Very few pop groups have been able to achieve the kind of longevity that goes beyond years and into decades especially with all of the original members. Back in 1953 in Detroit, four young men still in their teens sang together at a high school party. The made the wise decision to continue performing together as a quartet. Their names were: Renaldo “Obie” Benson, Lawrence Payton, Levi Stubbs, Abdul “Duke” Fakir.
On July 22nd 2024, Fakir died, he was the last surviving members of this group who called themselves the Four Tops.
The Early Four Tops recorded for a number of labels including Columbia and Chess. In 1963, the Four Tops came to the attention of their hometown upstart Motown Records. “Duke” Fakir remembers the group’s initial reaction in this 1980s interview I conducted with the group.
DF: “Okay, Motown’s president Berry Gordy, we knew him years ago before he started Motown as a writer with Jackie Wilson. Lawrence, Lawerence Payton, who sings with us; Lawerence’s cousin Billy Davis and Berry Gordy used to write a lot of songs for Jackie Wilson and we was always around. We just kind of knew him, and when he started the company, he asked us to come with him. But we weren’t really interested we were trying to get with Columbia then and people like that and big companies. We never thought that a Black company had a chance, you know? We always wished him well said, ‘Hey, good luck, but we’re going to New York, We’re going to make it big.”
Despite the Four Tops initial reaction to Berry Gordy’s offer, they joined Motown and became superstars in 1964 with their first major hit, “Baby I Need Your Loving”
The Four Tops performed continuously until 1997, well over four decades. They got into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1990.
Featured songs:
Woke Up This Morning (pre-Motown)
Lonely Summer (pre-Motown)
Since You've Been Gone (Motown)
Baby I Need Your Loving (Motown)
Ain't No Woman (ABC)
Deeper cuts to check out:
Left with a Broken Heart
I'll Turn to Stone
Then
Don't Bring Back the Memories
Love Music
