Friday, July 1, 2005

BY BRIAN McCOLLUM
FREE PRESS POP MUSIC WRITER

Motown lost a musical pillar Friday.

Renaldo (Obie) Benson, who for more than half a century provided the bass vocal foundation to the Four Tops' lush harmonies, died Friday morning at Harper Hospital in Detroit. He had turned 69 on June 14.

Benson had been battling a sudden onset of medical problems. Last month, he suffered a heart attack after the amputation of a leg because of circulation problems. He was subsequently diagnosed with lung cancer, and began intense, stage-four chemotherapy last week.

Abdul (Duke) Fakir and Levi Stubbs remain the two surviving members of the Four Tops, founded in 1954 on Detroit's northeast side and heralded as one of the longest-running acts in the history of American popular music. Vocalist Lawrence Payton, Benson's closest boyhood friend, died in 1997.

Benson "enjoyed every moment of his life," Fakir said through a publicist Friday. "He put a smile on everyone's face, including my own."

The outgoing Benson, who played a key role in directing the Four Tops' concert choreography, was known as a reliable source of comic relief within the group, which was a veteran ensemble by the time it signed to Motown Records in 1963. The quartet's statistics on the Billboard pop charts remain formidable: 24 hits in the top 40, seven in the top 10, and two No. 1s.

Many of the songs Benson recorded with his group mates remain radio staples, including "Reach Out I'll Be There," "Standing in the Shadows of Love" and "Bernadette."

Benson rarely slowed down during his tenure with the Tops, who celebrated their 50th anniversary with a bash at the Detroit Opera House last summer. Even as he hit his 60s, he continued to spend more than a third of each year on the road, performing Four Tops shows across the world.

His last significant performance came on April 8, when the group played "Late Show With David Letterman."

As his condition worsened in recent weeks, Benson was replaced onstage by Payton's son, Roquel Payton.

Benson is survived by two daughters, Eboni Benson and Tobi Benson, and an ex-wife with whom he remained close, Valaida Benson.

Funeral arrangements are not yet available.


http://www.freep.com/news...050701.htm

rip

Goodness, it's like the Grim Reaper is working overtime.

Not only a singer with the great Four Tops but co-wrote Marvin Gaye's What's Going On.





tA

Tribal Disorder

http://www.soundclick.com...rmusic.htm

God rest your soul. Thank you for sharing your precious talent. We love you.

Rest in peace Obie

Damn, Luther and Obi

A sad day in music.

Goodness! This is a terrible day!!!

"thank you Obie" rest in peace

GOD Bless the Benson Family as well, damn if death does come in twos and comes heavy, I am going to be listening to my local radio stations to hear if they have some type of tribute to both of them. I figure that Luther's death will get the most attention, but this news is just as sad to hear. GOD Bless the muscial legacy of Obie Benson.

dOOd what the hell is going on today. Rest in peace Obie, much love.

One of the greatest ever.

I think Obie deserves a Sticky too.

Its only fair.

Damn. This is fucked up. The greatest artists are dying. Im so sad.

shoulda died yesterday. Luther's hogging the headlines

dreamfactory313 said:

Actually, he presented the song to Marvin and the rest is history..

funkpill said:

Wow. He wrote 100% of it? Amazing. The world lost a true treasure of music today in Obie Benson. Im going to go to the funeral if its open to the public. Motown has lost another hero.

The history of The Four Tops. http://www.history-of-roc...r_tops.htm
[Edited 7/1/05 18:41pm]

Two legends in one day??? God, give us a break.

R.I.P., Obie

NewPowerSista said:

I was thinking the samw thing. They will both be missed.

RIP, he will be missed.

man, this really is a hard day.....



...Rest In Peace, Obie.....





...

Reach Out, I'll be there to love and shelter you



Let's send some love and appreciation to the ones that are still with us, let's give them their flowers while they're living.

Another great...

aww RIP Obie.

I never really knew anything about the individual members of The Four Tops, but I love their music. It's sad to see yet another great performer go.

R.I.P. Mr. Benson

Damn...