Abdul “Duke” Fakir, the last living original member of The Four Tops, has died at age 88.
He died on Monday (July 22) of heart failure in his Detroit home surrounded by his wife of 50 years, Piper Gibson, and more loved ones.
“We are deeply saddened to announce the passing of our loving husband of 50 years, beloved father, grandfather, great-grandfather, friend and forever Four Tops, Abdul Kareem Fakir, better known as Duke,” Fakir’s family said in a statement per Rolling Stone. “Our hearts are heavy as we mourn the loss of a trailblazer, icon and music legend who, through his 70-year music career, touched the lives of so many as he continued to tour until the end of 2023, and officially retired this year. As the last living founding member of the iconic Four Tops music group, we find solace in Duke’s legacy living on through his music for generations to come.”
(L-R): Levi Stubbs, Renaldo ‘Obie’ Benson, Lawrence Payton, Abdul ‘Duke’ Fakir, circa 1986
Ebet Roberts/Redferns
The Four Tops — initially named The Four Aims, but changed it to avoid confusion with the Ames Brothers — were created by Fakir along with Levi Stubbs, Renaldo “Obie” Benson, and Lawrence Payton while they were attending Detroit’s Pershing High School in 1953. The quartet, best known for hits like “I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bun),” “Baby I Need Your Loving,” and “Ain’t No Woman (Like The One I’ve Got),” remained in tact until Payton died of liver cancer in 1997.
Benson died of lung cancer in 2005. Stubbs, the quartet’s lead singer, fought a battle with cancer in 1995, suffered a stroke in 2000, and died in his sleep in 2008. Fakir then recruited a new round of vocalists — lead vocalist Alexander Morris, Ronnie McNeir, and Lawrence “Roquel” Payton Jr., son of Lawrence Payton — to keep the Four Tops’ name alive.
The Four Tops, circa 1972, with Aretha Franklin (center)
Jeffrey Mayer/WireImage
In 2020, Fakir told UK Music Reviews, “As each one of [the original members] passed a little bit of me left with them. When Levi left us, I found myself in a quandary as to what I was going to do from that moment on but after a while I realized that the name together with the legacy that they had left us simply had to carry on, and judging by the audience reaction, it soon became pretty evident that I did the right thing and I really do feel good about that.”
Two years later in his 2022 memoir, I’ll Be There: My Life With The Four Tops, he declared, “I’m not going to ever retire. The Lord can retire me, but I’m not going to into the dark night quietly. I know I’m not in the fourth quarter anymore. I’m in overtime.”
Prior to his death, he was working on a Broadway musical about the beloved quartet — who was inducted into Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1990, the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1998, and earned their Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2009.
Fakir is survived by Gibson and six of his seven children.
VIBE sends our deepest condolences to the Fakir family and all those affected by this loss.
