His voice was so powerful — like a foghorn on the Queen Mary… It jumped out of the speakers and ravished my soul..
~Rod StewartOne of the greatest lead singers the Motown stable ever had
~John Lowe (allmusic.com)
One of the greatest “Motown voices”.. and thus one of the greatest voices in recorded american music history.
Continue reading Jan 18: The late David Ruffin was born in 1941
Today: Neil Young released “Rust Never Sleeps” in 1979, 35 years ago (read more)
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Bob Dylan: Finjan Club Montreal, Quebec, Canada 2 July 1962 (Audio) (read more) |
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| Roy J. Bittan (born July 2, 1949) is an American keyboardist, best known as a member of Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band, which he joined on August 23, 1974. Bittan, nicknamed The Professor, plays the piano, organ, accordion and synthesizers. |  |
| Paul Williams (July 2, 1939 – August 17, 1973) was an American baritone singer and choreographer. Williams is noted for being one of the founding members and original lead singer of the Motown group The Temptations. Along with David Ruffin, Otis Williams (no relation), and fellow Alabamians Eddie Kendricks and Melvin Franklin, Williams was a member of The Temptations during the “Classic Five” period. Personal problems and failing health forced Williams to retire in 1971. He committed suicide two years later. |  |
| “Don’t Be Cruel” is a song recorded by Elvis Presley July 2, 1956, and written by Otis Blackwell in 1956. It was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2002. In 2004, it was listed #197 in Rolling Stone’s list of 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. The song is currently ranked as the 92nd greatest song of all time, as well as the fifth best song of 1956, by Acclaimed Music. |  |
Spotify Playlist – July 02 |
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His voice was so powerful — like a foghorn on the Queen Mary… It jumped out of the speakers and ravished my soul..
~Rod StewartOne of the greatest lead singers the Motown stable ever had
~John Lowe (allmusic.com)
One of the greatest “Motown voices”.. and thus one of the greatest voices in recorded american music history.
The Temptations – My Girl:
| Birth name | David Eli Ruffin |
|---|---|
| Born | January 18, 1941 Whynot, Mississippi, U.S. |
| Died | June 1, 1991 (aged 50) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Genres | R&B, pop, soul, disco, gospel |
| Occupations | Singer |
| Instruments | Vocals, drums |
| Years active | 1956–1991 |
| Labels | Anna, Chess, Motown, Warner Bros., RCA |
| Associated acts | The Temptations, Eddie Kendrick, Jimmy Ruffin |
Davis Eli “David” Ruffin (January 18, 1941 – June 1, 1991) was an American soul singer and musician most famous for his work as one of the lead singers of the Temptations from 1964 to 1968 (or the group’s “Classic Five” period as it was later known). He was the lead voice on such famous songs as “My Girl” and “Ain’t Too Proud to Beg.” Known for his unique raspy and anguished tenor vocals, Ruffin was ranked as one of the 100 Greatest Singers of All Time by Rolling Stone magazine in 2008. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1989 for his work with the Temptations. Fellow Motown recording artist Marvin Gaye once said admiringly of Ruffin that, “I heard in [his voice] a strength my own voice lacked.”
Ain’t Too Proud To Beg – Live 1966:
His voice had a certain glorious anguish that spoke to people on many emotional levels
~Daryl Hall (of Hall & Oates)I don’t know what kind of voice I have, I really don’t… it’s just about the feeling I get for the song.
~David Ruffin
The Temptations – The Ultimate Collection (1997)
Continue reading The late David Ruffin was born in 1941 – 72 years ago
From Wikipedia:
“Space Oddity” is a song written and performed by David Bowie and released as a music single in 1969. It is about the launch of Major Tom, a fictional astronaut; its title alludes to the film 2001: A Space Odyssey, released the previous year. Incidentally, the protagonist of the film is called David Bowman. The lyrics have also been seen to lampoon the failed British space programme. The song appears on the album David Bowie (also known as Space Oddity). The BBC featured the song in its television coverage of the Apollo 11 launch and lunar landing, which took place in the days following the release of the song.
Bowie would later revisit his Major Tom character in the songs “Ashes to Ashes” and “Hallo Spaceboy“. German singer Peter Schilling‘s 1983 hit “Major Tom (Coming Home)” is written as a retelling of the song.
Following recording of a fresh version, the single was rush-released on 11 June 1969 to coincide with the Apollo 11 moon landing. It was promoted via advertisements for the Stylophone, played by Bowie on the record. Although they initially refused to give the song airplay, the BBC played it during their coverage of the Apollo 11 launch and lunar landing. This exposure finally gave Bowie a hit, reaching #5 in the chart. In the U.S, it stalled at 124.
Original video:
Album of the day @ JV:
Other June-11:
Continue reading Today: David Bowie released the “Space Oddity” single in 1969 – 43 years ago