MERIDIAN — The stars that grace the Mississippi Arts and Entertainment Center's Walk of Fame in downtown Meridian are glowing testaments to the state's huge population of creative talent.

    Meridian is fortunate to be the location for such an honor, and Mississippi shows no sign of slowing down in its production of world-class artists.

    Earlier this month stars were added to honor Mac McAnally, and Moe Bandy. Stars previously dedicated along the MAEC Walk of Fame have been in honor of Jimmie Rodgers, B.B. King, Eudora Welty, Tennessee Williams, William Faulkner, Sela Ward, Marty Stuart, and Morgan Freeman.

    It's especially fitting, and a source of pride for us, that of those 10 stars along the Walk of Fame in Meridian, three of those people honored are from here: Jimmie Rodgers, The Father of Country Music; multiple Golden Globe and Emmy award winning actress Sela Ward; and Moe Bandy, who has had 10 No. 1 country hits, and is the recipient of several Academy of Country Music awards.

    Another local who belongs on the Walk of Fame is a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee, a person ranked in Rolling Stone magazine's list of the Top 100 Singers of All Time, and someone who charted seven No. 1 songs on the R&B charts, a No. 1 in the pop charts, and put numerous other songs in charted positions while singing lead with his group. He also put six solo hits in Billboard's Hot 100.

    Many of you will know from those clues that I'm referring to Lauderdale County native David Ruffin, from Whynot, who was born in 1941.

    For those who didn't figure it out, he was the lead singer of The Temptations, during what is sometimes referred to as the group's Classic Five period, 1964-1968. The lineup featured Ruffin, Melvin Franklin, Eddie Kendricks, Otis Williams, and Paul Williams. Ruffin returned to the group for its 1982 reunion album, and followup tour along with Kendricks.

    If you still can't place him, you'd know the voice. Major hits during Ruffin's run with The Temptations included "My Girl," "Ain't Too Proud to Beg," "Walk Away From Love," "(I Know) I'm Losing You," "Beauty Is Only Skin Deep," and "I Wish It Would Rain."

    According to Rolling Stone magazine, Motown founder Berry Gordy said any five of The Temptations could have been a lead singer, but that it was David Ruffin who stood out most from the pack.

    His voice, ranked 65th in the Rolling Stone list, influenced Michael Jackson, Rod Stewart, Daryl Hall and John Oates, to name a few.

    "His voice had a certain glorious anguish that spoke to people on many emotional levels," said Hall, who worked with Ruffin some in the 1980s.

    Marvin Gaye said he heard in Ruffin's voice a strength his own voice lacked, and that his work "made me remember that when a lot of women listen to music, they want to feel the power of a real man."

    While being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with The Temptations in 1989, Ruffin said this about the music: "When I heard The Temptations sing, it reminded me of the spiritual background that I came from, and I really hope that somewhere in your heart that we have put a little love ..."

    Ruffin started singing early, as did his brother, Jimmy Ruffin (probably best known for the song "What Becomes of the Broken Hearted") and left Mississippi as a teenager singing gospel music.

    Often we have visitors who like to talk about the many well known artists who've come from Meridian and Lauderdale County, but several of them are surprised to learn David Ruffin is part of that list. It's just something many folks don't typically hear of elsewhere for some reason. I'm reminded of him around this time each year because he left this earth on June 1, at the age of 50, in 1991.

    David Ruffin's voice, however, is immortal. His star will be another one locals can be especially proud of on the state's Walk of Fame.



    Steve Gillespie is managing editor of

The Meridian Star. E-mail him at

sgillespie@themeridianstar.com.