Abdul Kareem “Duke” Fakir, the longest-lasting member of The Four Tops, died at the age of 88 on July 22. Born in Detroit, Fakir grew up singing in church, with friends, and at nightclubs before going pro with Levi Stubbs, Renaldo “Obie” Benson, and Lawrence Payton in 1953. This lineup remained in place till 1997; the last man standing was Fakir, who retired only last month. Singing with Motown, The Four Tops recorded such hits as “Baby, I Need Your Loving,” “I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch),” “Reach Out, I’ll Be There,” “Walk Away, Renee,” and “River Deep – Mountain High” (with The Supremes). Fakir told Eonmusic a few years ago that the Tops’s continuing popularity was “incredible. It just makes me feel so, more than proud that that music can last that long. I never thought that. Even when we started, and we had a hit record, we figured, ten, fifteen years, tops. Even fifty years later, people are still loving our music. It’s incredible!”
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