Obie is on the right.
Posted on 07/01/2005 3:47:30 PM PDT by Borges
DETROIT - (KRT) - Motown lost a musical pillar Friday.
Renaldo ``Obie'' Benson, who for more than half a century provided the bass vocal foundation to the Four Tops' lush harmonies, died Friday morning at Harper Hospital in Detroit. He had turned 69 on June 14.
Benson had been battling a sudden onset of medical problems. Last month, he suffered a heart attack after the amputation of a leg because of circulation problems. He was subsequently diagnosed with lung cancer, and began intense, stage-four chemotherapy last week.
Abdul ``Duke'' Fakir and Levi Stubbs remain the two surviving members of the Four Tops, founded in 1954 on Detroit's northeast side and heralded as one of the longest-running acts in the history of American popular music. Vocalist Lawrence Payton, Benson's closest boyhood friend, died in 1997.
Benson "enjoyed every moment of his life," Fakir said through a publicist Friday. "He put a smile on everyone's face, including my own."
The outgoing Benson, who played a key role in directing the Four Tops' concert choreography, was known as a reliable source of comic relief within the group, which was a veteran ensemble by the time it signed to Motown Records in 1963. The quartet's statistics on the Billboard pop charts remain formidable: 24 hits in the top 40, seven in the top 10, and two No. 1s.
Many of the songs Benson recorded with his group mates remain radio staples, including "Reach Out I'll Be There," "Standing in the Shadows of Love" and "Bernadette."
Benson rarely slowed down during his tenure with the Tops, who celebrated their 50th anniversary with a bash at the Detroit Opera House last summer. Even as he hit his 60s, he continued to spend more than a third of each year on the road, performing Four Tops shows across the world.
His last significant performance came on April 8, when the group played "Late Show With David Letterman."
As his condition worsened in recent weeks, Benson was replaced onstage by Payton's son, Roquel Payton.
Benson is survived by two daughters, Eboni Benson and Tobi Benson, and an ex-wife with whom he remained close, Valaida Benson.
Funeral arrangements are not yet available.
Only Two Tops left.
Second singer tonight...wow.
Luther! not one of the 4 tops... is there a mowtown reunion schedule in heaven tonight.
Geez, first Luther now this?
Did you know about this?
damn............
>>>Second singer tonight...wow.
Two down, one to go for the 'things happen in threes' crowd...
What's going on here? Next you'll tell me that Smokey Robinson is dead. Weird.
sheesh your post just gave my chills..I swear the hairs are standing up on my body WOW
God is pleased tonight in song : )))
Another loss ping
one....two...they come in threes. Waiting for the other shoe to drop.
I saw the Tops in their prime, around 1967, and again in the late 90s, with only three originals left. Wonderful concerts, nothing but fun. What a great group and great guys. I think they were together with the original four for over forty years, starting in high school. And so many hits. One of the more middling ones they did not mention here was "Loving You Is Sweeter Than Ever," which I thought was one of their best. "Just Ask The Lonely" was another. Just thankful for the memories. Sugar pie honey bunch bump.
"...is there a mowtown reunion schedule in heaven tonight."
There must be. RIP, Obie.
it is freaky.. isn't it... well at least I know there will be some good music in heaven when I get there. :)
Damn, I'm feeling old!...:-(
What were the best Motown songs?
Who was the other ?
Luther Vandross..
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