Sunday, October 19, 2008

Levi Stubbs, 1936-2008


Sad news tonight..Levi Stubbs, the legendary lead singer of the Four Tops died tonight. He was only 72. Levi had been battling cancer for awhile, and then had a stroke that took him away from us.


Out of all the Motown voices, he was my favorite..except for maybe David Briggs or Marvin Gaye on a good night. That sweet husky baritone and his exquisite phrasing could almost always move me on songs like 'Reach out , I'll be there', 'Keeper of the Castle' or 'Standing in the Shadows of Love' no matter how often I heard them.


Levi was the third of the original group to make the passage...Lawrence Payton died in 1997 and Renaldo Benson died in 2005. Maybe they've reunited wherever they are and are launching into a tune.


Sadly, they don't make 'em like these guys any more, and every time one of the old masters passes away it makes me reflect on how little there is in the way of raw talent to replace them..I mean, Brittney Spears has the number 1 album right now...


Selah...








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