Jimmy Ruffin

The older brother of the Temptations’ lead singer David Ruffin, Jimmy enjoyed several huge hits himself in the mid-’60s for Berry Gordy’s Soul label. Ruffin first signed with another Motown subsidiary, the short-lived Miracle, in 1961, but it was his convincing vocal on “What Becomes of the Brokenhearted” that made him a star in 1966. He encored with “I’ve Passed This Way Before” and “Gonna Give Her All the Love I’ve Got.” In 1970 he briefly teamed with David (by then a solo artist) as the Ruffin Brothers and cut a duet remake of Ben E. King’s “Stand by Me.” He staged an impressive comeback in 1980 on RSO Records with a major pop hit, “Hold on to My Love,” produced by Robin Gibb of the Bee Gees. A stint living in England during the 1980s resulted in collaborations with Heaven 17 and Paul Weller, the latter for a benefit cover single of “Soul Deep.” ~ Bill Dahl