David Ruffin was dismissed from the Temptations in 1968 but had taken legal action seeking an immediate release from his Motown contract and a full account of his financial entitlements. Motown had responded with a legal counter-claim. The dispute was settled but Ruffin was required to see out his contract, which he had originally signed as a solo artist. Both parties agreed that he would continue working on those terms.
Despite the ill-feeling that his departure from the Temptations must have caused, Ruffin was given multiple opportunities in 1969 to wipe the slate clean. Two albums and three singles add up to a big investment by the Motown label, but the company had good reason to believe that fans would support Ruffin. The first single “My Whole World Ended (The Moment You Left Me)” was issued in January to test the water and climbed to number nine on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart and number two on the Billboard R&B Singles Chart.
On the basis of that success, the album “My Whole World Ended” was issued in early summer. It too sold well, reaching number thirty-one on the Billboard 200 Albums Chart and number one on the Billboard R&B Albums Chart, vindicating Motown’s decision to retain David Ruffin as a solo artist. A second single, “I’ve Lost Everything I’ve Ever Loved”, followed in June. It entered both charts but at a lower range. The songs on the album were written in the main by Motown songwriters who had not worked closely with the Temptations, including Harvey Fuqua, Johnny Bristol, Hank Cosby, Thomas Kemp, Marv Johnson and Pam Sawyer. Allen Story and Horgay Gordy contributed two songs. Fuqua and Bristol did much of the production work.
Ruffin’s second album release came in November. “Feelin’ Good” contains a couple of non-Motown covers and a few tracks that were recorded for the earlier album but not included in the final selection. Two songs from the album were put out by Motown as a single in November, to help stir up interest in the album. The A-side was “I’m So Glad I Fell For You”, co-written by Art Posey and Glenna Session, backed by “I Pray Everyday You Won’t Regret Loving Me”, co-written by Gladys Knight, her brother Bubba Knight and Johnny Bristol. “I’m So Glad I Fell For You” is a powerful, Gospel-inspired ballad that really suits Ruffin’s raw vocal. The dramatic tone of the song is enhanced by Ruffin’s falsetto sections and the soaring backing vocals. The single charted at number fifty-three on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart and number eighteen on the Billboard R&B Singles Chart. Its success spread to the album, which only made it to number one hundred and forty-eight on the Billboard 200 Albums chart but did much better on the Billboard R&B Albums Chart, reaching number nine.
Despite selling less well than the previous album, the quality of the songs on “Feelin’ Good” seems higher, thanks to the excellent arrangements of David Van DePitte, Paul Riser, Wade Marcus, Hank Cosby and Willie Shorter. The best song on the album is “I Let Love Slip Away”, which was intended for Marvin Gaye. When Ruffin was given the chance to add his vocal track to the already-recorded backing, he certainly rose to the occasion.
After a good first year as a solo artist, had no solo releases in 1970. Instead, he worked on a project with his brother. Jimmy Ruffin and David Ruffin would have found it difficult to work on a joint album while David was still a member of the Temptations. Now that he had left that group, it was easier to organise. The twelve tracks chosen for the joint project are a selection of very varied songs, with only a few having any direct links to Motown. It is possible that the Ruffin Brothers chose some of their favourite songs and then recorded them with a team of four producers (Frank Wilson, Hank Cosby, Al Kent and Bobby Taylor) at the old Golden World Studio that was now Motown’s Studio B.
“I Am My Brother’s Keeper” was released on the Soul label in October 1970. The most interesting track is “Lo and Behold”, which is a cover of a track from James Taylor’s 1970 debut album “Sweet Baby James”. Overall, the chosen songs are well-known and the arrangements and recordings are fine, yet the wide range of sources brings a lack of focus. The album reached number one hundred and seventy-eight on the Billboard 200 Albums Chart and number fifteen on the Billboard R&B Albums Chart.
Two singles were drawn from the album, “Stand By Me” / “Your Love Was Worth Waiting For”, and “When My Love Hand Comes Down”/ “Steppin’ On A Dream”. Both failed to make an impression on the charts.
David Ruffin released two solo singles during 1971. The first, “Each Day Is A Lifetime”, was recorded during October 1970, with Hank Cosby producing. It is a powerful, fully-orchestrated Soul ballad, with an arrangement by David Van DePitte and Hank Cosby. The B-side is a better-balanced recording of “Don’t Stop Loving Me”, produced by Duke Browner with an arrangement from Paul Riser. The song had been co-written by Mickey Stevenson and Ivy Jo Hunter, presumably a few years before, and it suits David Ruffin’s style.
The second single pairs “You Can Come Right Back To Me”, co-written by Clifford Burston and Rose Ella Jones, Smokey Robinson’s sister, with “Dinah”, co-written by Smokey Robinson and Al Cleveland. Side A is a well-structured ballad with an arrangement by David Van DePitte, produced by Smokey Robinson and Terry Johnson. The B-side has an arrangement by Gene Page, with Robinson and Cleveland producing.
Motown Records released only one single by David Ruffin in the first half of 1972. “A Little More Trust” was issued on 8th June, just before the move to Los Angeles was announced to the staff. The song was written and produced by Robert Miller, with arrangements by David Van DePitte. The backing vocals were sung by The Andantes, with members of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra playing in the strings section. Ruffin is on top form, singing with a strong emotional element in his delivery. The Andantes backing vocals are as brilliant as ever, giving the song a deep richness. The track is definitely 10 out 10 in terms of sonic quality. David Ruffin had one of best voices in the R&B music industry at that time. Strangely, the single failed to make an impact, which could be related to the upheavals going on at Motown in the summer of ’72. It is worth a listen.
Despite the difficulties with the Temptations and the contractual disputes in 1968, David Ruffin managed to rebuild his career at Motown. Following the move to Los Angeles, he was to stay with the company for another five years, creating an excellent body of work as a solo artist.
