Biography
An R&B vocal quintet that emerged from Detroit, Michigan, the Voice Masters featured lead singer Ty Hunter alongside Lamont Dozier (born 16 June 1941 in Detroit), David Ruffin (born 18 January 1941 in Meridian, Mississippi, died 1 June 1991), Walter Gaines and Crathman Spencer. Their sound captured the shift from doo-wop toward the soul style later associated with Motown Records. Already seasoned performers in the local doo-wop circuit by the time they assembled in 1959, Hunter and Dozier had previously sung with the Romeos while Spencer and Gaines had belonged to the Five Jets. Their earliest sessions took place at the Anna label, which belonged to Berry Gordy’s sister Anna Gordy. Of the four singles issued there between 1959 and 1960, only “Everything About You” reached listeners beyond Detroit, peaking at number 18 on the R&B chart in 1960; Anna also issued that track under Hunter’s name alone in an effort to launch him as a solo act. Hunter subsequently moved to Check-mate, where the Voice Masters supplied backing for the 1961 release “Memories” and for the 1962 hit “Lonely Baby,” which reached number 22 R&B. He next recorded for Chess Records beginning in 1963 yet failed to maintain any commercial momentum. In the late 1960s Spencer, Gaines and Hunter all joined the Motown group the Originals. Hunter passed away in 1981. Ruffin, meanwhile, became a member of the Temptations and later pursued a solo career.