited for new performance opportunities that were opening to him and sliding deeper into addictions gravitational pull. Eli would take them from church to church on Sundays, and people would feel sorry for these motherless children, Gina said. She was a native of Suffolk, Virginia where she attended East Suffolk David Ruffin Jr. is known for Real Bloodlines (2015), The Making of: Running Out of Time and Without U (2022). Thank you for joining us! Ray lived with his grandfather who introduced Ray to very graphic, violent pornography. Nedra Ruffin's father, David Ruffin, sang lead for the Temptations in the 60s and went solo in the 1970s. In the past years, highly touted music publications such as The Rolling Stone, The Source and Rap Pages have labeled him as "talented and up-and-coming" ButDavid credits his father, along with current soloist, Joe, Usher, Anthony Hamilton and 80s crooners, Alexander ONeal, James D-Train Williams, and the great Marvin Gaye as the major influences on his style of singing. The Temptations invited Ruffin to join them in 1964, replacing a fellow tenor, Eldridge Bryant. He had one of the most recognizable voices in music. [citation needed] In 1989, Edwards was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of The Temptations. Paul is a songwriter and actor, while John was a distinguished NASA engineer. [8] He continued similar stunts for about a month until, according to Edwards, the group decided to lay-off Edwards with the promise of a solo deal from Motown and rehire Ruffin. Legends are never forgotten and David Ruffin IS a musical LEGEND. Otis Lamont Miles died in 1983 from falling off a building in a workplace accident in Detroit. Aretha Franklin and Stevie Wonder sang at the funeral of David Ruffin, a singer from the Temptations. Ruffin Jr. is being held on $50,000 bail. Law enforcement sources tell us officers responded to a home in the San Fernando Valley and found a woman with visible injuries, and Ruffin Jr. was taken into custody. He didnt write those songs, but he owned them. The man was a walking skeleton.. Longtime lead vocalist David Ruffin . David Jr. also revealed that he worked on several Death Row Records albums, helping to create Dr. Dres B*t*hes Aint S*it (Chronic album); Snoop Doggs songs, The Shiznit (Doggystyle album) and Gs Up Hoes Down (Doggystyle Album); Tupacs Ambitionz Az A Ridah (All Eyez On Me album), and he also worked on songs from the 8 Mile and Poetic Justice soundtracks, among others. It's in his blood. He just needed a stage. It aint nothin but another television show, he told them. The son of late Temptations singer, David Ruffin, has been very instrumental in some of the most timeless rap songs from the 90s. A relationship with another Motown star, the Philadelphia native Tammi Terrell, was shadowed by rumors of physical violence, which Ruffins family later denied. We now understand why his dad was so adamant about Jr.s other musical abilities. Eli's parents had moved from Alabama to Mississippi, because of the harsh circumstances of living after the American Civil War. He said the fun part was what you see [onstage].. An autopsy showed that Ruffin, 50, who had a history of drug abuse, died of an overdose of cocaine and morphine. He had been battling meningitis before his death.[16][17]. We hope you have enjoyed this blog celebrating the life and career of Mrs. Ruffin. He had a haunting, soulful voice, and that was an extension of his personality. Ruffin is buried in section three at Woodlawn Cemetery in Detroit. I am not certain of the abuse but I do know that Ruffin's mother died right before he was a year old. Yes, there is a David Ruffin Jr. Sister of Cheryl Ruffin, and Kimberly Ruffin-Jones. Stream ad-free with Amazon Music Unlimited on mobile, desktop, and tablet. His name is David Ruffin Jr. and he is not only a song-writer, but a singer like his Dad as well. We humbly honor the old school soul music era and will keep pushing forward to keep it alive. A year later, Ruffin released an album, My Whole World Ended, that was a modest success. Listen to your favorite songs from David Ruffin Jr.. He had a spot on his liver and the doctor said he needed to retire from the group. Born: 18-Jan-1941 Birthplace: Whynot, MS . His father Eli worked as a truck driver at numerous lumber mills, and his mother Ophelia worked out of their home. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. David has released a EP and a more recent release of MUTHAPHUCKAWERK/RuffinItMusic and an equally explosive single, in which he is featured on with Rap icon Mista Perkins, titled PATRON/wwg.DRJ is also piecing a new LP: BLOODLINE. Crying in tune, thats how I hear Davids voice, Hall said during a recent interview. Leaving home at 13 to pursue the ministry, it was David's select showmanship that caught the eyes of some in the secular music industry. Check it out and tell us what you think on Facebook. 2 on the R&B charts and included the radio singles "(You're My) Aphrodisiac" and "Just Like You". She had abusive relationships with James Brown and David Ruffin James Brown. Subscribe 30K views 8 years ago The son of late Motown legend David Ruffin was arrested early Tuesday morning and booked for felony domestic violence. Check out the songs he helped Snoop Dogg, Tupac and others create, David Ruffin Jr. The singer had four children a son, David, and daughters Cheryl, Nedra, and Kimberly who saw him in a different light. David Ruffin was a singer in the group the Temptations. It's unclear what kind of injuries the woman allegedly suffered. Ruffin wanted to end the session early and leave with his friends, but a producer insisted that he needed to stay. It's unclear what kind of injuries the woman allegedly suffered. In January 1999, it was ruled that Edwards was legally barred from using the band's name, which led Edwards's group to be called The Temptations Review featuring Dennis Edwards. Two of these songs, "Cloud Nine" and "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone", won Grammy Awards. His mother's name was Rose English; she was from Mobile County, Alabama. 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. Half-brother of David Ruffin Jr.. Cousin of Jimmy Ruffin Jr.. Trending. She recalls once climbing into Ruffins Chevrolet Corvette convertible when they were both on tour, and panicking when the car rocketed through traffic. Get TMZ breaking news sent right to your browser. David Sr. would probably be beaming with pride right about now. His last song with them was called \I Could Never Love Another.\ He was fired from the group in 1968 for his unprofessional behavior. Paul Williams was kicked out of The Temptations because he was sick. The performances at the Uptown in the 1960s compelled a young Daryl Hall to finagle his way backstage, where he was befriended by his idols. Williams was engaged to Patti LaBelle. Few of the songs charted and he blamed Motown for not properly promoting his music. Daughter: Mone Girlfriend: Tammi Terell (singer, ex-) The Temptations Risk . Hes a singer whos released several songs throughout the years. David Jr is currently preparing to tour independently with 4942 as well as spearheading The Sons Of Motown project. Snoop Dogg might not be the legendary Snoop that he is today, if it hadnt been for his 1993 classic, Gin and Juice, setting his career on fire. Ruffin was offered a barbecued steak. Her father, Quincy Ruffin, a member of the U.S. Army Special Forces, had long insisted that he had been an orphan. David Jr. can SANG just like his daddy too. Edwards began missing shows and rehearsals, and was replaced in 1984 by Ali-Ollie Woodson. And proof that a mother's job is never done! 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. (L) David Ruffin with son, David Jr.; (R) David Ruffin. Classic indeed! In 1962, a 17-year-old Terrell became involved in an abusive relationship with singer . replacing David Ruffin and sang with the group from 1968 to 1976, 1980 to 1984 and 1987 to 1989. . I work on the investigations team, and narrative-driven projects. Former Kirov Ballet Academy accountant pleads guilty to embezzling $1.5 million, Women's Health: A Year of Triumph Despite Turmoil, Celebrating Data Privacy Week 2023: Understanding ISO 31700 and Privacy By Design, Celebrate National Pi Day with the Best Pies in Houston, Microsofts Cloud Business and AI Opportunities, Investing in a Gold IRA: Our Experience With Augusta Precious Metals, North American stocks rally for fifth straight session, The 2021 US Open at Torrey Pines An Unforgettable Tournament. His career had seemingly bottomed. Of course, his father was the Temptations' lead singer from 1964 to 1968.http://www.tmz.com/2014/11/11/david-ruffin-junior-arrested-domestic-violence-temptations/http://www.wochit.com Yes, there is a David Ruffin Jr. The industry could be indifferent to stars who suffered substance abuse crises. Their grief was compounded by stories that they felt tore his character down, she said. He wasnt interested in trying to get us to sing, she laughed. David Melvin English was born on 12th October 1942, in Montgomery, Alabama, in the US. David proved that he can get down with the best of em, just like his pops. David Ruffin. Never miss any important news. [2][8] Ruffin had tipped Edwards off that he was being drafted as his replacement, which eased Edwards's conscience in replacing him.[2][8]. David Ruffin of the Temptations had a daughter named Nedra Ruffin. 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. Later that year, he was assigned to join The Contours after their lead singer, Billy Gordon, fell ill.[2] In 1967, the Contours were the opening act for several Temptations concerts, and Temptations members Eddie Kendricks and Otis Williams who were considering replacing their own lead singer, David Ruffin (who was a personal friend of Edwards),[7] took notice of Edwards and made his acquaintance. In 1989 Otis Williams was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and David and Eddie begin touring with ex-Temptation Dennis Edwards. Paul Williams and John Williams are brothers. Ruffin was best known for being part of the musical group the Temptations during their \Classic Five\ period. I remember the stepmother being interviewed after the show. Where are the Four Tops buried? They had a son together named Otis Lamont Miles. 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. 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. 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. David was hanging with a bad crew, Hall said. She remembers holiday dinners and birthdays drenched in laughter and filled with food. They have had over 20 members, but only one original member is still alive. Of particular interest was whether someone had robbed Ruffin, who had recently toured with Kendricks and another ex-Temptation, Dennis Edwards; one of Ruffins managers suggested he could have carried as much as $40,000 on him the night he died, but he arrived at the hospital with just $53. [11] After the deaths of Ruffin and Kendricks, Edwards was forced to wrap up the project alone. A Hip-Hop Classic with Dr Dre and Snoop Dogg, and has worked with other stellar artists such as Kurupt, Daz, Nate Dogg, Sisquo & Jazz of DruHill, just to name a few. Ftr: I'm proud of you, them & me tho. [15], Edwards died in a Illinois hospital on February 1, 2018, at the age of 74, two days before his 75th birthday. placement: 'Right Rail Thumbnails', [14] The couple had one daughter, Issa Pointer, who became a member of her mother's vocal group, The Pointer Sisters. His mother died during childbirth, and he was raised by his father, a Baptist minister. Daughter: Cheryl Daughter: Nedra Son: David, Jr. But there was no escaping the racial hatred that coursed through much of the country. Mr. 2023 EHM PRODUCTIONS,INC. He is singing, Cant Get Next To You. The same showmanship that brought David into the R&B industry caught the attention of fans around the world. The Ruffins mother died when David was a baby, and their father, Eli Ruffin, later forced the siblings to become a singing group the Spiritual Trying Four. Dennis Edwards was a singer in the group the Temptations. The son of late Temptations singer, David Ruffin, has been very instrumental in some of the most timeless rap songs from the 90s. After he left The Temptations, he had a successful solo career where he sang songs like My Girl and Walk Away from Love. David Ruffin\s estate is worth $150 thousand. The Temptations should do some music with him and bring that old Motown sound back again. Copyright 2023 News Atlas. Scuba Certification; Private Scuba Lessons; Scuba Refresher for Certified Divers; Try Scuba Diving; Enriched Air Diver (Nitrox) Edwards had a relationship with singer Aretha Franklin, who stated he was the inspiration behind her 1972 soul song "Day Dreaming". After doing a lil research on David Ruffin Jr. weve learned that when he told his dad he wanted to rap instead of sing, his Pops reportedly told him, Well I aint backing you up on a fad. In his later years, he struggled with substance abuse and died in 1991 after an adverse reaction to cocaine and other drugs. Eddie left the Temptations because his friends Paul Williams and Ruffin died of drug overdoses, and his other friend Kendricks has cancer. David and Jimmy Ruffin, though, had their voices. Williams, who grew up in Texas, packed up and moved to Michigan with his mother when he was 10 (his parents separated shortly after Williams was born). The Son of a Legend, David Ruffin Jr, understands the expectations that have been placed upon him, but hopefully once his voice is heard, it might become more pleasantly obvious, that he does his best to continue the RUFFIN Soul! News coverage of his death veered toward the sensational. Here is his mother [David Jr] not sure what race/ethnicity she is.. and not sure why she carries the Ruffin last name if they weren't married.. Click to expand. He was raised by his father (who was a strict Baptist minister) and his new wife who was a teacher. [3] In 1982, Edwards got the chance to sing with Ruffin and Eddie Kendricks as part of the Reunion album and tour. My Girl was the bands first No. He was 50. The original members are all gone now, but the group is still going. David Ruffin Jr. was busted by LAPD shortly after midnight. Among many others, David wrote and sang the chorus for Mtv's & VH1's all time Top 100 Hip-Hop songs, "Gin & Juice", ranked at #8. [citation needed], Edwards toured and recorded with fellow ex-Temptation David Ruffin during the late 1980s as "Ruffin/Kendricks/Edwards, former leads of The Temptations", although nothing was released. Below is David Ruffin Jr.s music video, Cry Cry Cry. The song stayed at #1 for eight weeks, and the rest is history. #beforidie https://t.co/bTLTD5cDrx t.co Genna Sapia Ruffin on Twitter David Ruffin was a singer in the group the Temptations. In many ways, Paul Williams was the Temptations\ unsung hero. Paul Williams is a famous musician who has been sober for 23 years. I believe that we all grow up at some point. It could have been a storybook start to a third act revival. Welcome to David Ruffin Jr.\s Mother: A Life in Pictures! Subsequent releases failed, however, as did duets with his brother Jimmy Ruffin. After a failed attempt at a Motown solo career, Edwards rejoined the Temptations in 1980, when they returned to Motown. It was shortly before 3 a.m. on June 1 when Brown pulled up to the emergency room entrance to the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, and told hospital staff that his passenger, David Ruffin, had overdosed. However, Ruffin, who was attempting to make his way back into the group, crashed the stage during Edwards's lead vocal on "Ain't Too Proud to Beg" to significant applause. Check it out and tell us what you think on Facebook. David Ruffin was born Davis Eli Ruffin on January 18, 1941, in Whynot, Mississippi. Only months after his birth his mother Ophelia Ruffin died, and his father later remarried, to a schoolteacher. But his family and friends felt his achievements were diminished, when he died, by news coverage that all but blamed him for having struggled with addictions. Ruffin, 58, died May 19 at . mode: 'thumbnails-rr1', It is David Ruffin Jr. we can partly thank for that, because he wrote the timeless hook: Rollin down the street, smokin indo, sippin on gin and juice/ Laid back (with my mind on my money and my money on my mind). ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. According to Rose, she was impregnated by him through "non-consensual relations." In 1982, Ruffin participated in a short-lived Temptations reunion; the band quickly lost patience when he missed some of their scheduled concerts. When he was a kid in rural Mississippi, living, for a time, in a house with no running water, he dreamed of being a famous performer. His mother, Ophelia, died when David was 10 months old due to complications of childbirth. The 48-year-old is a singer and stage actor in Los Angeles. The son of late Motown legend David Ruffin was arrested early Tuesday morning and booked for felony domestic violence. Nedra Ruffin's father, David Ruffin, sang lead for the Temptations in the 60s and went solo in the 1970s. People never get tired of Motown because Motown is real music. He might as well have imagined walking to the moon. David proved that he can get down with the best of em, just like his pops. I do believe David Sr. brother is still alive.Jimmy Ruffin. The Ruffins' mother died when David was a baby, and their father, Eli Ruffin, later forced the siblings to become a singing group the Spiritual Trying Four. 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. He died of an overdose of cocaine and morphine. All rights reserved. He eventually reunited with former Temptations colleague Eddie Kendricks (who was now also a solo artist) in 1986, and they began touring and performing with 'Artists Against Apartheid', Live-Aid, and Hall & Oates. Best of 2022 Top 250 Movies Most Popular Movies Top 250 TV Shows Most Popular TV Shows Most Popular Video Games Most Popular Music Videos Most Popular Podcasts. Michael Jackson offered to pay for the funeral of David Ruffin, but did not attend the service. 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. iloveoldschoolmusic.com. [3] In 1961,[4] Edwards recorded a single for the obscure Detroit label, International Soulville Records, "I Didn't Have to (But I Did)" b/w "Johnnie on the Spot". When she was a teenager in the mid-1970s, her father took her on the road with him as he toured in support of a hit single, Walk Away From Love., I was interested in singing. David began singing and touring at a very young age with his father and siblings in a gospel group. Earline Ruffin alleges she was falsely portrayed as a prostitute because David Ruffin's character indicated that he was given to a pimp by his mother to settle a debt. (L) David Ruffin with son, David Jr.; (R) David Ruffin. June 25, 1936 - February 16, 2023 Our beloved mother/matriarch, Mrs. Octavia Anderson Ruffin departed her earthly life on February 16, 2023 at her residence 317 St. James Ave. She lived at her residence for over 60 years. David Ruffin Collapsed at Crack House, blared one headline from the Washington Post; Overdose Called Massive: He Must Have Built Up Strong Tolerance in Past, Doctor Says, read another, from the Philadelphia Daily News. Forward to keep it alive music era david ruffin jr mother will keep pushing forward to it. Both on tour, and his mother died during childbirth, and his other friend Kendricks cancer! Was robbed of a normal childhood and leave with his friends paul Williams is a musical LEGEND traffic... Forced to wrap up the project alone extension of his death. [ ]! Many years right about now ) David Ruffin was a singer in the group recorded the entitled. Early and leave with his friends, but only one original member is still.! 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