Not For Punks: Music Biz Adventures

A place for me to share my experiences as an artist manager - the fabulous moments along with the more strenuous ones - so people can have an understanding of the entertainment business rooted in realism. To keep it fun and light, I'll be interspersing my experiences with commentary on some of my favorite things - fashion, travel, music and much more! Ciao!
I don’t remember “discovering” David Ruffin.  He was just always there.  I probably heard him for the first time in utero.  As a child, I loved him as the jaunty romantic loverboy that he played in many a Smokey Robinson uptempo Motown hit with the Temptations.  As a full-grown woman, I find that the darker, lovelorn side of David speaks to me.  The aching ballads like “You’ll Lose a Precious Love” (with the Temptations) and his smoldering solo cover of Harold Melvin and the Bluenotes’ “I Miss You” began to resonate with me more as I experienced love and life in profound ways.  It’s always an intimate thing, growing with an artist.  I can recall just days ago, tearing up as I listened to Gentleman Ruffin sing “Now That You’ve Won Me.”  I found myself nodding, identifying with his plea to the one that has won his heart to “keep on kissing me day and night/don’t you ever change/keep on holding me tight, baby/don’t you dare stop acting strange/now that you’ve won me.” The best of artists provide catharsis.  The most compelling artists invite you to live their story.  But the greatest ones can have a dialogue long after they have transitioned from corporeal existence.  I am listening to David.  We are talking riiight now.  That is what places David Ruffin into the pantheon of soul.  Happy Birthday, D-Ruff.

I don’t remember “discovering” David Ruffin.  He was just always there.  I probably heard him for the first time in utero.  As a child, I loved him as the jaunty romantic loverboy that he played in many a Smokey Robinson uptempo Motown hit with the Temptations.  As a full-grown woman, I find that the darker, lovelorn side of David speaks to me.  The aching ballads like “You’ll Lose a Precious Love” (with the Temptations) and his smoldering solo cover of Harold Melvin and the Bluenotes’ “I Miss You” began to resonate with me more as I experienced love and life in profound ways.  It’s always an intimate thing, growing with an artist.  I can recall just days ago, tearing up as I listened to Gentleman Ruffin sing “Now That You’ve Won Me.”  I found myself nodding, identifying with his plea to the one that has won his heart to “keep on kissing me day and night/don’t you ever change/keep on holding me tight, baby/don’t you dare stop acting strange/now that you’ve won me.”

The best of artists provide catharsis.  The most compelling artists invite you to live their story.  But the greatest ones can have a dialogue long after they have transitioned from corporeal existence.  I am listening to David.  We are talking riiight now.  That is what places David Ruffin into the pantheon of soul.  Happy Birthday, D-Ruff.

  1. jacksontalent posted this