March 2, 1938 – June 20, 1997
Lawrence Payton spent 43 years as part of one of the most successful R&B acts of the 1960s, ’70s, and ’80s. That act was the Four Tops and Payton was often cited as the musical backbone of the group. He was responsible for many of the Tops’ most memorable harmonies and arrangements.
June 14, 1936 – July 1, 2005
The bass singer for the legendary Motown vocal group, the Four Tops, Renaldo “Obie” Benson was much more than just a background singer. The Four Tops formed in the 1950s and bounced around a couple of record labels before landing with Motown in 1963 and launching a stellar stretch of hits including #1 singles “Reach Out I’ll Be There” and “I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch)”.
Benson acted as choreographer during the group’s early years. And the Tops’ extensive work with Motown house songwriters Holland-Dozier-Holland peaked his interest as in writing songs as well.
June 6, 1936 – October 17, 2008
Levi Stubbs lived most of his life in Detroit. It was a fortunate coincidence that the Motor City became the hotbed of R&B music during the time when Stubbs and friends, Duke Fakir, Obie Benson and Lawrence Payton were performing together as the Four Aims. The group signed with Chess records, changed their name to the Four Tops and went on to become one of the biggest selling acts for Motown Records. Stubbs’s soulful voice was the centerpiece of all of the Four Tops’ biggest hits.
Celebrity Graveland 