Friday, October 17, 2008

Levi Stubbs, of the Four Tops, Dies In Detroit


Detroit (WWJ) -- The lead singer of the Four Tops, Levi Stubbs Jr., died Friday (Oct. 17) morning at his home in Detroit. He was 72.

Stubbs had cancer and had a series of strokes. He stopped performing in 2000. Funeral arrangements are pending. He is survived by his wife Clineice and five children.

Stubbs (pictured second from right) was honored in 2004 on the group's 50th anniversary in music with an all-star salute in Detroit.

The Four Tops won international fame on Motown Records with the group\'s first hit, Baby, I Need Your Loving in 1964. A string of hits followed, including I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honeybunch), Standing in the Shadows of Love, Reach Out I'll Be There, Bernadette, It's The Same Old Song and Ain't No Woman (Like The One I've Got).

Stubbs and three of his friends, Obie "Renaldo" Benson, Lawrence Payton and Abdul "Duke" Fakir, started singing together at Pershing High School in the 50's and signed with Motown in the '60s.

With Stubbs' death, Fakir is the lone remaining member of the original group.


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