The Three Reasons

• Genres: Rhythm & Blues

Biography

After two Carnival records singles, the Three Reasons -- Kenneth Ruffin, Bruce Carter, and Robert Draden -- faded into oblivion. Neither "Go Right On," released in 1971, nor "Take Me Back" in 1972 ignited. A shame because the former was a "you made your bed now lie in it" with a lilting chorus; the latter, an engaging plea with opening doo dah, doo dah, doo dah's, high-end harmony, and a falsetto lead was joined by a rougher tenor mid-song to drive home the point. Kenny Ruffin's wife, Shirley, wrote both of the Delfonics-flavored softies.

Ruffin recorded a solo single for Carnival in 1968. "I'll Keep Holding On" b/w "Cry, Cry, Cry" was totally different from the Three Reasons sides. A hard, anguished tenor distinguishes both, and Ruffin, not his wife, wrote both sides. Ruffin penned "I Am the Man for You Baby" for the Turner Brothers, "Can't Lose My Head" for George Blackwell, and "Hang My Head and Cry" on the Big Boys for Warner Bros.

With nearly 30 registered compositions, Ruffin's most successful was the Moment's "I Do" (1969), which featured Billy Brown doing the lead and background parts; Harry Ray and Al Goodman weren't even in the studio. He also wrote "She's Gone to Another," a grieving ballad where the lead bemoans over being dumped, for the Whatnauts. The Three Reasons' singles were promising, but the group was short lived. Even sadder, they only recorded two sides for Carnival; the B- sides were instrumentals. ~ Andrew Hamilton, All Music Guide