The Detroit resident attended Mumford High School in Detroit, and her career included modeling. When we think of David Ruffin, we think of The Temps and soul R&B, which is why we were pretty surprised that his son was so instrumental in the rap culture,helping to create someclassicthatll probably be around formany generations to come, (R) Late Temptations singer, David Ruffin ; (L) his son, David Ruffin Jr. He just needed a stage. In 1962, a 17-year-old Terrell became involved in an abusive relationship with singer . When asked of the Trials and Tribulations of the music industry he simply states, "I'm a focused and determined artist. They are buried in Woodlawn Cemetery in Detroit, Michigan. Paul is a songwriter and actor, while John was a distinguished NASA engineer. The son of late Temptations singer, David Ruffin, has been very instrumental in some of the most timeless rap songs from the 90s. We hope you have enjoyed this blog celebrating the life and career of Mrs. Ruffin. His mother, Ophelia, died when David was 10 months old due to complications of childbirth. His voice proved to be powerful, as he went on to sing lead on Temptations hits that brought joy and happiness in the turbulent times of the 1960s. He wanted to get back to what life was really all about, his niece said. Ruffin, 50, died early. They could team up with Smokey Robinson again and write some good old fashion love songs like they use to do. We now understand why his dad was so adamant about Jr.s other musical abilities. When David was about 13 or 14, Gina said, he used to always play a game Lets pretend Im on The Ed Sullivan Show! and stand on a piece of wood, singing, and tell the other kids to clap for him.. Tensions arose when David asked for billing before the group, a practice common among vocal groups of the time. Eddie left the Temptations because his friends Paul Williams and Ruffin died of drug overdoses, and his other friend Kendricks has cancer. The man was a walking skeleton.. [2] In 1961 he organized his own soul/jazz group, Dennis Edwards and the Fireballs. Yep Jimmy Ruffin is still alive, although he is a very reclusive and private person. Who replaced David Ruffin in the Temptations? He has also performed with and opened for the legendary singing group, The Dramatics and opened for Shanice Wilson at L.A.'s own, Conga Room in late Oct of 2011. He and Eddie Kendricks were their original lead singers, but when of the Motown group broke worldwide and became soul heroes with My Girl in 1964, it was David Ruffin\s voice that rang out. Check out the songs he helped Snoop Dogg, Tupac and others create, David Ruffin Jr. window._taboola = window._taboola || []; There were hints that Ruffins future would be tumultuous. These times also proved to be turbulent for the group, however. Welcome to David Ruffin Jr.\s Mother: A Life in Pictures! He is buried in Detroit\'s Woodlawn Cemetery. In his later years, he struggled with substance abuse and died in 1991 after an adverse reaction to cocaine and other drugs. His dramatic hand gestures and slipping out of chorus to fall to his knees wasn't all this tall, slender man wearing black-framed glasses could do. Among many others, David wrote and sang the chorus for Mtv's & VH1's all time Top 100 Hip-Hop songs, "Gin & Juice", ranked at #8. THIS IS TO ALL OF YOU THAT EITHER THOUGHT OF MY FATHER YESTERDAY OR ONE OF HIS FAMILY MEMBERS ON HIS DEATHAVERSARY: The Day after my "22 years later" . Law enforcement sources tell us officers responded to a home in the San Fernando Valley and found a woman with visible injuries, and Ruffin Jr. was taken into custody. It is David Ruffin Jr. we can partly thank for that, because he wrote the timeless hook: Rollin down the street, smokin indo, sippin on gin and juice/ Laid back (with my mind on my money and my money on my mind). David Ruffin Jr. : A few SONS of the Worlds Most Entertaining singers of all times have come together for a Tribute to their Fathers. He taught me how to drive, took me to get my license, and taught us how to ride horses, Cheryl Ruffin-Robinson said. [3] During this time, Edwards was engaged to Yvonne "Frankie" Gearing, the lead singer of Quiet Elegance, who toured with The Temptations as their backing group. Half-brother of David Ruffin Jr.. Cousin of Jimmy Ruffin Jr.. Ruffin the voice of Motown classics like My Girl died at age 50 in 1991. It was shortly before 3 a.m. on June 1 when Brown pulled up to the emergency room entrance to the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, and told hospital staff that his passenger, David Ruffin, had overdosed. That person\s name is Otis Williams, and he is also a record producer and actor. When the world lost David Ruffin, it lost a life too short-lived, a heavenly voice, and a whimsical, charismatic man. His mother died during childbirth, and he was raised by his father, a Baptist minister. June 25, 1936 - February 16, 2023 Our beloved mother/matriarch, Mrs. Octavia Anderson Ruffin departed her earthly life on February 16, 2023 at her residence 317 St. James Ave. She lived at her residence for over 60 years. The Uptown Theater, on North Broad Street, was a prominent point on the circuit, an iconic part of Philadelphias Black community, and a venue where musicians could sometimes look out at an audience and see Black and white concertgoers enjoying music together. Everything in the world was changing, and I think David was in this position where people were just having him sing the same kinds of things, instead of trying to figure out who David was, said Paul Barker, the Motown Museums director of development and community activation. David Ruffin was a singer in the group the Temptations. His mother's name was Rose English; she was from Mobile County, Alabama. \No longer can we afford to be silent or have that drug dealer on the street corner\ . They were enabling him.. Eli's parents had moved from Alabama to Mississippi, because of the harsh circumstances of living after the American Civil War. David Ruffin. His last song with them was called \I Could Never Love Another.\ He was fired from the group in 1968 for his unprofessional behavior. Let me know when youre ready to sing! . In 1964 he joined The Temptations, who had yet to chart a hit, at Motown Records. When she was a teenager in the mid-1970s, her father took her on the road with him as he toured in support of a hit single, Walk Away From Love., I was interested in singing. Sometimes he was a fun-loving wild child in search of thrills; other times, he could turn self-destructive. He had been battling meningitis before his death.[16][17]. David Ruffin was an American soul singer and musician who had a net worth of $150 thousand at the time of his death. Only months after his birth his mother Ophelia Ruffin died, and his father later remarried, to a schoolteacher.David began singing and touring at a very young age with his father and siblings in a gospel group. Paul Williams and John Williams are brothers. But there was no escaping the racial hatred that coursed through much of the country. It wasnt called a disease. Eddie Kendricks and Paul Williams quit The Temptations. David Ruffin of the Temptations had a daughter named Nedra Ruffin. I've blessed me with the gift of words & song, and no matter how frustrating the business of music is, was, and will be, I'm a singer. [citation needed] Edwards was portrayed by Charles Ley in the 1998 biographical television mini-series The Temptations, though he was not heavily focused upon, as the mini-series gave more attention to the Ruffin/Kendricks-era Temptations lineup. [9] Edwards was also inducted into Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame with The Temptations in 2013. His name is David Ruffin Jr. and he is not only a song-writer, but a singer like his Dad as well. Few glimpsed such vulnerability in Detroit, where Ruffin tried to make it as a solo artist in the early 1960s. Motown re-launched Edwards's solo career, in 1984 with the hit single "Don't Look Any Further", a duet with Siedah Garrett. Much of the ensuing news coverage treated the details of Ruffins death salaciously. People never get tired of Motown because Motown is real music. She starts to sing the same words that he did slowly, carefully, like someone unfolding an old letter that might crumble. As the bands popularity grew, they toured relentlessly with other Motown artists along the Chitlin Circuit, a network of clubs and theaters on the East Coast, the Midwest, and the South that were welcoming to Black performers. His name is David Ruffin Jr. and he is not only a song-writer, but a singer like his Dad as well. Below is David Ruffin Jr.s music video, Cry Cry Cry. The Son of a Legend, David Ruffin Jr, understands the expectations that have been placed upon him, but hopefully once his voice is heard, it might become more pleasantly obvious, that he does his best to continue the RUFFIN Soul! His name is David Ruffin Jr. and he is not only a song-writer, but a singer like his Dad as well. David Parker Ray was born in Belen, New Mexico and died in Hobbs, New Mexico. Snoop Dogg might not be the legendary Snoop that he is today, if it hadnt been for his 1993 classic, Gin and Juice, setting his career on fire. Eli would take them from church to church on Sundays, and people would feel sorry for these motherless children, Gina said. Ruffin, 58, died May 19 at Beaumont Hospital, Royal Oak as a result of complications from COVID-19. Cheryl Ruffin-Robinson said her family has long believed that there was foul play involved in her fathers death, and many questions they have about his final hours are still unanswered. Her father, Quincy Ruffin, a member of the U.S. Army Special Forces, had long insisted that he had been an orphan. Otis Williams is the last surviving member of the Temptations\ classic lineup. Here is his mother [David Jr] not sure what race/ethnicity she is.. and not sure why she carries the Ruffin last name if they weren't married.. Click to expand. During the 1990s, Edwards began touring under the name "Dennis Edwards & the Temptations", prompting a legal battle between himself and Otis Williams. Copyright 2023 News Atlas. Subscribe to our newsletter. His family believes his legacy was distorted by media attention on his struggles with addiction. Law enforcement sources tell us officers responded to a home in the San Fernando Valley . Scuba Certification; Private Scuba Lessons; Scuba Refresher for Certified Divers; Try Scuba Diving; Enriched Air Diver (Nitrox) target_type: 'mix' The Temptations invited Ruffin to join them in 1964, replacing a fellow tenor, Eldridge Bryant. He wasnt interested in trying to get us to sing, she laughed. After a failed attempt at a Motown solo career, Edwards rejoined the Temptations in 1980, when they returned to Motown. The 48-year-old is a singer and stage actor in Los Angeles. At age 13, he left home. Marvin Gaye / #MarvinGayeLou Rawls / #LouRawls andDavid Ruffin / #DavidRuffin (Lead singer of the #Temptations). David Jr is currently preparing to tour independently with 4942 as well as spearheading The Sons Of Motown project. Listen to your favorite songs from David Ruffin Jr.. [2], Later in 1967, Edwards quit the Contours and was placed back on retainer. Motown Records founder Berry Gordy Jr. had begun assembling an impossibly deep roster of performers and songwriters Smokey Robinson, Diana Ross and the Supremes, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, the Jackson Five who would change popular music forever. David didn't have hits with either label, but they were good showcases for his vocal ability and talent. In 1989 Otis Williams was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and David and Eddie begin touring with ex-Temptation Dennis Edwards. Download our mobile app now. The Ruffins mother died when David was a baby, and their father, Eli Ruffin, later forced the siblings to become a singing group the Spiritual Trying Four. Daughter: Cheryl Daughter: Nedra Son: David, Jr. The Temptations should do some music with him and bring that old Motown sound back again. [citation needed] The Temptations Review group was inducted into the Rhythm and Blues Music Hall of Fame on October 4, 2015 in Detroit, Michigan, when Edwards was also given the Living Legend Award. Crying in tune, thats how I hear Davids voice, Hall said during a recent interview. However, Ruffin, who was attempting to make his way back into the group, crashed the stage during Edwards's lead vocal on "Ain't Too Proud to Beg" to significant applause. Among many others, David wrote and sang the chorus for Mtv's & VH1's all time Top 100 Hip-Hop songs, "Gin & Juice", ranked at #8. [2] He attempted to get a release from his contract, as HollandDozierHolland had promised to sign him to their new Invictus Records, but was drafted in late June 1968 to join the Temptations, who had just fired Ruffin from the act. Ruffin was best known for being part of the musical group the Temptations during their \Classic Five\ period. Ruffin Jr. is being held on $50,000 bail. Dennis Edwards was a singer in the group the Temptations. 1 in 1965, and has since been played 498 million times on the streaming service Spotify and a string of other instantly recognizable classics: Aint Too Proud to Beg, I Wish It Would Rain, (I Know) Im Losing You.. After the New Year's Eve performance, (when the Tempts and David ate at Melvin's house) David told a story of how his mother gave him up to a pimp as Payment for a debt. Quincy tried to distance himself from the familys roots in rural Whynot, Miss. [citation needed] In 1989, Edwards was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of The Temptations. This blog is dedicated to celebrating the life and career of one of the most iconic figures in Motown history, David Ruffin Jr.\s mother, Mrs. Ruffin. Otis Lamont Miles died in 1983 from falling off a building in a workplace accident in Detroit. I believe that we all grow up at some point. David Ruffin Jr. is known for Real Bloodlines (2015), The Making of: Running Out of Time and Without U (2022). In 1982, Ruffin participated in a short-lived Temptations reunion; the band quickly lost patience when he missed some of their scheduled concerts. He might as well have imagined walking to the moon. [A]ll I needed was the right song for his voice, and I felt like I would have a smash hit record, Robinson once told NPR. That's what the family was suing Otis for when the movie was released. Leaving home at 13 to pursue the ministry, it was David's select showmanship that caught the eyes of some in the secular music industry. Submit a correction or make a comment about this profile, Submit a correction or make a comment about this profile. Ruffin is buried in section three at Woodlawn Cemetery in Detroit. Get TMZ breaking news sent right to your browser. He could still sing raspy songs of regret better than anyone listen to his howls on 1973s I Miss You (Part 1) but peers like Marvin Gaye were tackling weightier topics, like the Vietnam War, poverty, and social unrest. iloveoldschoolmusic.com. [3] The 1998 Street Gold DVD Original Leads of the Temptations documents this historic period. If you have heard of the Temptations from Motown, you probably know David Ruffin. For three decades, Ruffins friends and family have mulled the what-ifs that haunt anyone who has lost someone they love to drug addiction, which has only recently come to be treated as a health epidemic, instead of a crime. The performances at the Uptown in the 1960s compelled a young Daryl Hall to finagle his way backstage, where he was befriended by his idols. The same showmanship that brought David into the R&B industry caught the attention of fans around the world. When we think of David Ruffin, we think of The Temps and soul R&B, which is why we were pretty surprised that . David Ruffin was a singer in the Motown group The Temptations. They ended up at a property on 52nd Street near Columbia Avenue in West Philadelphia, where Ruffin split 10 vials of crack cocaine with another man, William Nowell, according to reports at that time. Six-foot-two and lamppost skinny, his face framed by thick, dark eyeglasses, Ruffins vocal cords powered the Temptations most popular song, My Girl it went to No. But DRJ is leaving his own trail of History! Stream ad-free with Amazon Music Unlimited on mobile, desktop, and tablet. David, she shouted, slow down, for heavens sake!, I aint going to kill you, girl, he responded. The 48-year-old is a singer and stage actor in Los Angeles. [citation needed]. the Temptations most popular song, My Girl, a Motown artist who sang What Becomes of the Brokenhearted., California residents do not sell my data request. "Mr. Eli would take them from church to church on Sundays, and people would feel sorry for these motherless children," Gina said. [11] After the deaths of Ruffin and Kendricks, Edwards was forced to wrap up the project alone. His friend Donald Brown drove him to the hospital, but he was already dead when they got there. Family (2) Trivia (5) Cousin of Jimmy Ruffin Jr.. Half-sister of Cheryl Ruffin, Nedra Ruffin, and Kimberly Ruffin-Jones. Let me know when youre ready to sing! . Through her photos and stories, we have been able to provide a glimpse into her life, her work, and what she meant to those who knew her. The Ruffins\ mother died when David was a baby, and their father, Eli Ruffin, later forced the siblings to become a singing group the Spiritual Trying Four. This . Ruffin was excited for new performance opportunities that were opening to him and sliding deeper into addictions gravitational pull. Ruffin ventured inside, and somehow got his hands on a microphone. On October 5, 1971, he officially left The Temptations. David Ruffin Jr. is known for Real Bloodlines (2015), The Making of: Running Out of Time and Without U (2022). David Parker Ray was born on November 6, 1939 and died on May 28, 2002. [citation needed], Edwards toured and recorded with fellow ex-Temptation David Ruffin during the late 1980s as "Ruffin/Kendricks/Edwards, former leads of The Temptations", although nothing was released. David proved that he can get down with the best of em, just like his pops. After he left The Temptations, he had a successful solo career where he sang songs like My Girl and Walk Away from Love. David Ruffin\s estate is worth $150 thousand. In the mid-1980s, he attempted a solo career, scoring a hit in 1984 with "Don't Look Any Further" (featuring Siedah Garrett). David and Jimmy Ruffin, though, had their voices. He has been nominated for three Academy Awards, winning one for his original song \We\ve Only Just Begun\ from the film The Carpenters (1970). The song stayed at #1 for eight weeks, and the rest is history. There werent many paths to wealth and stardom for Black people in Southern states that were still trapped, in the 1940s and 1950s, under the oppressive weight of Jim Crow laws and segregation. Dennis Edwards Jr. . . Williams continued to be a vital part of the group, however, penning many of their hits and serving as their choreographer. Below is David Ruffin Jr.s music video, Cry Cry Cry. In another sad music industry story, singer, songwriter and producer David Ruffin Jr. has been arrested in California for felony domestic abuse charges. The Four Tops are a famous Motown group from the 1960s. But he one day admitted that he had a sister, Rita Mae, and two famous brothers: David, the Temptation, and Jimmy Ruffin, a Motown artist who sang What Becomes of the Brokenhearted.. Later that year, he was assigned to join The Contours after their lead singer, Billy Gordon, fell ill.[2] In 1967, the Contours were the opening act for several Temptations concerts, and Temptations members Eddie Kendricks and Otis Williams who were considering replacing their own lead singer, David Ruffin (who was a personal friend of Edwards),[7] took notice of Edwards and made his acquaintance. By his mid-20s, Ruffin was the most electric member of the Temptations, and a regular presence in North Philadelphias Uptown Theater, where 2,000 or so fans often squeezed into the theaters Art Deco contours to hear the bands lush harmonies, their arms and legs a blur of matching suits and flawless choreography. David Parker Ray was robbed of a normal childhood. I work on the investigations team, and narrative-driven projects. He passed away tragically from a drug overdose in 1991 when Nedra was 27. Their grief was compounded by stories that they felt tore his character down, she said. (L) David Ruffin with son, David Jr.; (R) David Ruffin. From a seat in the audience, he began to serenade her. mode: 'thumbnails-rr1', I am not certain of the abuse but I do know that Ruffin's mother died right before he was a year old. The Four Tops are a famous Motown group from the 1960s. And proof that a mother's job is never done! He sounds quite a bit like his father to me. David began singing and touring at a very young age with his father and siblings in a gospel group. Ruffin was offered a barbecued steak. When we think of David Ruffin, we think of The Temps and soul R&B, which is why we were pretty surprised that his son was so instrumental in the rap culture,helping to create someclassicthatll probably be around formany generations to come, (R) Late Temptations singer, David Ruffin ; (L) his son, David Ruffin Jr. The two men argued, and disappeared from view. container: 'taboola-right-rail-thumbnails', The singer was pronounced dead an hour later. Best of 2022 Top 250 Movies Most Popular Movies Top 250 TV Shows Most Popular TV Shows Most Popular Video Games Most Popular Music Videos Most Popular Podcasts. Millions tuned in to CBS on Sunday nights to watch Ed Sullivan, and the band was rattled before they performed for his audience except for Ruffin, who didnt break a sweat. She had abusive relationships with James Brown and David Ruffin James Brown. Until his death, Edwards was the lead singer of The Temptations Review, a Temptations splinter group. He's written and sang the chorus for Mtv's & VH1's all time Top 100 Hip-Hop songs, "Gin & Juice", ranked at #8. Ruffin Jr. is being held on $50,000 bail. People figured you can stop a bad habit, but they dont understand addiction, said the soul singer Candi Staton, a longtime friend of Ruffins. He left the group in 1977 to pursue a solo career, but rejoined them later. Other famous people who sent flowers to the funeral were Rod Stewart, Daryl Hall and John Oates, Diana Ross, the Spinners, and Martha Reeves and the Vandellas. He had a haunting, soulful voice, and that was an extension of his personality. Williams, who grew up in Texas, packed up and moved to Michigan with his mother when he was 10 (his parents separated shortly after Williams was born). Thousands attended his funeral in Detroit, a send-off that said more about Ruffin, and what his music meant to people, than any of the headlines about his death. David Ruffin was a singer in the group The Temptations from 1964 to 1968. Michael Jackson offered to pay for the funeral of David Ruffin, but did not attend the service. Candi Staton saw in Ruffin a lust for life that could take different forms. In 1965, when Gina was 8 years old, she met her uncle David for the first time. [10] When problems arose between Woodson and the Temptations in 1987, Edwards was brought back once again. [3] In 1961,[4] Edwards recorded a single for the obscure Detroit label, International Soulville Records, "I Didn't Have to (But I Did)" b/w "Johnnie on the Spot". With his own Band" backing him locally, nationally, and potentially internationally, David is well prepared to further elevate the Ruffin name in the entertainment world. She recalls once climbing into Ruffins Chevrolet Corvette convertible when they were both on tour, and panicking when the car rocketed through traffic. When he was a kid in rural Mississippi, living, for a time, in a house with no running water, he dreamed of being a famous performer. David Ruffin Jr. was busted by LAPD shortly after midnight. News coverage of his death veered toward the sensational. The Edwards family moved to Detroit, Michigan when Edwards was about ten years old, and Edwards would continue to sing in the church pastored by his father, eventually becoming choir director. [5] In 1966, Edwards auditioned for Detroit's Motown Records, where he was signed but placed on retainer. When Ray saw his biological father, he was physically abused. He died of an overdose of cocaine and morphine. He eventually reunited with former Temptations colleague Eddie Kendricks (who was now also a solo artist) in 1986, and they began touring and performing with 'Artists Against Apartheid', Live-Aid, and Hall & Oates. Snoop Dogg might not be the legendary Snoop that he is today, if it hadnt been for his 1993 classic, Gin and Juice, setting his career on fire. It's in his blood. But then Hall and Oates invited Ruffin and Eddie Kendricks to perform a medley of Temptations classics when the Philadelphia duo played a benefit concert in May 1985 at the Apollo Theater in Harlem, N.Y. They were my gods, man, Hall said. The son of late Motown legend David Ruffin was arrested early Tuesday morning and booked for felony domestic violence. Oh, I knocked him out cold, Ruffin said, shaking his hand. and found a woman with visible. Check out a little bit of Davids vocal. Hes a singer whos released several songs throughout the years. David Sr. would probably be beaming with pride right about now. _taboola.push({ 2 on the R&B charts and included the radio singles "(You're My) Aphrodisiac" and "Just Like You". David Ruffin Jr. was busted by LAPD. Eli would take them from church to church on Sundays, and people would feel sorry for these motherless children, Gina said. Murrell remembers watching Ruffin sometimes disappear into properties to buy drugs. His tenure with the Temptations ended abruptly, in 1968, when the group fired him for skipping one of their concerts; Ruffin had opted instead to watch one of Dean Martins daughters sing at the Latin Casino, in Cherry Hill. mode: 'thumbnails-rr1', [2], As a teenager, Edwards joined a gospel vocal group called The Mighty Clouds of Joy, and studied music at the Detroit Conservatory of Music. I felt like I was watching myself from above. David Ruffin was a singer in the Motown group The Temptations. The industry could be indifferent to stars who suffered substance abuse crises. As the son of the late singer David Ruffin, the legendary former lead singer of the Temptations, there will always be comparisons to his father. David's voice will continue to bridge the generation gap just as it crossed the color lines in the sixties and seventies. She was a native of Suffolk, Virginia where she attended East Suffolk David Jr. also revealed that he worked on several Death Row Records albums, helping to create Dr. Dres B*t*hes Aint S*it (Chronic album); Snoop Doggs songs, The Shiznit (Doggystyle album) and Gs Up Hoes Down (Doggystyle Album); Tupacs Ambitionz Az A Ridah (All Eyez On Me album), and he also worked on songs from the 8 Mile and Poetic Justice soundtracks, among others. The son of late Temptations singer, David Ruffin, has been very instrumental in some of the most timeless rap songs from the 90's. His name is David Ruffin Jr. and he is not only a song-writer, but a singer like his Dad as well. Movie was released lines in the group in 1977 to pursue a solo artist in the group in for., Royal Oak as a member of the # Temptations ) media attention on his struggles with addiction have... You have enjoyed this blog celebrating the life and career of Mrs. Ruffin he struggled with abuse! 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', the singer was pronounced dead an hour later an adverse reaction cocaine... He had been an orphan turbulent for the funeral of David Ruffin Jr.s music video, Cry Cry Mobile desktop... An extension of his death. [ 16 ] [ 17 ] their hits and serving their. `` I 'm a focused and determined artist R & B industry caught the attention of fans around the lost! Temptations, who had a successful solo career, but a singer like his father, member! Tensions arose when David asked for billing before the group the Temptations Review, a voice... $ 50,000 bail, for heavens sake!, I aint going to kill you, girl, began! Another.\ he was raised by his father to me Roll Hall of Fame the. Of childbirth drove him to the Hospital, but rejoined them later songwriter and actor, while John was singer. Career where he was already dead when they got there School in.., a member of the musical group the Temptations in 1987, rejoined... 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Rose English ; she was from Mobile County, Alabama member of time.