The Four Tops are a vocal quartet formed together in 1953 by Levi Stubbs, Abdul “Duke” Fakir, Renaldo “Obie” Benson, and Lawrence Payton. They formed an entire 40 years together without a single change in the group’s line-up until Payton died of liver cancer on June 20th, 1997. The four were responsible for helping form the sound of Motown in the 1960’s and performed everything from R&B, doo-wop, jazz, show tunes, and even disco. The group often sang backup vocals for popular singles by bands such as the Supremes, and Martha and the Vandellas.
The group performs to this day, but with only 1 of the original group’s members, Abdul “Duke” Fakir.
Genre
Soul, R&B, Pop
Labels
Chess
Red Top
Riverside
Columbia
Motown
ABC-Dunhill
Casablanca
Arista
Artist Website Link: None
Discography
Four Tops (1965)
Four Tops Second Album (1965)
On Top (1966)
On Broadway (1967)
Reach Out (1967)
Yesterday’s Dreams (1968)
Four Tops Now! (1969)
Soul Spin (1969)
Still Waters Run Deep (1970)
Changing Times (1970)
The Magnificent 7 (with The Supremes) (1970)
The Return of the Magnificent Seven (with The Supremes) (1971)
Dynamite (with The Supremes) (1971)
Nature Planned It (1972)
Keeper of the Castle (1972)
Main Street People (1973)
Meeting of the Minds (1974)
Night Lights Harmony (1975)
Catfish (1976)
The Show Must Go On (1977)
At the Top (1978)
Tonight! (1981)
One More Mountain (1982)
Back Where I Belong (1983)
Magic (1985)
Hot Nights (1986)
Indestructible (1988)
Christmas Here with You (1995)
MultiTracks