Abdul “Duke” Fakir, the sole remaining founding member of the popular Motown group, the Four Tops, recently passed away at 88 due to heart failure. The band was among Motown’s most respected and long-lasting, reaching their pinnacle in the 1960s. From 1964 to 1967, they had secured 11 hits in the top 20, including two that made it to number one: the melodious I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch) and the timeless operatic piece, Reach Out I’ll Be There.
Their compositions frequently portrayed stories of love, loss and grief, with notable works being Baby I Need Your Loving, Standing In The Shadows of Love, Bernadette and Just Ask The Lonely. Motown, the Detroit company established by Berry Gordy in the late 1950s, witnessed the emergence of its greatest stars, including the Supremes and Stevie Wonder.
However, Fakir, lead vocalist Levi Stubbs, Renaldo “Obie” Benson, and Lawrence Payton had already established their partnership a decade before their 1963 Motown signing. Their stage act was well-honed, and their versatile vocal skillset allowed their repertoire to span from country music to pop songs like Paper Doll. Initially, they named themselves the Four Aims, but due to potential mix-up with the Ames Brothers, another quartet, they rebranded themselves as the Four Tops.
In the early 1980s, their last entry into the top 20 was with the heartfelt ballad, When She Was My Girl. They remained active in concerts and occasionally joined tours with members of the Temptations, sparking a friendly rivalry when both groups performed in the grand television concert in 1983 honouring Motown’s 25th anniversary.
Unlike the Temptations and other contemporaries who were plagued by substance abuse, internal strife, and changes in line-up, the unity of the Four Tops remained unbroken until Payton’s death in 1997. Benson passed away in 2005, followed by Stubbs in 2008.
Fakir, a beloved figure in the world of music, was always admired for his professionalism, fun-loving attitude, and charm. His qualities were laudable enough to be highlighted by Wonder when he presented them for induction at the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame in 1990.
Subsequently, Fakir embarked on a tour as part of the Four Tops, with Alexander Morris taking centre stage as the lead singer, alongside Ronnie McNeir and Lawrence Payton Jr., the offspring of Lawrence Payton. In recent times, Fakir had been devoting his time to developing a Broadway musical inspired by their personal experiences and had also finished writing his memoir ‘I’ll Be There’, which went into print in 2022.
Throughout his life, Fakir had been married twice and was a father to five children. His second and last wife was Piper Gibson, while in the mid-1960s, he was briefly betrothed to Mary Wilson, who was a part of the Supremes.
Born and raised in the heart of Detroit, Fakir descended from both Ethiopian and Bangladeshi lineage. His early years were spent in a tumultuous neighbourhood, rife with clashes between rival black and white gangs. Originally envisaging a career in professional sports, Fakir also caught people’s eyes as a talented singer from an early age. His distinct tenor voice earned him recognition as a notable member of his church choir.
Fakir passed away peacefully surrounded by his wife and his loved ones.