Aww Crap ! Levi Stubbs passed away!!!

[drlove]

R.I.P. Levi Stubbs ! Enjoyed what you did with "Catfish" in 1976.

* * * * *
Four Tops lead singer Levi Stubbs dies

• Levi Stubbs was longtime lead singer of Four Tops
  Stubbs' forceful voice was heard on "Reach Out, I'll Be There," many other hits
• Four Tops were one of Motown's top groups

DETROIT, Michigan (AP) -- Four Tops frontman Levi Stubbs has died at age 72, according to the medical examiner's office.
Stubbs was the lead singer on the Motown group's hits, which included "Reach Out, I'll Be There," "I Can't Help Myself," "Bernadette," "Standing in the Shadows of Love" and "It's the Same Old Song."
The Four Tops were distinctive in pop music history for having the same lineup for more than 40 years, from the group's formation in 1954 until member Lawrence Payton died in 1997. The other members of the original group were Renaldo "Obie" Benson, who died in 2005, and Abdul "Duke" Fakir.

[drlove]

Here's a clip of the Four Tops foray into disco territory, with New Orleans-esque lyrics:

YouTube - Four Tops " Catfish "


From: kaedingstein
Added: April 25, 2008




" Catfish " written by L. Payton, F. Bridges, M. Farrow , Title track of the album "catfish" (1976); R&B Top 10 Hit in 1976, reached #71 in the US pop Charts.

Produced by L. Payton . The recordings for this Album reunited the Four Tops with Earl van Dyke and The Funk Brothers .

Arranged by:
David Van DePitte, Gil Askey, Johnny Allen ;

Rhythm Arrangement by:
Greg Coles , Lawrence Payton, Robert White;

Bass: Greg Coles;
Drums: Uriel Jones

Recorded at:
United Sound Systems, Inc.; DETROIT

Overdubbed & Mastered at ABC Records, Los Angeles

[DISCODISK]

this is so sad though not a total shock as hes been ill for a while, levi could sing the phone book, i have the greatest memory of seeing the tops in liverpool when i was 14, i stole the money from my mothers purse because she wouldnt let me go, i was so scared to go home i slept in a tent, i got battered the next day but i didnt care, they were amazing
R.I.P LEVI

[markydefad]

Sad news.

Whether he was pleading "Baby, I Need Your Loving" or assuring us to "Reach Out" --he'd be there...or growling "feed me Seymour" as the voice of the man-eating plant in "Little Shop Of Horrors"--he was a magnificent singer--instantly recognizable and always impassioned and stirring.

R.I.P. Mr. Stubbs. ["They call me Mr. Stubbs"]

[drlove]

. . . and here's a classic tune from 1971 (that made the top 15 on both sides of the pond) featuring Levi Stubbs trading off lead vocals with Jean Terrell ---- yep, this is what happens when the 4 Tops meet the 3 Supremes:

YouTube - FOUR TOPS & THE SUPREMES

(Levi comes in around the 001:25 mark) . . .

[Mr.Ree]

R.I.P. Levi Stubbs ! Enjoyed what you did with "Catfish" in 1976.

* * * * *
Four Tops lead singer Levi Stubbs dies

• Levi Stubbs was longtime lead singer of Four Tops
  Stubbs' forceful voice was heard on "Reach Out, I'll Be There," many other hits
• Four Tops were one of Motown's top groups

DETROIT, Michigan (AP) -- Four Tops frontman Levi Stubbs has died at age 72, according to the medical examiner's office.
Stubbs was the lead singer on the Motown group's hits, which included "Reach Out, I'll Be There," "I Can't Help Myself," "Bernadette," "Standing in the Shadows of Love" and "It's the Same Old Song."
The Four Tops were distinctive in pop music history for having the same lineup for more than 40 years, from the group's formation in 1954 until member Lawrence Payton died in 1997. The other members of the original group were Renaldo "Obie" Benson, who died in 2005, and Abdul "Duke" Fakir.

did you know that Renaldo Benson co-wrote several songs on Marvin Gaye's "What's going On?", including the title track?

[drlove]

Had no idea, Mr. Ree . . . thanks for the info

[Disco Funk]

Another legend has been silence. :(

I remember when he sang 'I Believe In You And Me' on some show a decade ago. I think it was when Whitney Houston has sung it, so I thought he was just covering it from her. I found out later the Tops did it first over a decade earlier. It was such an amazing performance, he blew her version away, and he was singing it live!

Levi with a voice as smooth as velvet. RIP.

So many great tracks to choose from, unfortunately no one has posted any tracks from my favourite Four Tops LP, 'At The Top' which featured the hit 'H.E.L.P.'

Here's the best song I think to remember him by, which I personally feel was the best vocal rendition of this much-covered tune



And here's the studio version of 'I Believe In You And Me'



And I found a recent performance with him (he starts singing at 3.40, struggling, but does a wonderful job)



Disco Funk

[paul]

Perhaps the spirit of Mr Stubbs has been touching me. I have been playing the Four Tops all week and quite frankly as much as I liked them, I hadn't played them much in 20 years. :icon_question:
Anyway, RIP Levi. Here is my favorite track!

YouTube - Four Tops Baby I Need Your Lovin'

[remicks]

DETROIT, Michigan (AP) -- Four Tops frontman Levi Stubbs has died at age 72, according to the medical examiner's office.
Stubbs was the lead singer on the Motown group's hits, which included "Reach Out, I'll Be There," "I Can't Help Myself," "Bernadette," "Standing in the Shadows of Love" and "It's the Same Old Song."
The Four Tops were distinctive in pop music history for having the same lineup for more than 40 years, from the group's formation in 1954 until member Lawrence Payton died in 1997. The other members of the original group were Renaldo "Obie" Benson, who died in 2005, and Abdul "Duke" Fakir.

This is significant .

When it was the trend for lead vocalists to bail on the vocal groups that had taken them to fame ....Smokey Robinson , Diana Ross , David Ruffin .... Levi Stubbs refused to be wooed away from The Four Tops and chose to instead stay tight with his boys.

He didn't even insist on a moniker change to give him top billing .... as with Diana Ross &The Supremes .

Could've gone solo easily ... had the distinctive voice to do so with ... but didn't. :icon_cool:


A gentleman with a talent

RIP Levi Stubbs

_______________________




should be noted that the disco scene initially defined itself in part on the basis of the Gloria Gaynor remake of their REACH OUT which was part of that legendary triple play of hers .....

27) HONEY BEE/ NEVER CAN SAY GOODBYE/ REACH OUT-I'LL BE THERE (Medley) + "NEVER CAN SAY GOODBYE" LP - Gloria Gaynor

(MGM LP/ 1975) P: #1: Paul Leka/ #2 & #3: Meco Monardo/ Tony Bongiovi/ Jay Ellis; "A Tom Moulton Mix"
W: #1: Melvin & Mervin Steals; #2: Clifton Davis; (arranged by Harold Wheeler) #3: Holland-Dozier-Holland
Timing: 6:00/ 6:18/ 6:15 = 18:43
BPM: approx. 123/126/123 or 125/127/125 - kept changing!!!
Pop & R&B: n/a (LP cut) ; Disc-o-la Fortune 500: #5 out of 500!!!
45 versions:
A) Honey Bee; B) Come Tonight (1974) (Pop: #103; R&B: #55)
A) Never Can Say Goodbye; B) We Just Can't Make It (1974) (Pop: #9; R&B: #34)
A) Reach Out, I'll Be There; B) Searchin' (975) (Pop: #60; R&B: #56)
*COVERS: "Never Can Say Goodbye" - #2 Pop/ #1 R&B hit for the Jackson 5 in 1971
"Reach Out, I'll Be There" - #1 Pop/ #1 R&B hit for the Four Tops in 1966
Grammy Nominee: Best R&B Vocal - Female (whole LP)
CD Availability: "I Will Survive: The Anthology"
A= 151; B= 69; C= 69; D= 45; Total points= 334
14 weeks on the chart (1/11/75 - 4/12/75)/ 6 weeks in the Top 10/ Peak: #1 for 3 weeks


markydefad's year-end rankings for 1975

*****

[drlove]

great reminder, Remicks (and timely, too) on the impact Gloria Gaynor's remake of that Four Tops classic had on the igniting of disco fever.:icon_cool:

[remicks]

great reminder, Remicks (and timely, too) on the impact Gloria Gaynor's remake of that Four Tops classic had on the igniting of disco fever.:icon_cool:

:icon_biggrin: :icon_cool:

here it is:

Gloria Gaynor REACH OUT I'LL BE THERE

....



More Four Tops done disco :


Bonnie Pointer SUGAR PIE HONEY BUNCH (I CAN'T HELP MYSELF)

Babs SHAKE ME WAKE ME (WHEN ITS OVER )


Deborah Washington STANDING IN THE SHADOWS OF LOVE


*****

[markydefad]

I always had a soft spot for this one with the odd title "7 ROOMS OF GLOOM"

[remicks]

I always had a soft spot for this one with the odd title "7 ROOMS OF GLOOM"

does the vocalizing on this make you think of Michael Jackson with the Five ....... at all ?? :icon_question: :icon_question:

.............. I wonder if he perhaps studied Levi's singing techniques ????? :icon_confused:


*****