You would most likely know Abdul “Duke” Fakir as the revered founding member of the famous Motown group the Four Tops. Sadly, he just passed away at age 88. According to reports, Abdul “Duke” Fakir succumbed to heart failure in Detroit and was surrounded by his wife, Piper, and close family.
Fakir’s family has released a statement following his death. “Our hearts are heavy as we grieve the departure of a true trailblazer who dedicated 70 years to his music career, continuing to tour until the end of 2023 before his official retirement this year,” the statement reads.
“As the last surviving original member of the renowned Four Tops, we take comfort in knowing that Duke’s enduring legacy will live on through his timeless music for generations to come.”
Who Is Abdul “Duke” Fakir?
Born in Detroit, Abdul “Duke” Fakir is the founding member of Four Tops. His musical journey started in his teen years when he performed with church and school choirs. He collaborated with future Four Tops members Levi Stubbs, Renaldo “Obie” Benson, and Lawrence Payton during high school.
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In 1954, they established the original version of their group, the Four Aims, which later became the Four Tops after signing with Motown Records in 1964, thanks to Berry Gordy’s efforts. According to Fakir, their music reshaped their outlook on life. In fact, it allowed them to appreciate the world’s beauty and spread happiness through their performances.
The Four Tops gained major recognition with their 1964 hit “Baby I Need Your Loving.” That song remains listed among Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. Their success continued with the 1965 release of “I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch),” which became their first No. 1 hit.
Abdul “Duke” Fakir and the Four Tops
Notably, the Four Tops keep getting flowers for ever-green hits like “Reach Out I’ll Be There” (1966), “It’s the Same Old Song,” “Shake Me, Wake Me (When It’s Over),” and “Standing in the Shadows of Love.”
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Their collaboration spanned over four decades, with huge success in the 1970s through songs like “Ain’t No Woman (Like The One I’ve Got)” and a series of studio albums that followed. In a 2022 interview, Abdul “Duke” Fakir fondly remembered his time with his bandmates.
He stated, “We loved each other, we loved singing with each other, we loved making music, we loved entertaining people, and we realized we can make people happy.” Fakir’s bandmates—Lawrence Payton, Renaldo “Obie” Benson, and Levi Stubbs—passed away in 1997, 2005, and 2008, respectively.
The Four Tops received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2009. Fast forward to 2022, Fakir published his memoir, “I’ll Be There: My Life With the Four Tops,” reflecting on his storied career.
As mentioned, Fakir is survived by his wife, Piper, his children, 13 grandchildren, and nine great-grandchildren.
The Force of the Four Tops
Although Levi Stubbs was the primary lead vocalist of the Four Tops, Abdul “Duke” Fakir’s voice was instrumental in creating the group’s different harmonies. Fakir also played a key role in maintaining harmony within the band, often smoothing conflicts.
In his memoir, he reflected on their unity, writing, “We were four totally different guys. But we had a love for the same thing, and that’s basically the whole story. Four guys from Detroit who came together because of our love of music, love of entertaining, and love of each other.”
Nothing is ever rosy. The group faced huge challenges before achieving commercial success. They performed extensively on the Chitlin’ Circuit, a network of clubs catering to African American audiences during the era of Jim Crow.
Abdul “Duke” Fakir also encountered racial challenges due to his mixed heritage. Despite his mother’s initial disapproval of their genre, calling it “The Devil’s Music,” Fakir’s experiences in church choirs and later with the Four Tops shaped his huge career in music.
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