Abdul “Duke” Fakir, the last surviving singer of the original band Four Tops, has died at the age of 88.

July 23, 2024, 09:26

Abdul “Duke” Fakir, the last living member of the popular Motown group The Four Tops, has died at the age of 88.

He died of heart failure at his home in Detroit, his family confirmed on Monday (July 22).

The Four Tops became one of the most famous bands of the Motown era after their formation in the late 1950s. The group is known for classic hits such as “Reach Out I’ll Be There,” “Baby I Need Your Loving,” and “I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch).”

“Our hearts are heavy as we mourn the loss of a trailblazer, icon and music legend who touched the lives of so many during his 70-year music career while continuing to tour through the end of 2023 and officially retiring this year,” his family said in a statement.

“As the last living founding member of the legendary musical group The Four Tops, we take comfort in knowing that Duke’s legacy lives on through his music for generations to come.”

Four Tops “Reach Out I’ll Be There” on The Ed Sullivan Show

The original line-up of The Four Tops, consisting of Fakir, Levi Stubbs, Renaldo “Obie” Benson and Lawrence Payton, formed in the late 1950s but did not achieve great success until the early 1960s.

They continued to perform together until Payton’s death in 1997. Benson and Stubbs died in 2005 and 2008, respectively.

When The Four Tops were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1990, Stevie Wonder praised the group, saying, “What I love most about them is that they are very professional, they enjoy what they do, they are very loving, and they have always been gentlemen.”

Fakir, the child of Ethiopian and Bangladeshi immigrants, spent his entire life in Detroit and grew up in a dangerous neighborhood.

“When we started singing, our whole perspective on life changed,” Fakir said in an interview with The Detroit News“We just started to see the beauty of life and traveling and singing to the world and making people happy.”

Singer Smokey Robinson also expressed his feelings about the death of his long-time friend. “My brother, I really hate to say goodbye, but you were called home by the Father to rejoin Lawrence, Obie and Levi and make more of the heavenly music you made here,” Robinson said. “I will miss you, my brother.”

In 2022, Fakir published a treatise, I’ll be there: My life with the Four Topswhich offered an intimate insight into his life and career.

He leaves behind his wife, six children, 13 grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.

Fakir’s legacy will live on in his music and ensure that The Four Tops’ contributions to the world of Motown and beyond will be remembered by future generations.