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Levi Stubbs, lead singer of Four Tops, R.I.P.


rasputin1963

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I remember a TV Records offer coming out called; 'Temps and Tops!' A greatest hits of the Temptations and the Four Tops. Only one I almost ordered. The Tops kicked! RIP Levi.

 

ps Tedster, there's a cat on another forum with your avatar, he's a very cool soul as well, but it confuses me... ;)

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Levi, David Ruffin, Eddie Kendricks, Marvin Gaye, Jackie Wilson.... the list goes on and the choir in Heaven gets better every day.

 

He was a gentleman and a scholar. Never cocky or arrogant, and always complimentary. It was sad to see him in a wheel chair the last few years. Even sadder to hear him try to sing. He had one of the most recognizable and classic soul voices ever recorded; even though many wouldn't be able to tell you his name.

 

God bless Levi Stubbs. One of the all time greats, hands down.:cry:

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:( Sad news. I saw the 4 Tops a couple of times. Once at the Carlton Celebrity Dinner Theater (demolished to make way for the Mall of America) and once at the Minnesota State fair. At the Carlton I saw them in a double bill with the Temptations. Great show. At the State Fair it was the Four Tops, Temptations and Mary Wilson. The band that I mixed for a few times was the backup band for the bands. It was fun to see the guys playing with the Tops.
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I remember a TV Records offer coming out called; 'Temps and Tops!' A greatest hits of the Temptations and the Four Tops. Only one I almost ordered. The Tops kicked! RIP Levi.


ps Tedster, there's a cat on another forum with your avatar, he's a very cool soul as well, but it confuses me...
;)

 

I'll change it as soon as I find something suitable

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Loved Stubbs.

 

I was playing with my first signed group. We were driving to Yuma, AZ to open for Quarterflash (yikes! this was 1983?). Our sound man/van driver, Kevin, was talking to me about influences, etc. I was proving myself mighty shallow. Not much air conditioning in that old van. All we had was the desert and a crappy cassette player. So we talked and listened a lot that trip. I'd grown up with soul music but never invested any musical study toward it since becoming and adult and a pro.

 

He mentions Levi Stubbs. Who? The Four Tops MAN!!! He pulls off the highway and hits up a truckstop, a man on a mission. He goes through the cassette racks like a madman and then... Eureka! The Four Tops Greatest! Sold. Back in the van he pops it in and my life took a left turn. First off, Jamerson's playing on those hits of theirs is mind boggling. But Levi! Holy Christ in heaven. Levi!

 

Short of Marvin, he's been my fave Motown man since.

 

Rest in peace big man.

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First off, Jamerson's playing on those hits of theirs is mind boggling.

 

 

Not to make this a Jamerson thread, but mind-boggling is exactly true. Listen to the bass on "Reach Out" (if it's not already burned into your brain, like all other Motown bass lines) -- easy to think of a dozen pedestrian lines to play, but how the hell did that man ever come up with THOSE notes? The guy was operating on a whole other level of musical intelligence.

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