Certainly one of the greatest Soul singers of all time, David Ruffin was an enigmatic man whose own internal struggles and contradictions led to a tumultuous career, both as the lead vocalist of the Temptations and subsequently as a solo singer.
After his controversial dismissal from The Temptations, Ruffin continued to have a decent career at Motown, scoring a smattering of charters from 1967 through 1976, when he landed his last Motown hit, “Everything’s Coming Up Love.”
After fading again from sight over the next few years, Ruffin left Motown for Warner Brothers in 1980 and recorded two albums with Detroit producer Don Davis, So Soon We Change and Gentleman Ruffin. The former LP landed the top 10 R&B hit “Break My Heart,” but unfortunately the latter album — Ruffin’s last solo platter — stiffed. Lost on that disc was a prototypical emotional David Ruffin ballad, “All I Need,” a classy adult soul number that Ruffin made his own, wringing it with emotion and that familiar gruff baritone.
“All I Need” is our latest SoulTracks Lost Gem. Check it out below and tell us what you think.
By Chris Rizik
