THE FOUR TOPS
Levi
Stubbs, Abdul "Duke" Fakir, Renaldo "Obie"
Benson, and Lawrence Payton spent 43 years together,
constantly producing songs about love, happiness, and romantic
heartbreak in the quintessential Detroit sound/Motown
tradition. No other popular quartet has stayed together with
original personnel intact for as long as the legendary Four
Tops. And no other group associated with the American 60s
sound has succeeded in remaining as fresh, joyful, lively, and
timely. The Four Tops have created a special magic that
continues to delight audiences of all ages and nationalities,
and their reign as the Grand Gentleman of Rock and Roll is far
from over!
The Four Tops' list of top 10 hits, many of them gold records
and No. 1 chart toppers, include "Baby,
I Need Your Loving," "I Can't Help Myself (Sugarpie,
Honeybunch)," "It's the Same Old Song,"
"Reach Out (I'll Be There)," "Bernadette,"
"Walk Away, Rene," "Standing in the Shadows of
Love," "Shake Me, Wake Me", just to name
a few. They have recorded 35 albums during their illustrious
career - 21 of them for Motown which reaffirms their power,
punch, and enormous appeal.
Levi, Duke, Obie, and Lawrence were teenage school friends in
their native Detroit when they joined together in a singing
group called the Aims in the mid 50s. Starting their
early career largely in jazz and R&B circles, by the time
they had recorded their first single for Chess Records in
1956, they were opening or backing up such notable artists as
Della Reese, Brook Benton, Billy Eckstine, Count Basie,
among many other.
Levi's cousin, the great Jackie Wilson, was so impressed with
the Aims' mellow harmonies and smooth style, that he invited
them to perform with him on a regular basis, which they did
for several years. Times were hard and the group's first years
were difficult, typified by heavy travel and light money. But
the spirit which allowed them to stay together for more than 3
decades was already in place. They never lost sight of what
they wanted to do most - sing!
It was also in 1956 that The Aims became
"reincarnated." It had been suggested that they
might be confused with the then-popular Ames Brothers. Since
they had chosen their name because they were "aiming for
the top," they changed it and without realizing that they
were giving name to a legend, became The Four Tops.
It was 1963 when The Four Tops were truly discovered and
signed by Berry Gordy for Motown Records. Their first single
was "Baby, I Need Your Loving," and as the song
skyrocketed up the charts, The Four Tops established
themselves as the Crowned Princes of Motown. Life during
Motown's heyday was both exhilarating and exhausting. It was
there that their style was honed to perfection and blended
with the spectacular songwriting team of
Holland/Dozier/Holland.
In addition to their own records, members of the group often
sang informal back-up for other Motown artists. They would
often be just "hanging out" at the companies
studios, when someone would pop into the lobby and ask
"is there a tenor out here?" During the peak years
at Motown, The Four Tops toured and/or recorded with nearly
ever other artist on the label, including Stevie Wonder,
Marvin Gaye, The Supremes, The Temptations, Smokey Robinson
and the Miracles, The Marvelettes, The Elgins, The Spinners,
Tammi Terrell, Junior Walker and Edwin Starr.
As their career and the non-stop hits continued, The Four Tops
appeared in a wide variety of concert and club settings, from
the star-studded shows at New York's famous Apollo Theatre and
those at the Brooklyn Fox hosted by New York disc jockey,
Murray The K, to the Grand Ole Opry and Las Vegas' most
prestigious lounges. They went beyond the realm of the
impressive Motown roster to share the stage with Willie
Nelson, Kenny Rogers, Curtis Mayfield, Aretha Franklin, Dionne
Warwick, Patti LaBelle, Little Anthony and the Imperials, The
Carpenters, Jay and the Americans, The Four Seasons, and The
Beach Boys.
Although the British Invasion spearheaded by The Beatles
knocked countless American artists out of the U.S. music scene
(some for years, some forever), The Four Tops were among a
handful of American superstars who not only held strong, but
contributed just as much as did the English to the tone and
temper of the times and the musical/cultural changes which
evolved. Interestingly, it was Brian Epstein, the Beatle's
guiding force, who organized The Four Tops' first European
tour and the group partied and performed with all of the
legends of British Rock.
Watching an audience at a Four Tops concert today is an
exciting reminder of the pleasure they have given their fans
for years. Their audience is a complete racial blend and spans
an impressive age range. It includes those in their 50's who
are the group's contemporaries; baby-boomers in their 40's; a
new generation of people in their 20's and 30's who clearly
long for an era they were too young to experience; and little
kids (accompanied by the older generations) who are being
exposed to the songs their parents loved as children. There is
always a sense, as The Four Tops go through their early hits
as well as new material, that the social unity which politics
consistently fails to achieve, is a foregone conclusion in the
atmosphere of this happy music.
Sadly, Lawrence Payton passed away of cancer in 1977.
The Tops continued as a threesome for awhile, then recruited
former Temptation Theo Peoples to join the group. Levi Stubbs,
who turned 68 in June of 2004, has battled prostate cancer and
a mild heart attack and stroke, preventing him from touring
since 2000, but putting him in the prayers of millions of
fans. Popular 70s Soul singer Ronnie McNeir has replaced
Stubbs. Then, in July 2005, Obie Benson sadly passed
away after a sudden flurry of physical ailments, including
lung cancer. He was replaced by Lawrence Payton's son
Roquel.
The Tops continue to tour,
record and set their sights on new professional goals. But
mostly, they do what they always wanted to do. The Four Tops
just keep on singing. After 50 years, when fans reach
out, the Four Tops are still there.
