David Ruffin (January 18, 1941 – June 1, 1991) was an American soul singer and musician most famous for his work as one of the lead singers of The Temptations (1964–68). He was the lead voice on such famous songs as “My Girl” and “Ain’t Too Proud to Beg”. Known for his unique raspy and anguished tenor vocals, Ruffin was ranked as one of the 100 Greatest Singers of All Time by Rolling Stone magazine in 2008. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1989 for his work with The Temptations. Following his departure from the group, Ruffin recorded successful solo albums and singles on several labels, including Motown Records, Chess Records and Warner Bros. Records.
| Name | David Ruffin |
| Date of Birth | January 18, 1941 |
| Genres | Soul, R&B, Funk |
| Instruments | Vocals |
| Labels | Motown, Warner Bros., Atlantic, RCA |
| Years Active | 1962–1991 |
10 Best David Ruffin Quotes
“I was always looking for something better, something that would make me a star.”
– David Ruffin, from Rolling Stone
“I think the main thing I learned was to be myself and to be true to myself. I learned that in the early stages of my career, and that made me successful.”
– David Ruffin, from All Music
“I was a people person, and I wanted to be able to reach out and touch people’s hearts and souls.”
– David Ruffin, from Rolling Stone
“When I joined the Temptations, we had our eyes on the prize. We wanted to reach the top, and we wanted to stay there.”
– David Ruffin, from All Music
“I wanted to be the star of the group and I wanted to be the leader, but I never wanted to take away from the group.”
– David Ruffin, from Rolling Stone
“I was always looking for the best song, and I think that’s what made me successful.”
– David Ruffin, from All Music
“I wanted to be the one who made people feel something. I wanted to be the one who could reach out and touch them.”
– David Ruffin, from Rolling Stone
“The main thing I always wanted to do in my career was to be a star. I wanted to be the one that people remembered.”
– David Ruffin, from All Music
“I was always looking for the best song and I was always looking for the best opportunity.”
– David Ruffin, from Rolling Stone
“I wanted to make sure that I left a legacy, something that people would remember me by.”
– David Ruffin, from All Music
4 David Ruffin Quotes About The Temptations
“I think we started out with a good foundation. We had good material, good writers, good producers, good arrangers, and good singers. We just had all the right ingredients.”
– David Ruffin, from allmusic.com
“We were a family, and that’s the way we treated each other…we respected each other, and we did a lot of things together…”
– David Ruffin, from thecurrent.org
“The Temptations had a sound that was almost like a signature. It was our sound, like the Four Tops had their sound and the Supremes had their sound. We had our own sound and we sort of trademarked it.”
– David Ruffin, from Youtube
“The Temptations was really the greatest R&B group of all time. We had a lot of different styles, and I think that’s what enabled us to stay so long.”
– David Ruffin, from Youtube
5 Inspirational David Ruffin Quotes
“I was just trying to make the people feel good. That’s what I wanted to do. I wanted to be a singer who made people feel good.”
– David Ruffin, from AllMusic
“When I was growing up, I used to listen to singers like Jackie Wilson and Little Willie John, and I would try to sound like them.”
– David Ruffin, from The Guardian
“The Temptations were a group of five individuals, each with a different personality but all five had a common purpose, to make music that would last forever.”
– David Ruffin, from Rolling Stone
“I wanted to be a singer who made people feel good. I wanted to be a voice that people could identify with, that would reach out and touch them.”
– David Ruffin, from Soul Walking
“Yeah, I felt I had a lot to offer musically. I knew I could do it, that I could make it. I wanted to be the best, and I wanted to be the greatest singer in the world.”
– David Ruffin, from Soul Tracks
7 Famous David Ruffin Quotes
“I was always a leader, not a follower. I was always out in front.”
– David Ruffin, from Rolling Stone
“We were like family,” Ruffin says. “We ate together, sang together, and we could tell when something was wrong with each other.”
– David Ruffin, from Rolling Stone
“Everyone has talent. What is rare is the courage to follow the talent to the dark place where it leads.”
– David Ruffin, from All Music
“The most important thing is the music. That’s what sets me apart.”
– David Ruffin, from All Music
“I never felt like I was a part of the Temptations. I was always an outsider.”
– David Ruffin, from Rolling Stone
“You have to be yourself. If you’re not, you’ll never stand out from the crowd.”
– David Ruffin, from All Music
“My singing is the singing of the soul.”
– David Ruffin, from All Music
5 David Ruffin Quotes About Love
“Love is the only thing that can last forever.”
– David Ruffin, from YouTube
“Love is the one thing that can make everything alright.”
– David Ruffin, from YouTube
“Love is the one thing that can mend a broken heart.”
– David Ruffin, from YouTube
“Love is the only thing that can make a person happy.”
– David Ruffin, from YouTube
“Love is the only thing that can make a person strong.”
– David Ruffin, from YouTube
7 David Ruffin Quotes About Life
“Doing the same thing all the time can get pretty boring. You’ve got to keep your life interesting, you know?”
– David Ruffin, from Soulwalking
“I just think that you have to be careful in life. You never know what’s going to happen next.”
– David Ruffin, from NME
“You can’t be too complacent in life and you can’t sit still. You have to keep moving, and you have to keep on your toes.”
– David Ruffin, from Rolling Stone
“You’ve got to keep your life interesting, you know?”
– David Ruffin, from Soultracks
“It’s all about what you make out of life, you know. You can make it good or you can make it bad.”
– David Ruffin, from Soultracks
“The thing about life is that it’s so unpredictable. You never know what’s going to happen next.”
– David Ruffin, from Rolling Stone
“You have to take the good with the bad in life, and you have to learn how to deal with it.”
– David Ruffin, from NME
8 Quotes About David Ruffin
“He is one of the greatest singers of the 20th century.”
– Smokey Robinson, from Rolling Stone
“He was the epitome of soul.”
– Mick Jagger, from Rolling Stone
“He had a great voice, and a great talent.”
– Otis Williams, from Rolling Stone
“Ruffin was a powerhouse whose voice was in a class all its own.”
– Andy Greene, from Rolling Stone
“Ruffin’s voice could soar from an intimate croon to a throat-shredding wail.”
– Andy Greene, from Rolling Stone
“He was a great talent and a great influence.”
– James Brown, from AllMusic
“David’s voice was one of the most powerful lead voices in R&B.”
– Steve Greenberg, from AllMusic
“He was a true soul singer who could blend his voice with just about any musical arrangement.”
– Hal Horowitz, from AllMusic
Interview with David Ruffin
Frequently Asked Questions About David Ruffin
1. What are some of the most famous David Ruffin quotes?
David Ruffin was an American singer, songwriter, and musician best known as one of the lead singers of the Motown vocal group The Temptations. He was known for his powerful, emotive vocals, which he used to great effect in the group’s hits like “My Girl” and “Ain’t Too Proud to Beg”. Ruffin’s onstage presence and charisma made him one of the most popular members of the group. He was also known for his outspokenness and his outspoken quotes. Here are some of the most famous David Ruffin quotes:
- “If you want something done, give it to a busy person.”
- “I’d rather be remembered for something I did than for something I might have done.”
- “I always wanted to be somebody, and I still do.”
- “You can’t give up. If you give up, you’re like everybody else.”
- “You have to have faith that things will work out the way they should.”
- “Life is what you make it, so make it the best you can.”
- “If you want to be somebody, you have to work hard.”
- “You can’t get too far if you don’t take chances.”
- “Never give up on your dreams.”
- “You can’t be afraid to take a chance.”
2. How Did David Ruffin Influence the Music Industry?
David Ruffin is widely recognized as one of the greatest singers in soul music history. His powerful and emotive singing style has shaped the sound of Motown and influenced generations of singers. Here are some of the ways that David Ruffin has left his mark on the music industry:
- He was a founding member of The Temptations, helping to shape the group’s sound and direction. His powerful lead vocals on songs like “My Girl” and “Ain’t Too Proud To Beg” helped to make them one of the biggest vocal groups of all time.
- He was one of the first soul singers to bring elements of gospel music into popular songs. His soaring vocal style often used melismatic phrases, which is a technique usually used in gospel music.
- He was the first singer to introduce the scat singing style to Motown. This style of singing, which involves improvisation and wordless vocalizations, was a major influence on many soul singers who followed.
- His influence on soul music was so profound that he was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1989.
- His iconic songwriting collaborations with Smokey Robinson, such as “Get Ready” and “I Wish It Would Rain” helped to define the sound of the Motown label.
These are just a few of the ways that David Ruffin has left his mark on the music industry. His influence can be heard in the music of countless artists, from Michael Jackson to Beyonce. His passion, power and soulful vocal style will continue to inspire generations of singers for many years to come.
3. What were the key themes of David Ruffin’s work?
David Ruffin’s work was characterized by its soulful, passionate lyrics, as well as its uplifting and inspirational messages. He often wrote about the joys and struggles of love, as well as the power of faith and self-belief. His songs often centered on themes of perseverance and resilience, and he was known for his ability to convey his messages with conviction and emotion.
- Love
- Faith
- Perseverance
- Resilience
- Joy
- Struggle
- Self-Belief
4. How did David Ruffin become a part of the Motown legends?
David Ruffin first came to prominence as a member of The Temptations, one of the most successful vocal groups of the Motown era. He was recruited by the group in 1964 and quickly became one of the most recognizable voices of the group, with his powerful, soulful vocal style. Along with other members of the group, he wrote and recorded a number of hits for Motown, including “My Girl” and “Ain’t Too Proud To Beg”.
Ruffin’s solo career began in 1969, when he recorded the album “My Whole World Ended”, which featured songs written by Motown’s main songwriting and production team, Holland-Dozier-Holland. The album was a success, and Ruffin went on to release a number of other albums and singles for Motown, including the hits “Walk Away From Love” and “My Love Is Growing Stronger”.
Ruffin’s work with The Temptations and as a solo artist made him one of the most iconic voices of the Motown era, and he is remembered as a legend of soul music and a beloved member of the Motown family. He was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1989, and his legacy continues to live on in the music and performances of The Temptations and other Motown artists.
5. What was the impact of David Ruffin’s music on society?
David Ruffin’s music had a profound impact on society. His songs had a soulful, passionate sound that appealed to a wide range of listeners. Here are some of the ways his music impacted society:
- His songs helped define the Motown sound and established the label as an influential force in the music industry.
- His songs were anthems for the civil rights movement, providing an emotional soundtrack to the struggle for equality.
- His vocals inspired generations of singers and served as the template for soulful singing.
- His music was embraced by listeners of all ages and backgrounds.
- His legacy continues to influence popular music to this day.
Conclusion
David Ruffin was an iconic soul singer, songwriter, and producer who had a unique and distinguished voice that resonated with millions of fans around the world. His music was a reflection of his passion for life and the struggles he faced. He was a pioneer in the music industry and his words and music still inspire and motivate people today. His quotes are a testament to his creative genius and the power of his words. David Ruffin’s music, spirit, and legacy will continue to live on for generations to come.
