Go to next post and see what you think, if this isn,t David Ruffin and Eddie Kendricks then its Paul Whitehouse doing what he does best.

Kev

I have always thought this too Kev.

If it isn't, then I would love to know who it is. Anyone?

Agree with both above! C'mon u knowledgeable ones who is it?

very similar, but i,m not convinced, the overall vocal delivery just dosnt sound right for David, I will reserve judgement.

Rob h.

Close but no cigar. It's a good attempt at sounding like The Temptations but I'm not convinced it's them. There are indeed examples of reasonably major artists moonlighting on small labels for a variety of often shadowy reasons but I don't think this is one of them.

This would have been recorded at the time when Ruffin & Kendricks were two of the biggest R&B stars in America, with Ruffin driving round in a Bentley that would have made Stephen Ireland blush. He was notoriously into money so the idea that he would moonlight with Kendricks (whom he apparently loathed) on any project guaranteed for obscurity is baffling.

Close but no cigar. It's a good attempt at sounding like The Temptations but I'm not convinced it's them. There are indeed examples of reasonably major artists moonlighting on small labels for a variety of often shadowy reasons but I don't think this is one of them.

This would have been recorded at the time when Ruffin & Kendricks were two of the biggest R&B stars in America, with Ruffin driving round in a Bentley that would have made Stephen Ireland blush. He was notoriously into money so the idea that he would moonlight with Kendricks (whom he apparently loathed) on any project guaranteed for obscurity is baffling.

Some very good points there indeed, but its his love of the green and his renowned irrational and unpredictable behaviour that for me add to the conspiracy that for a one off payment perhaps, he may have thought why not, like I said in my original post, there are too many examples in the delivery of Ruffin only traits that give it away. Great contributions so far , anyone else have any thoughts or insight on this.

Kev

Some very good points there indeed, but its his love of the green and his renowned irrational and unpredictable behaviour that for me add to the conspiracy that for a one off payment perhaps, he may have thought why not, like I said in my original post, there are too many examples in the delivery of Ruffin only traits that give it away. Great contributions so far , anyone else have any thoughts or insight on this.

Kev

there were a million groups trying to sound like (and effectively sounding like) the temptations at the time, they invented a style (just like the impressions did), I would say this was one of them, I doubt this was actually ruffin and kendricks.

there were a million groups trying to sound like (and effectively sounding like) the temptations at the time, they invented a style (just like the impressions did), I would say this was one of them, I doubt this was actually ruffin and kendricks.

Was hoping you would get involved Boba, seems like we will never get to know for defo, see what you say about the imitation thing and its a probably a fact that the 2 most imitated sounds are the Temps and the Impressions, only thing is I know when I am listening to Curtis and when I am not no matter how good the imitation is, same goes for Ruffin, I know when I am listening to him and when he is being imitated, this time though its different.

Kev

Another example of a guy who draws comparison is William "Wee Gee" Howard, but like Ruffin, he has certain traits in his voice and delivery that set him apart from the imitators.

Kev

Question is do the other big D recordings have DR in the matrix? This one does -I was convinced this was not David Ruffin-AND WROTE A LOAD ABOUT IT SOMEWHERE ON THE SITE GOING INTO GREAT DETAIL-but you know what "im not sure now lol!!, just cant dis-prove it and going off the voice its remarkably similar-the flip is bloody great also imho -bit wilder and funkier lol,Lee Rodgers produced perhaps exstending the theory more -could dam well be him LOL!!!

BAZ A.

Was hoping you would get involved Boba, seems like we will never get to know for defo, see what you say about the imitation thing and its a probably a fact that the 2 most imitated sounds are the Temps and the Impressions, only thing is I know when I am listening to Curtis and when I am not no matter how good the imitation is, same goes for Ruffin, I know when I am listening to him and when he is being imitated, this time though its different.

Kev

I actually do have a story about the stepstones / steptones, my friend found a member after many letters and phone calls. Then the guy said his crappy modern 45 that he had boxes of was worth $500 and refused to even GIVE THE LINEUP of the group without being paid, my friend just wanted the lineup to pass on to the soul harmony singles folks. The guy was not a nice person to deal with.

Anyways, the adell 45 also sounds just like the temps but they're not, there was even a photo of them for sale on ebay about 5 yrs back.

Nearly but not quite only a midges dick away though IMO , what a great track

Hello Kev

In places some of the vocals sound very close to David and Eddie but I think it's just a very good impersonation of The Temptations.

GC Cameron, for example, can sound exactly like Eddie Kendricks, David Ruffin, Marvin Gaye and others ...he can emulate their voices and their styles.

Best wishes,

Paul

The vocals do sound close to Ruffin but if you listen side by side there you can hear the difference.

Like a dog with a bone me at the moment, thanks for the input everyone, tried doing that Chalky but I am still convinced he was moonlighting, no one actually come up with a definite no yet, Also it was mentioned earlier that why would he do it considering that at the time he was one of the best known R&B singers at the time. On reflection, I don,t think Berry Gordy paid mega money to everyone at the time, possibly Smokey and Miss Ross, also consider that Groovesville had a version of "Still in my heart" by Ruffin in the can, and at the time he did that he must have been still connected to Motown, so I think he has form.

Kev