David Ruffin : At His Best

 

David Eli Ruffin

 (born Davis Eli Ruffin;)

 (January 18, 1941 – June 1, 1991) 

was an 

American soul singer

 most famous for

 his work as one

 of the lead singers

 of 

The Temptations

 (1964–1968) 

during the group's 

"Classic Five" 

period as it was

 later known. 

Ruffin was the 

lead voice

 on such 

famous songs as

 "My Girl" 

and

 "Ain't Too Proud to Beg." 

He later scored

 two top 10 singles

 as a solo artist,

 "My Whole World Ended (The Moment You Left Me)" 

and 

"Walk Away from Love."

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

 and again

 in 2023. 

He was inducted into

 the Rock and Roll

 Hall of Fame

 in 1989

 for his work with

 the Temptations.

 Fellow Motown

 recording artist

 Marvin Gaye 

once said 

admiringly of Ruffin that,

 "I heard

 [in his voice] 

a strength my

 own voice lacked.

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