Duke Fakir of the Four Tops dies at 88.

[Ed Nielson]

He was the last surviving original member of this legendary Motown group.

Duke Fakir, Last Surviving Member of the Four Tops, Dies at 88

He sang tenor on hits like “Standing in the Shadow of Love,” “Reach Out, I’ll Be There” and “I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch).”

www.nytimes.com

 

[radiofan2023]

RIP, their songs were great!

 

[CTListener]

Did Fakir actually sing on the recordings of the hits mentioned? I remember reading that the Andantes (female backing singers) backed Levi Stubbs on many of the Tops' records, while the other Tops were only heard during concerts.

 

[TheBigA]

Did Fakir actually sing on the recordings of the hits mentioned? I remember reading that the Andantes (female backing singers) backed Levi Stubbs

The liner notes say both.

 

[gr8oldies]

Did Fakir actually sing on the recordings of the hits mentioned? I remember reading that the Andantes (female backing singers) backed Levi Stubbs on many of the Tops' records, while the other Tops were only heard during concerts.

That was the case for the Supremes in the later years, where it was Diana backed by the Andantes; never heard that about the Tops though. There was never an effort to make it Levi Stubbs and the Tops. Of course everybody sang on everything at Motown.