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The Detroit Free Press: ‘WNIC Motown 25 Trivia ’
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Jimmy Lee Ruffin(May 7, 1936 – November 17, 2014) was an American soul singer, and elder brother of David Ruffin of the Temptations. He had several hit records between the 1960s and 1980s, the most successful being the Top 10 hits “What Becomes of the Brokenhearted” and “Hold On (To My Love)”.
JIMMY RUFFIN 1965
In 1961, Jimmy became a singer as part of the Motown stable, mostly on sessions but also recording singles for its subsidiary Miracle label, but was then drafted for national service. After leaving the Army in 1964, he returned to Motown, where he was offered the opportunity to join the Temptations to replace Elbridge Bryant. However, after hearing his brother David, they hired him for the job insteadso Jimmy decided to resume his solo career. Ruffin recorded for Motown’s subsidiary Soul label, but with little success.
In 1966, he heard a song about unrequited love written for The Spinners, and persuaded the writers that he should record it himself. His recording of “What Becomes Of The Brokenhearted” became a major success. The song reached #7 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #6 on the R&B Chart. It also initially reached #8 in the UK singles chart, rising to #4 when it was reissued in the UK in 1974.
“What Becomes of the Brokenhearted” remains Ruffin’s best-known song. It was the lead single from his debut album Jimmy Ruffin Sings Top Ten (released as The Jimmy Ruffin Way in the UK), which was released on the Motown’s Soul subsidiary label in 1967. Follow-up singles in America were successful, with “I’ve Passed This Way Before” and “Gonna Give Her All The Love I’ve Got” in late 1966 and early 1967.
Ruffin’s second album, Ruff ‘n’ Ready, was released in 1969. It contained the song “Don’t You Miss Me a Little Bit Baby”, which made the lower parts of the Billboard Hot 100 (#68) and was a Top 30 hit on the R&B Charts, peaking at #27. As a solo artist, it would prove to be Ruffin’s last significant chart appearance in America for many years, and his very last significant charting record for Motown in the US. The song was also released as the B-side to “What Becomes of the Brokenhearted” when it was reissued in 1974.
Released August 19, “Don’t You Miss Me A Little Bit Baby” peaked at #27 (charted 6 total weeks R&B overall) on the Billboard R&B chart in 1967. B-side: “I Want Her Love”
“I Was Made to Love Her” is a hit single recorded by Motown artist Stevie Wonder for the Tamla label in 1967. The song was written by Wonder, his mother Lula Mae Hardaway, Sylvia Moy, and producer Henry Cosby and included on Wonder’s 1967 album I Was Made to Love Her. Released as a single, “I Was Made to Love Her” peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard Pop Singles chart in July 1967. The song was held out of the top spot by “Light My Fire” by The Doors and spent four non-consecutive weeks at No. 1 on the Hot Rhythm & Blues Singles chart in the United States.[1] The song reached No. 5 in the UK.
When asked in a 1968 interview which of his songs stood out in his mind, Wonder answered “I Was Made to Love Her because it’s a true song.” The song features Wonder’s harmonica solo in the introduction. The song features strings following the bridge section. The song also features the use of an electric sitar in the opening and repeated throughout the verse. The last lyric line “You know Stevie ain’t gonna leave her” was ad libbed by Wonder. The song’s distinct heavy bass chords was rendered by none other than famed Motown bassist, James Jamerson.
Released June 24, “I Was Made To Love Her” peaked at #1 (4 weeks; charted 15 total weeks R&B overall) on the Billboard R&B chart in 1967. B-side: “Hold Me”
The Detroit Free Press: ‘Stevie Wonder’s Tutor Looks at the Young Star’
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Above article is courtesy freep.com newspaper archive. Copyright 2020.Newspapers.com.
The above featured ‘Motown’ newsprint article was clipped, saved, and imaged from the credited source by Motor City Radio Flashbacks
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