The Four Tops
The group is an American vocal quartet from Detroit who helped to define the city’s Motown sound of the 1960s. The group’s repertoire has included soul music, R&B, disco, adult contemporary, doo-wop, jazz, and show tunes.
Founded as the Four Aims, lead singer Levi Stubbs, Abdul “Duke” Fakir, Renaldo “Obie” Benson, and Lawrence Payton remained together for over four decades, performing from 1953 until 1997 without a change in personnel. The Four Tops were among a number of groups, including the Miracles, the Marvelettes, Martha and the Vandellas, the Temptations, and the Supremes, who established the Motown Sound. They were notable for having Stubbs, a baritone, as their lead singer, whereas most other male and mixed vocal groups of the time were fronted by tenors.
The group was the main male vocal group for the highly successful songwriting and production team of Holland–Dozier–Holland, who crafted a stream of hit singles for Motown. These included two Billboard Hot 100 number-one hits for the Tops: “I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch)” in 1965 and “Reach Out I’ll Be There” in 1966. The group continued to have chart singles into the 1970s, including the million-seller “Ain’t No Woman” (1973).
The group was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1990 and into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 1999. In 2004, Rolling Stone ranked them #79 on its list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time.
The Four Tops continue to perform with Fakir as the last surviving original member.
The Four Tops have won many awards, including the following:
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (1990)[
Vocal Group Hall of Fame (1999)
Hollywood Walk of Fame (1997)
Grammy Hall of Fame (Reach Out I’ll Be There-1998)
“I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch-2018)
Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award (2009–51st Annual Grammy Awards)
Rhythm and Blues Foundation Pioneer Award (1997)
Billboard magazine Top 100 Artists of All Time(#77)
R&B Music Hall of Fame Induction (2013)
100 Greatest Artists of All Time (#79-Rolling Stone)
Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Songs of All Time (2003)
Michigan Rock and Roll Legends Hall of Fame
Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award
In early 2018, The Four Tops’ 1965 #1 Pop Hit, “I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch)” became their second song to be inducted into The Grammy Hall of Fame
Members of the Quartet
Levi Stubbs (1953–2000, 2004; died 2008)
Renaldo “Obie” Benson (1953–2005; died 2005)
Lawrence Payton (1953–1997; died 1997)
Theo Peoples (1998–2010)
Harold Bonhart (2010–2018)
Current members
Abdul “Duke” Fakir (1953–present)
Ronnie McNeir (1999–present)
Lawrence Payton Jr. (2005–present)
Alexander Morris (2019–present)