Jimmy, the older brother to David Temptations, is best known for his hit song “What Becomes Of The Brokenhearted.” He also recorded many fine albums during and following his Motown tenure. Jimmy enjoyed a mod cult status in Britain and moved there in the 1980s to work with Paul Weller, Heaven 17 and Ian Levine’s Motorcity imprint. Jimmie Lee Ruffin was a Mississippi native, born May 7, 1936, in Collinsville. He began his gospel career and joined Motown as a session singer, while still working at the Ford Motor assembly plant. Ruffin released singles on the Miraculous label, but he was discharged to serve his military service and returned to Motown as a solo artist under the Soul imprint. He visited Hitsville in the afternoon to hear “What Becomes Of The Brokenhearted” being written for the Spinners. However, he convinced James Dean and William Weatherspoon to give it to him. The song was made more memorable by Paul Riser’s mournful arrangement. Although not as popular as the original, “Gonna Give her All The Love I’ve got” and “Don’t You miss Me a little bit baby” were followed by “Gonna Give her All the Love I’ve Got” as well as a cover version of “Stand By Me”, which he performed with his brother David from their duet album I Am My Brother’s Keeper. In the U.K., Jimmy’s top ten hits were “Farewell Is A Lonely Sound”, “I’ll Say Forever, My Love”, and “It’s Wonderful(To Be Loved by You)”. These songs were all recorded in an eight-month period in 1970. He was ranked No.1 in a British music poll that year. 1 male singer. His albums Ruff’n Ready (featuring 1 male singer) make inroads into Northern Soul. Jimmy’s departure from Motown saw him score a cult dance song, “Tell Me what You Want” which he wrote and produced for Chess Records in late 1975. The Bee Gees’ Robin Gibb produces Ruffin’s 1980 LP, Sunrise, featuring the U.K. top ten hit “Hold On To My Love.” from https://classic.motown.com
