The Four Tops are an American vocal quartet, whose repertoire has included doo-wop, jazz, soul music, R&B, disco, adult contemporary, and showtunes. Founded in Detroit, Michigan. as The Four Aims, lead singer Levi Stubbs (a cousin of Jackie Wilson and brother of The Falcons' Joe Stubbs), and groupmates Abdul "Duke" Fakir, Renaldo "Obie" Benson and Lawrence Payton remained together for over four decades, having gone from 1953 until 1997 without a single change in personnel.
Among a number of groups who helped define the Motown Sound of the 1960s, including The Miracles, The Marvelettes, Martha and the Vandellas, The Temptations, and The Supremes, the Four Tops were notable for having Stubbs, a baritone, as their lead singer; most groups of the time were fronted by a tenor. The group was the main male vocal group for the songwriting and production team of Holland-Dozier-Holland, who crafted a stream of hit singles, including two Billboard Hot 100 number-one hits: "I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch)" and "Reach Out I'll Be There". After Holland-Dozier-Holland left Motown in 1967, the Four Tops were assigned to a number of producers, primarily Frank Wilson. When Motown left Detroit in 1972 to move to Los Angeles, California, the Tops stayed in Detroit and moved over to ABC Records, where they continued to have charting singles into the late-1970s. Since the 1980s, the Four Tops have recorded for, at various times, Motown, Casablanca Records and Arista Records. Today, save for Indestructible (owned by Sony BMG), Universal Music Group controls the rights to their entire post-1963 catalog (through various mergers and acquisitions).
A change of line-up was finally forced upon the group when Lawrence Payton died on June 20, 1997. The band initially continued as a three-piece under the name The Tops[1], before Theo Peoples (formerly of The Temptations) was recruited as the new fourth member. Peoples eventually took over the role of lead singer when Stubbs suffered a stroke in 2000 with his position assumed by Ronnie McNeir. On July 1, 2005, Benson died of lung cancer with Payton's son Roquel replacing him. As of 2006, Fakir, McNeir, Payton, and Peoples were still performing together as the Four Tops. Levi Stubbs died on October 17, 2008. Fakir is now the only surviving founding member of the group.
Best of the Four Tops (1972-1976) [MCA 1982]
Motown Legends: Baby I Need Your Loving
50th Anniversary Concert [DVD]
Ain't No Woman Like the One I Got
Best of the Four Tops (1972-1976) [MCA 1982]
Reach Out: 20 Golden Greats
20th Century Masters - The Christmas Collection
T'N'T: The Four Tops/The Temptations
T'N'T: The Four Tops/The Temptations
Motown Legends: Baby I Need Your Loving
Ain't No Woman Like the One I Got
Motown Legends: Baby I Need Your Loving
T'N'T: The Four Tops/The Temptations
Compact Command Performances
Yesterday's Dreams/Soul Spin
50th Anniversary Anthology
50th Anniversary Concert [DVD]
T'N'T: The Four Tops/The Temptations
T'N'T: The Four Tops/The Temptations
50th Anniversary Concert [DVD]
Very Best of the Four Tops
50th Anniversary Concert [DVD]
50th Anniversary Concert [DVD]
50th Anniversary Anthology
50th Anniversary Concert [DVD]
Still Waters Run Deep/Changing Times
40th Anniversary Special: Live from the MGM Grand in Las Vegas
Lost and Found: Lost Without You 1963-1970
Live at Stardust 2006 [DVD]
50th Anniversary Anthology
50th Anniversary Anthology
Motown Legends: Bernadette
Until You Love Someone: More of the Best (1965-1970)
Lost and Found: Breaking Through
Keepers of the Castle: Their Best 1972-1978
Their Greatest Love Songs
Live at Stardust 2006 [DVD]
Live at Stardust 2006 [DVD]
50th Anniversary Concert [DVD]
Live at Stardust 2006 [DVD]
Reach Out [Music Digital]
50th Anniversary Anthology
50th Anniversary Concert [DVD]
50th Anniversary Concert [DVD]
50th Anniversary Anthology
Lost and Found: Breaking Through
Yesterday's Dreams/Soul Spin
Lost and Found: Breaking Through
20th Century Masters - The Christmas Collection
Lost and Found: Lost Without You 1963-1970
Motown Legends: Bernadette
50th Anniversary Concert [DVD]
Until You Love Someone: More of the Best (1965-1970)
Motown Legends: Baby I Need Your Loving
50th Anniversary Concert [DVD]
