David's impacted in Today's music

[Queenie]

Board <<I thought I share some articles about David impacted in the music>>

David if you are listening you have done marvelous darling shaping new artist concept how to sing songs from the heart.

Article I

"Coming From Where I'm Comin' From" - Anthony Hamilton.
The best new R&B singer of the year, Hamilton recalls a young David Ruffin. Better, he matched those husky tones to songs that go way beyond the usual urban loverman clichés

Article II

People missed the C5 Line up


Most soul sophisticates prefer the classic incarnation of the Temptations, led by the charismatic David Ruffin. After a few spins of "Psychedelic Soul" (Motown Records), a collection of Temptations stuff from the late-'60s, post-Ruffin crew, some rethinking might be in order. Those turbulent times required an angrier, heavier version of this sharp-dressing vocal group, and they delivered the funky goods. Cuts such as "Psychedelic Shack," "Message From a Black Man" and the highly combustible "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone" should be more than enough to fry Frosty's fillings.

[Queenie]

On lighter Note:

Like most kids who didn't grow up in a house, I guess I was perplexed for much of my childhood, trying to find out how some 300-plus pound man (a white man in the 'hood at that) in a red suit — in the absence of a fireplace and a chimney — managed to deliver gifts every year to our fifth-story walk-up. On more that one occasion I asked my mother whether or not he had keys to our apartment and in that classic "shrug-don't ask me no more questions-I don't know" mode that I have now perfected for my own five-year-old daughter, my mother dodged yet another life-altering question from her budding seven-year-old ghetto existentialist. My sense of Christmas and Christmas music forever changed when my mother bought me a copy of The Jackson Five's Christmas Album.
I was perhaps also perplexed by the Christmas music my parents played every Christmas — music I never heard in the department stores where we did Christmas shopping, or played during television commercial breaks and that we for damn sure never sang in grade school. In my young mind the Christmas music my parents listened to didn't venture too far from the down-home, down and out soul music they listened to every other time of the year. Somehow the voices of Otis Redding, Joe Tex and Clarence Carter never seemed to conjure the "White Christmas" dreams I thought I should be having. My sense of Christmas and Christmas music forever changed when my mother bought me a copy of The Jackson Five's Christmas Album. It was 1972, I was seven, and the Jackson Five were the most important people in my life. And true indeed, more than 30 years later, I can't imagine a Christmas without hearing The J5's Christmas Album or the Temptations's Christmas Card, both recently re-issued as The Best of the Jackson Five: The Christmas Collection and The Best of The Temptations: The Christmas Collection (Universal/Motown). Released in October of 1970, The Jackson Five Christmas Album remains not only one of pop music's most exciting Christmas albums, but also one of the greatest performances by the J5 in their developing years. The Jackson Five were at the height of their popularity when The Christmas Album was released, having dropped three albums from late 1969 through 1970 and achieving four number one pop singles in succession ("I Want You," "ABC," "The Love You Save" and "I'll Be There"). The group didn't disappoint either, bringing their pop-inflected proto-funk to Rudolph, Frosty and a host of other melodious icons of holiday cheer. To this day, the Christmas season begins for me the first time I hear Jermaine's plaintive and still-underrated tenor singing "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" — the song that opens The Christmas Album. Though the first part of the song is performed in a fairly traditional mode (the same with Jermaine's reading of "The Christmas Song"), it's the hoot and hollerin' breakdown that begins mid-way through the song that announces that Christmas won't be the same after the Jackson Five get done celebrating it. And make no mistake, this energy had everything to do with the still-evolving soul prodigy who would one day become the biggest pop star on the earth. Throughout The Christmas Album an eleven-year-old Michael Jackson captures all of the bright-eyed joy of Christmas. When he yelps, "Wow! Mommy's kissing Santa Claus" on the album's closing tune, your heart tugs at the fear, bewilderment and naiveté that only a child could express in that situation. It was a fleeting early glimpse into the world of a young man who would always perform in his music the childhood he was never able to have in real life. Michael sounds on the verge of a head explosion as he yelps "Santa Claus is coming to town," turning the always-happy holiday tune into a James Brown-inspired fit of frenzy. And "Up on the House Top," a Motown original, sounds right out of the session that gave the world "ABC." The combination of Michael's earnest vocals and classic J5 funk makes for a joyous and ebullient holiday recording. Unlike the Jackson Five, the Temptations were past their commercial prime when they released Christmas Card in November of 1970. Two years removed from the classic Temptations formation that featured David Ruffin as lead vocalist, the group was still trying to compete in an ever-changing industry in which the stamp of Motown no longer guaranteed hit records. This partially explains why Christmas Card was the group's first holiday album. If Motown wanted to exploit the J5's immense popularity with The Christmas Album, with Christmas Card they wanted to squeeze what they perceived as the last bit of commercial viability out of the Temps. Though the group would have its biggest hit in 1972 with the very capable Dennis Edwards at the helm of "Papa Was a Rolling Stone," the essential core of the group would be gone after Eddie Kendricks's departure in 1972 and the death of Paul Williams in 1973. In this regard, Christmas Card represents one of the last sonic glimpses of that core group. Given that they were the Temptations, the quintet is to be commended for not phoning it in, actually delivering a project that spoke to why the group was so important in the first place. Given ample and inventive arrangements by producers Clay McMurray and Barrett Strong, on tracks like "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" (bottomed by Melvin Franklin, of course) and "Santa Claus is Coming to Town," it's hard to hear these songs without imagining the Temps up on stage showing the world why they were pop music's greatest dancers. But the clear favorite on Christmas Card has always been the Temptations's rendition of "Little Drummer Boy," which suggests that homie was hearing that Motown backbeat when he rolled up in the manger that night. Eddie Kendricks shines throughout particularly on tracks like "White Christmas" and "My Christmas Tree" (unforgivably left off the Best of… collection) The history of the Temptations has been rife with debates over which version of the group was the best, and it's no different in a discussion of Temptation Christmas albums. A decade after the release of Christmas Card, the Temps (minus all of the originals, except Melvin Franklin and Otis Williams) went back in the studio and recorded Give Love at Christmas. Dennis Edwards's always-commanding vocals were on display on tracks like the group's remake of (and tribute to) Donny Hathaway's Christmas standards "This Christmas" and "The Christmas Song." But the highlight of the recording and arguably the best Christmas song ever by the Temps is their six-minute version of "Silent Night," which draws on Edwards's sanctified riffs, Glenn Leonard's lilting falsetto and the oceanic boom that could only be the voice of the late Melvin Franklin. Christmas Card may have been the better album, but the later version of "Silent Night" represents the Temps at their best.

[molly]

Nice articles New! I only wish David had lived to see the impact he had on the music industry! Because it was a Huge one.

[Joda]

:'(Molly I think if David had really known his impact on the industry, he would not have need anything to get him high. He would have been so high on himself none of us could have stood him...

[Joda]

NDF...NICE, thank you!

[Queenie]

I am pretty sure he is laughing and having ball. Today he has people remembering him because he had a soulful voice, those charming moves, and most of all that infectous smile.

David was put on the earth to do what he was suppose to do make all of us hear the words to the songs. When you hear David sings, the fan can articulate his pain or joy and to me that was his greatest gift.

There will never be another David Ruffin and yes no one ever be able to bring sunshine on a cloudy day and when it cold outside I got the month of May.

When you go out side Board remember those words, David is bring you some sunshine.

[Common]

NewDavidFan said:

I am pretty sure he is laughing and having ball. Today he has people remembering him because he had a soulful voice, those charming moves, and most of all that infectous smile.

David was put on the earth to do what he was suppose to do make all of us hear the words to the songs. When you hear David sings, the fan can articulate his pain or joy and to me that was his greatest gift.

There will never be another David Ruffin and yes no one ever be able to bring sunshine on a cloudy day and when it cold outside I got the month of May.

When you go out side Board remember those words, David is bring you some sunshine.

NDF - You sure have a way with words. That was beautiful!

[BeesNVMe]

I agree, New. Whatever song David was singing at the time...he could definitely take you 'there.' Talking bout in the moment...WOW!

[Joda]

Nice NDF! Perfectly said...

[molly]

New! David Ruffin Lived His Dream!!!! That's why I can't get with the "Poor David" crowd. I cannot remember him as a victim! He did exactly what he set out to do,and he did it damn well!!!! He also did exactly what he wanted to do!!!! How many people can truthfully say that?

[Queenie]

Molly you are correct how many people died doing what you enjoy doing not alot of us!!

So guys get glass and lets tip to David and say thank you for the memories...

[der68]

molly said:

New! David Ruffin Lived His Dream!!!! That's why I can't get with the "Poor David" crowd. I cannot remember him as a victim! He did exactly what he set out to do,and he did it damn well!!!! He also did exactly what he wanted to do!!!! How many people can truthfully say that?

That is the truth. David Ruffin's voice is timeless. My Girl is a Classic. David was never a victim, and never wanted to be viewed as one. He did it His way.

[Andy]

Hi Everyone: Molly sent me an email, suggesting I was AWOL, so the time has come for me to throw in my 2 cents about DR's contribution. Maybe I'm wrong, but I don't remember anyone doing a remake of My Girl, and being successful. To me, that says every singer knows DR is untouchable. I've always thought that if the Temptations wore the crown of Motown's Finest, that the crown fit best on top of David's head, no question about it in my mind.

[Queenie]

Good thought Andy.... I don't think anybody can sing My Girl..

[molly]

Andy said:

Hi Everyone: Molly sent me an email, suggesting I was AWOL, so the time has come for me to throw in my 2 cents about DR's contribution. Maybe I'm wrong, but I don't remember anyone doing a remake of My Girl, and being successful. To me, that says every singer knows DR is untouchable. I've always thought that if the Temptations wore the crown of Motown's Finest, that the crown fit best on top of David's head, no question about it in my mind.

Andy this is my first time seeing this post. My Girl is David Rufin's song. Nobody can sing it like Ruffin. Your sentiment is very beautiful. There's no question about that in my mind either.
Andy just wanted to let you know you may run into O in here.