Jimmy Ruffin
Jimmy Ruffin was an American soul singer best known for his 1966 hit "What Becomes of the Brokenhearted." Born on May 7, 1939, in Collinsville, Mississippi, he was the older brother of David Ruffin, a lead singer of the Temptations.
Ruffin grew up in a musical family in Mississippi, with his father working in the mines, which later influenced his support for UK miners in the 1980s. He worked on the Ford assembly line in the early 1960s while pursuing music, taking leaves to perform on tours like the Motortown Revue.
Signed to Motown's Miracle label in 1961, Ruffin recorded singles and sessions before being drafted into the Army until 1964. Returning to Motown's Soul label, he passed on joining the Temptations (given to his brother David) and scored his breakthrough with "What Becomes of the Brokenhearted," reaching No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100. Follow-up hits included "I've Passed This Way Before" and "Gonna Give Her All the Love I've Got."
In 1970, he and David released material as the Ruffin Brothers, including a "Stand by Me" remake. A 1980 comeback hit "Hold On (to My Love)," produced by Robin Gibb, topped charts, and he collaborated on "Soul Deep" in 1984 for UK miners' families. In the late 1980s-1990s, he recorded for Motorcity Records, hosted a UK radio show, and advocated against drugs after David's 1991 overdose death.
Ruffin died on November 17, 2014, in Las Vegas at age 78. He appeared in media like the 1998 miniseries The Temptations and had his songs covered by artists including Paul Young and Boy George.
Jimmy Ruffin
A2 You And Me Together (Roach)
A3 Boy From Mississippi (Ruffin)
A4 Family Affair (Stone, Stewart)
A5 Tears Of Joy (Ruffin)
A6 Walk Down The Road Of Life Together Ruffin
B1 What You See Ain't Always What You Get (Sigler, Bailey)
B2 Crying Laughing Loving Lying (Siffre)
B3 Thank You Girl (Ruffin)
B4 Super Brother (Ruffin)
B5 Mother's Love (Ruffin)
Label: Polydor – 2383-240
Format: Vinyl, LP
Country: UK
Released: 1973
Genre: R&B Soul
Style: Seventies Soul
Jimmy Ruffin's self-titled 1973 album was his first post-Motown solo release and was issued exclusively in the UK and Japan on the Polydor label. The album features the singer's signature heartfelt soul style, recorded across sessions in Detroit and Philadelphia.
The album showcased Jimmy Ruffin's smooth, powerful vocal delivery in a sophisticated soul style. A notable track on the album is "Tears of Joy," which Ruffin co-wrote and produced with Jimmy Roach, also contributing guitar work to the recording.
The album also featured the track "Tell Me What You Want," which was a hit single in the UK, reaching #39 on the Pop charts, and #5 in the USA dance chart. The record is considered a lesser-known but stellar work from this era of his career.