Among soul lovers, theres a pantheon of great lead singers. If you call to mind any soul group, its the stand-out vocals of those frontmen that come to mind. Stylistics - Russell Tomkins Jr. (Betcha By Golly Wow, ) Chi-Lites of Chicago - (Have you seen her?) L.T.D. - Jeffrey Osborne (Shine On, Love Ballad) The OJays - (Brandy, Love Train) The Four Tops - Levi Stubbs Jr. (Walk Away Renee, MacArthur Park) Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes - Teddy Pendergrass (Wake Up Everybody, Dont Leave Me This Way) The Detroit Spinners - Philippe Soul Wynne (Could It Be Im Falling in Love, How Could I Let You Get Away) Much like a star dancer on Broadway, the lead singer needs versatility: a voice agile enough to blend in seamlessly with his band mates during the melody, only to find suddenly the distinctiveness and vocal strength to convey the lofty heights of deep and sometimes raw emotion. Oh, and hed also better know how to dance in step at the same time. Perhaps, the best exponent of this rare ability was Jimmy Ruffin Jr. of the Temptations. While Im a diehard fan of the Spinners, to sing in the most popular soul group in the world meant that Jimmy had to bring his A game to every single track. I respect that. Any of the other Tempts could easily snatch the lead vocals and deliver a memorable hit (consider, for example, Eddie Kendricks on Just My Imagination). Yet, none of them had what Jimmy had: a combination of gritty lyrical attack and unrivalled vocal range that could conquer every genre. Of course, for far longer than I can remember, the public knew the reality of his on-going battle with substance abuse. He was no saint, but as the news of his death circulates, lets remember his musical legacy too. I cant possibly imagine what Papa was a rolling stone or I cant get next to you would have sounded like without the raw virtuosity of his musical expression. Would they even have been hits? I doubt that. Like so many lead singers, he eventually went solo and made some amazing music of his own. To me the song Gonna Walk Away from Love perfectly sums up what made Jimmy special. As a singer, I wish I could have the natural and direct lyricism with which he connected with audiences, but I dont. I wish I had his incomparable vocal range, but I dont. Still, that doesnt mean that we cant all continue to appreciate his one of a kind talent. Although he passed away yesterday, one thing we dont have to wish for is another chance to hear his remarkable voice. Its here on this track! David Ruffin- Walk Away from Love
Posted on: Fri, 21 Nov 2014 02:32:59 +0000
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