An end of an era as the only remaining original member of the legendary Motown group, the Four Tops, has peacefully passed away at the admirable age of 88 years.
The world mourns the loss of Abdul “Duke” Fakir, who succumbed to heart failure on Monday, as confirmed by a family representative.
During the 1960s, the Four Tops rose to fame with 11 top 20 hits, including chart-toppers such as I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch) and Reach Out I’ll Be There.
Additional hits that captivated audiences were Baby I Need Your Loving, Standing In The Shadows Of Love, and Ask The Lonely.
Their musical legacy extended into the early 1980s, culminating with their final top 20 hit, When She Was My Girl.
Fakir departed this world in the presence of his beloved wife and other cherished family members.
Detroit-based Motown label fostered numerous iconic artists like the Supremes and Stevie Wonder under the tutelage of Berry Gordy since the late 1950s.
However, Fakir, alongside lead vocalist Levi Stubbs, Renaldo “Obie” Benson, and Lawrence Payton, solidified their bond over a decade before signing with Gordy in 1963.
The Four Tops’ dynamic stage presence and diverse vocal range allowed them to excel in various music genres, showcasing their versatility from country tunes to classic pop numbers like Paper Doll.
Originally naming themselves the Four Aims, the group swiftly rebranded to the Four Tops to evade confusion with a different vocal quartet, the Ames Brothers.
Despite initial struggles with commercial success on other labels like Chess Records, their collaboration with Eddie Holland, Lamont Dozier, and Brian Holland ignited their triumphant journey at Motown.
Following the departure of the Holland-Dozier-Holland team from Motown in 1967, the group’s success fluctuated in the following years.
The legacy of the Four Tops endured as they continued to captivate audiences with their live performances, often sharing the stage with later iterations of the Temptations.
Fakir, hailing from Ethiopian and Bangladeshi heritage, left behind two marriages and a loving family of seven children, notably sharing a 50-year bond with Piper Gibson.
During the mid-1960s, Fakir shared a brief engagement with Mary Wilson of the Supremes, adding a fascinating chapter to his storied life.