On this day in music history: January 3, 1976 - “Walk Away From Love” by David Ruffin hits #1 on the Billboard R&B singles chart for 1 week, also peaking at #9 on the Hot 100 on January 24, 1976. Written by Charles Kipps, Jr., it is the biggest solo hit for the former lead singer of The Temptations. Producer Van McCoy finds the song from his longtime writing and production partner Charles Kipps, Jr. who had previously penned the soul classic “5-10-15-20 (25-30 Years Of Love)” (#5 R&B, #11 Pop) for Washington DC based vocal group The Presidents. When they record the basic track, McCoy uses many of the same musicians featured on his own recent number one smash “The Hustle” including Steve Gadd, Eric Gale, Richard Tee, Gordon Edwards, Hugh McCracken and Paul Griffin playing on it. The members of the R&B vocal group Faith, Hope & Charity (“To Each His Own”) sing the background vocals on the track. Ruffin records his lead vocal on the song in a single take. Issued as the first single from his sixth solo album “Who I Am” on October 21, 1975, it quickly becomes and R&B and pop crossover smash. Also a hit on club dance floors, Motown presses the song on a one sided promotional 12″ single for DJ’s, one the very first issued by the label. In time, the record becomes a rare and highly sought after collector’s item. In spite of the major success of “Walk Away From Love”, it is the last major hit for David Ruffin as a solo artist. He’ll make the top 40 on the pop chart one final time with his former Temptations’ group mate Eddie Kendricks and Hall & Oates in October of 1985 with the single “A Nite At The Apollo Live! The Way You Do The Things You Do/My Girl” (#21 Pop) recorded at the Apollo Theater in Harlem a few months after performing the medley at Live Aid.
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