Four Tops singer Duke Fakir dies at 88: The last surviving original member of the classic Motown group passed away from heart failure TWO DAYS after retiring
- The vocal quartet’s hits include I Can’t Help Myself and Reach Out I’ll Be There
- Fakir sang tenor, with Levi Stubbs as backing vocalist.
- He and the group were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1990
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Duke Fakir, the last surviving original member of the Motown icons Four Tops, has died at the age of 88.
Fakir died Monday morning at his home in Detroit, Michigan, the Detroit Free Press.
The singer is said to have died of heart failure.
Fakir was part of the group’s biggest hits, including the Billboard Hot 100 hits I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch), which spent two non-consecutive weeks at number one in 1965, and the 1966 hit Reach Out I’ll Be There, which also spent two weeks at number one.
His death follows the deaths of his three former bandmates: Lawrence Payton, Obie Benson and Levi Stubbs.
Duke Fakir, the last surviving original member of Motown icons the Four Tops, has died at age 88; pictured in February 2023 in Los Angeles
The singer (pictured second from right, circa 1965) is believed to have died of heart failure, following the deaths of his three former bandmates: Obie Benson (left), Levi Stubbs (second from left) and Lawrence Payton (right)
“Our hearts are heavy as we mourn the loss of a pioneer, icon and music legend who, throughout his 70-year career, touched the lives of so many as he continued to tour through late 2023 and officially retired this year,” his family said in a statement to the Detroit Free Press. “As the last surviving founding member of the iconic Four Tops music group, we take comfort in Duke’s legacy that lives on in his music for generations to come.”
Fakir (born Abdul Kareem Fakir) sang the first tenor line in the Four Tops.
Although tenors traditionally take lead vocals in similar groups, Fakir joined Payton and Benson on backup vocals, followed by baritone Levi Stubbs on lead vocals.
When the other members died or left the group, he continued to perform under the name Four Tops, adding new singers over the years.
The group’s other hits included Bernadette, It’s The Same Old Song, Standing In The Shadows of Love and When She Was My Girl.
Fakir (second from right) sang the first tenor line in the Four Tops. Tenors are traditionally lead vocalists, but Fakir sang backup with Payton and Benson for baritone Levi Stubbs (L) on lead; pictured in Chicago in 1981
When the other members died or left the group, he continued to perform as the Four Tops with new replacement singers over the years; original members Payton (left) and Fakir (right) were joined by Alex Morris (2nd from left) and Ronnie McNeir (2nd from right) in LA in 2023.