I was Blessed to have been the Sound Engineer for the Four Tops for 12 years, They were Great every time that they walked on Stage. Levi Stubbs had the Best Voice of any Lead Singer that I ever worked with, and Obie Benson, Duke Fakir and Lawrence Payton together with Levi Stubbs had the Best Vocal Harmony's in the Music Business. I was the Sound Engineer for the Temptations & Four Tops during the Motown 25 Tour along with an 8 piece Band and a 10 piece Horn Section. Each Group performed for 75 minutes and then both the Temptations and Four Tops performed together for 45 minutes to 1 hour doing a medley of Hit Songs from both Groups. The Concerts lasted for 3½ hours or longer depending on how many encores the audience would beg for, usually two or three but I remember nights in London and Sydney Australia and especially in Detroit when they did five encores. The Four Tops always lived in Detroit the Home of Motown even after the Company moved to Los Angeles as did many of the Motown Artists. The Four Tops were proud to be from Detroit and Detroit was proud of the Four Tops ! They were awesome to work for and They were Great Friends too ! I will always cherish the years I was fortunate to Tour with Levi, Obie, Duke & Lawrence The Four Tops. Keith Everett - Atlanta, Ga.
God truly blessed you my brother. To have been a part of such greatness. i grew up on the Tops and Temptations even though i’m only 42. That’s all I heard my pops playing most of the time. I’ve always been a big Levi Stubbs fan and I always believed he could sing with the best of them.
Saddened by the news of the passing of “Duke” Fakir, the last of the Tops to cross the Rainbow Bridge. Condolences to family and friends and all those who lived through a great era of music.
I liked the fact that their friendship was tight. They all loved by each other. And have stated noone was bigger than the other one in that group. Their loyalty to each other was amazing
They were the best and didn’t get the best recognition they deserved . They were definitely the top . Loved them and I keep on listening to their music forever . They should have been the number one group always !! If anyone knows about good music and entertainment they will agree!! 👍👍❤️
No better voice ever, best soul singer of all time! And what a wonderful person, including Duke, Obie and Laurence! I will be in love with Levi forever!
Never was and never will be a better Singing Group than these guys. Could sing any song and make it Great! Levi on Lead and The Tops harmonizing like nobody else. Miss them !
UPDATE 2024: Group members: Left to right Founding member Levi Stubbs (June 6th,1936- October 17th,2008) (Lead singer; Baritone) Founding member Renaldo “Obie” Benson (June 14th,1936- July 1st,2005) (Bass) Founding member Abdul “Duke” Fakir (December 26th,1935- July 22nd,2024) (First Tenor) Founding member Lawrence Payton (March 2nd,1938- June 20th,1997) (Second Tenor and Vocal arranger) --------- Set List: “Reach Out,I’ll Be There” “Standing In The Shadows Of Love” “I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie,Honey Bunch)” Thank you for the music,Four Tops. May you all rest peacefully.
I saw these wonderful guys together Michael Bolton in 1994 with my Mummy at the Night Of a 100 stars at The Dominion Theatre in London..it was magical xxx
Maravillosos , ayer hoy y siempre, marco mi juventud, tengo 72 y la bailo como so no hubiera pasado el tiempo, cuanto tienen que aprender ahora , de cantar y moverse
....You are spot on in that assessment ..I saw them perform in Vegas and they were outstanding...brought the house down. The talents of these men is unmatched of course Levi had such an amazing voice he could sing anything but all of them collectively together it was Magic... and that is so rare ; there's a few other groups that are like that, ... that were back in the day, but there's NO ONE today that can touch these guys...other than Abdul "(Duke ") who carries on the Legacy with the son of Original member Lawrence Payton. God bless them.
Have loved these guys forever. It's so funny when they get together with the temptation's which is also a group I have loved forever. Best two groups out there.
I ALWAYS LOVED THIS SONG REMINDS ME OF MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS THEY WOULD DANCE AND SING ALL THESE SONGS. ALWAYS THE BEST AND SOME BEAUTIFUL SINGERS I LOVE THEM ALL. LEVI, I WILL ALWAYS LOVE YOU. YOU WILL ALWAYS BE MY SUGAR PIE HONEY BUNCH, YOU KNOW THAT I LOVE YOU.
what a group, ilisten to this rundown the songs and memories are a lot, really emotionally overwhelming, the memories, its enormously classic and historic music.
I love old school so much!!!!; Lord have mercy!!!! # good stuff. Four Tops, Temps, Miracles, Sam Cooke, Supremes, Martha Reeves & The Vandellas, among so so many others. Motown had it going own. Thank God for Barry Gordy discovering all this talent and his love for music. WHAT A BLESSING.
not to burst your bubble...but berry (yes like straw-berry) gordy wasn't a very nice guy to the people that "worked for him". he was a bad business man and he was very selfish, thoughtless, and inconsiderate, so the Motown greats almost all were victims of his greed. he DID have an ear for music, though. no question. I just wish he would have treated his people better.
mary ruggiero No different than many record men. Berry was better than most (Leonard Chess, Don Robey of Duke/Peacock, Henry Stone of TK Records - and hardly any of his acts got paid their royalties).
Kevin Goins Thank You Kevin. I agree with you!! I don't know why people don't get it. That was a standard practice, that's just the way it was for many artists back in those days, not just Motown. Ppl. outside the business hear that word Royalties and don't really know what paying out royalties really mean. It's a bit more than complex than what they heard on that show Unsung, lol!! Especially when Artist are in singing groups with 3, 4, 5 members, you have to split every dime paid. Comparing royalties yesterday to royalties today would be like comparing 9-5 salaries from jobs of yesterday to today. Over the years artists changed the game. You were right to say what you said and regardless what ppl. say Mr. Gordy gave everyone of those kids a chance to shine rather they did or not. Ppl always criticising him without asking would some of those artists had been discovered if not had been for Gordy and MOTOWN. Yes there were other companies but whose to say they would have been signed and have a sound and image!! They were so many artists that Never got signed!!Not sure about you but, they lived better lives than most of us were living in the 1960's considering the situation at that time!! I'm just saying!! Anyway appreciate your comment.
Maybe this is the place to say it. Always loved the Four Tops (seven rooms). But the thing you have to respect is the fact they stuck together. Apparently there were various attempts to crack Levi out, but he insisted on staying. Now that's a group!.
No conocía este grupo hasta que veía un video de artistas que murieron estos días entre ellos Abdul Fakir el último de este grupo con vida. Por curiosidad busque el UA-cam y me encanto pues había escuchado algunas de sus canciones por otros artistas son geniales!!!!
Well, that was 4 minutes 17 seconds worth of great memories, great songs, great men.
I was Blessed to have been the Sound Engineer for the Four Tops for 12 years, They were Great every time that they walked on Stage.
Levi Stubbs had the Best Voice of any Lead Singer that
I ever worked with, and Obie Benson, Duke Fakir and Lawrence Payton together with Levi Stubbs had the Best Vocal Harmony's in the Music Business.
I was the Sound Engineer for the Temptations & Four Tops during the Motown 25 Tour along with an 8 piece Band and a 10 piece Horn Section. Each Group performed for 75 minutes and then both the Temptations and Four Tops performed together for 45 minutes to 1 hour doing a medley of Hit Songs from both Groups. The Concerts lasted for 3½ hours or longer depending on how many encores the audience would beg for, usually two or three but I remember nights in London and Sydney Australia and especially in Detroit when they did five encores.
The Four Tops always lived in Detroit the Home of Motown even after the Company moved to Los Angeles as did many of the Motown Artists.
The Four Tops were proud to be from Detroit and Detroit was proud of the Four Tops !
They were awesome to work for and They were Great Friends too !
I will always cherish the years I was fortunate to Tour with Levi, Obie, Duke & Lawrence
The Four Tops.
Keith Everett - Atlanta, Ga.
Wow Keith sounds so interesting, Levi is my favorite singer ever!
Keith you were truly blessed to have worked with such great artists
I wish I had been with you God bless
God truly blessed you my brother. To have been a part of such greatness. i grew up on the Tops and Temptations even though i’m only 42. That’s all I heard my pops playing most of the time. I’ve always been a big Levi Stubbs fan and I always believed he could sing with the best of them.
I’m jealous .
The people will still listen to the music of the four tops in hundred years. ❤
Can't say that about much if today's noise
Amen to that
This is from an era when pop music still praised what is good
Is anybody else dancing in their chair besides me? Very classy.
Me!
Miss Levi so much
My heart broke when Levi died. Abdul is still with us and still performing, bless him!
Where
In the afterlife.
Sadly no longer. Abdul passed 7/22/24 RIP
Reunited now.
Saddened by the news of the passing of “Duke” Fakir, the last of the Tops to cross the Rainbow Bridge. Condolences to family and friends and all those who lived through a great era of music.
I liked the fact that their friendship was tight. They all loved by each other. And have stated noone was bigger than the other one in that group. Their loyalty to each other was amazing
Right.
The only Motown group that had
all of its original members stay
together for over four decades
from 1953-1997.
Sadly,only death separated them.
They were the best and didn’t get the best recognition they deserved . They were definitely the top . Loved them and I keep on listening to their music forever . They should have been the number one group always !! If anyone knows about good music and entertainment they will agree!! 👍👍❤️
STILL LOVE YOU FOUR TOPS. MUSIC IS JUST GOOD. RIP MY BROTHERS THAT GONE. 10/22
FOUE TOPS FOREVER! 2024.
The best Motown Group. Loved those guys.
THE MAGNIFICENT LEVI STUBBS
These men were remarkable in every way.
Soundtrack of my youth 🎼🖤
LEVI WAS THE BEST!!!! SAW THE FOUR TOPS IN VEGAS. LOVE THEM.
Levi and Duke attended Pershing High with me.1953-1956.❤
Levi Stubbs was the LIONS voice of Motown.
What a great voice. One of the best.
"DUKE" You Made It to the TOP BRO - RIP.
Levi was married to the same woman for 48 Years.
What a LOVEFEST…such TALENT!
Glad it was part of my generation!
Sure beats watching the NEWS.!!!
The energy and power that the Four Tops discharged has trilled audiences all around the world, with grateful thanks from a disciple in Ireland.
I WILL ALWAYS LOVE THESE GUYS. MY HEART IS BURSTING. LOVE IS FREE. 6/22.
No better voice ever, best soul singer of all time! And what a wonderful person, including Duke, Obie and Laurence! I will be in love with Levi forever!
Me too!!
Never was and never will be a better Singing Group than these guys. Could sing any song and make it Great! Levi on Lead and The Tops harmonizing like nobody else. Miss them !
UPDATE 2024:
Group members:
Left to right
Founding member
Levi Stubbs
(June 6th,1936-
October 17th,2008)
(Lead singer;
Baritone)
Founding member
Renaldo “Obie” Benson
(June 14th,1936-
July 1st,2005)
(Bass)
Founding member
Abdul “Duke” Fakir
(December 26th,1935-
July 22nd,2024)
(First Tenor)
Founding member
Lawrence Payton
(March 2nd,1938-
June 20th,1997)
(Second Tenor and
Vocal arranger)
---------
Set List:
“Reach Out,I’ll Be There”
“Standing In The Shadows Of Love”
“I Can’t Help Myself
(Sugar Pie,Honey Bunch)”
Thank you for the music,Four Tops.
May you all rest peacefully.
So happy that I was a teenager during this time with such GREAT talent and songs ❤❤
I saw these wonderful guys together Michael Bolton in 1994 with my Mummy at the Night Of a 100 stars at The Dominion Theatre in London..it was magical xxx
They were the best !! Such verve and vitality in their music . They cannot be forgotten oh no!!!
So proud I saw them live twice and shock hands with all 4 of these talented people True stars
Brilliant. Love the Four Tops. Listening to this great music in Portugal. Happy new year 2025 everyone ! 🥳🎉
Rip to all the tops still have duke holding it down god bless you duke
What a great voice Levi had
Look for a live show at Paris in 1967 , absolutely amazing. A real gem
I saw the Four Tops live in Vegas, love them, especially Levi.
Just four guys and talent. No gimmick. No 100 dancers and fireworks to distract you. Take a good look kids, this is what talent looks like
Maravillosos , ayer hoy y siempre, marco mi juventud, tengo 72 y la bailo como so no hubiera pasado el tiempo, cuanto tienen que aprender ahora , de cantar y moverse
The one the only Mr. Levi Stubbs. You're missed.(SIP)
Just love them! Levi's voice is the soul of the Four Tops! One by one, has gone.away!
When talent stood alone! No gimmicks needed!
Ain't none of that anymore!!
What a voice
Once in a hundred years occurrence of great writers and lead singer combining together
A man that put 110 love in every song just unbelievable entertainer
....You are spot on in that assessment
..I saw them perform in Vegas and they were outstanding...brought the house down. The talents of these men is unmatched of course Levi had such an amazing voice he could sing anything but all of them collectively together it was Magic... and that is so rare ;
there's a few other groups that are like that, ... that were back in the day, but there's NO ONE today that can touch these guys...other than Abdul "(Duke ") who carries on the Legacy with the son of Original member Lawrence Payton. God bless them.
simply the best of the best
I just love them!! Their music speaks to my soul.
Stll remember my strident période
Wow
Saw them live in 74 at the odeon in Birmingham England fantastic the whole audience was dancing.
MrDbfireman I saw them at Hammersmith Odeon in 1972! Levi was on crutches
The best...always x
The Great levi STUBBS
4 Tops on The Canon & Ball Show. (1984)....RIP to all of the 4 Tops 😪
Have loved these guys forever. It's so funny when they get together with the temptation's which is also a group I have loved forever. Best two groups out there.
Totally agree with all of your comments.The voice MR STUBBS.
I ALWAYS LOVED THIS SONG REMINDS ME OF MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS THEY WOULD DANCE AND SING ALL THESE SONGS. ALWAYS THE BEST AND SOME BEAUTIFUL SINGERS I LOVE THEM ALL. LEVI, I WILL ALWAYS LOVE YOU. YOU WILL ALWAYS BE MY SUGAR PIE HONEY BUNCH, YOU KNOW THAT I LOVE YOU.
Now that’s music!
Honoured having seen them live
Me encantan amo sus canciones los amo.🎤😍💞💞😢
To my baby 🍼🍼 daddy may he rest in peace 🕊️🕊️ love your baby 🍼🍼 mama Annie Diaz 💋 carrion Rodriguez
Such great memories I was 29 then the Rythem just flowed into me when I heard their music.
VERY OUTSTANDING SHOWMENSHIP I LOVE THEM SO MUCH R.I.P 4TOPS ALWAYS FOREVER IN OUR HEARTS THE UNIVERSAL ❤❤
Amazing,such a talented group,endless variety of beautiful songs and very smart men,you will always be remembered four tops ,top class .!!!!!
Abdul last of 4 Tops passed away!!! R.I.P.😅
This groupe is the best.
Talent 🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻
33 years ago today...21jan84 - 21jan16. looking GREAT levi!!
Wow just love the Four Tops
A CLASSY GROUP !
How the heck could anyone dislike this?
Where was Larry,do we know the date?
Miss Them so much ❤❤❤❤
So talented and pure CLASS . ❤️👏👏
ONE OF CLASSICS GREAT GREAT 👍🏽😎😄♥️♥️♥️😊🎶🎹🎹🎸
Love dancing❤
Love em the Four Tops were the best
How awesome is this?! 💖
RIP FOURTOPS
NICE VIDEO!!!!!!!! THE FOUR TOPS LOOK VERY SOPHISTICATED. THEY ARE DANCING IN UNISON💝💝💝 I LIKE IT☺☺☺☺☺☺☺☺ LISA VOLTS
what a group, ilisten to this rundown the songs and memories are a lot, really emotionally overwhelming, the memories, its enormously classic and historic music.
Thank you for this rare clip from a rare year. This is awesome. Hopefully there are some other yet to be discovered 1984 clips.
I love old school so much!!!!; Lord have mercy!!!! # good stuff. Four Tops, Temps, Miracles, Sam Cooke, Supremes, Martha Reeves & The Vandellas, among so so many others. Motown had it going own. Thank God for Barry Gordy discovering all this talent and his love for music. WHAT A BLESSING.
not to burst your bubble...but berry (yes like straw-berry) gordy wasn't a very nice guy to the people that "worked for him". he was a bad business man and he was very selfish, thoughtless, and inconsiderate, so the Motown greats almost all were victims of his greed. he DID have an ear for music, though. no question. I just wish he would have treated his people better.
mary ruggiero No different than many record men. Berry was better than most (Leonard Chess, Don Robey of Duke/Peacock, Henry Stone of TK Records - and hardly any of his acts got paid their royalties).
Kevin Goins Thank You Kevin. I agree with you!! I don't know why people don't get it. That was a standard practice, that's just the way it was for many artists back in those days, not just Motown. Ppl. outside the business hear that word Royalties and don't really know what paying out royalties really mean. It's a bit more than complex than what they heard on that show Unsung, lol!! Especially when Artist are in singing groups with 3, 4, 5 members, you have to split every dime paid. Comparing royalties yesterday to royalties today would be like comparing 9-5 salaries from jobs of yesterday to today. Over the years artists changed the game. You were right to say what you said and regardless what ppl. say Mr. Gordy gave everyone of those kids a chance to shine rather they did or not. Ppl always criticising him without asking would some of those artists had been discovered if not had been for Gordy and MOTOWN. Yes there were other companies but whose to say they would have been signed and have a sound and image!! They were so many artists that Never got signed!!Not sure about you but, they lived better lives than most of us were living in the 1960's considering the situation at that time!! I'm just saying!! Anyway appreciate your comment.
Love love love 💖thanks a lot for sharing those kind of irreplaceable singers that makes us more optimistic 🍀
Amazing .
Four Tops Medley ❤️❤️❤️❤️
the best of motown for me
Pure Class ❤️
Love this music
Gracias ,por esta hermosa música ,recordarles maravilloso
J'adore les four tops
Sugar Pie Honey Bunch ❤️❤️❤️
Y hace 72 years ,and Y dancing whis t that beatufl music ,thanks ,very mucho .
Love it!
Levi Stubbs! Rip!
Levi was up there with David Ruffin 👍
i gotta thanks to black people for giving such a nice music, also true heroes of first african americans!!1
Me encantan 4 tops 🎼🎶😀👍🌟💫💞
Pure class.
Thanks
Maybe this is the place to say it. Always loved the Four Tops (seven rooms). But the thing you have to respect is the fact they stuck together. Apparently there were various attempts to crack Levi out, but he insisted on staying. Now that's a group!.
Levi also took his marriage vows seriously.
Well put over Dave..👍
@@326cher His wife was a lucky woman to have him.
No conocía este grupo hasta que veía un video de artistas que murieron estos días entre ellos Abdul Fakir el último de este grupo con vida. Por curiosidad busque el UA-cam y me encanto pues había escuchado algunas de sus canciones por otros artistas son geniales!!!!
👍👍👍👍❤️❤️❤️❤️
¡¡¡UNICOS!!!
Better than the Temptations!!! Loved them since the 60s!!
Levi still sounds great then.
thw best love you levi xxx
Why haven’t they made a movie of the Four Tops?
Absolutely the greatest nobody else was even close. What a shame to lose these Great Men
From The Cradle Of Beach Music ,Classic 1,2,3,FOUR TOPS
Huauuuu esto si es música.
me encantan