Levi stubbs and his loyalty to the four tops

[milven]

In another thread nativeNY63 asked an interesting question.

IMHO, all I wanna know is: What made Levi Stubbs so fiercely loyal to The Tops? I venture to say he's got to be the only lead singer, of his caliber, to do so in a Soul and/or R & B group. Thoughts.

He never went solo and never considered having the name of the group changed to Levi Stubbs & the Four Tops. And the same members stayed with the group until health and death . My guess is they all got along and appreciated that they had a good thing going.

I cant think of another group that kept its same members.

[heikki]

Hi!

Let's not forget another very tight group, The Dells, which performed in the very same line-up from 1952 till 2009, with the exception of one change in the early 60s.

Best regards
Heikki

[jaybs]

LEVI was so genuine, and loyal, I think he could have easily released solo. but he saw himself as part of a sound, The Four Tops sound! This is why Duke's book is going to be so interesting! to make comparrison with many things I discussed at the time, in and after interviews.

[1382hitsville]

Levi Stubbs & the Three Tops.

Nah....Four Tops Fourever!

[Circa 1824]

Levi was The Four Tops, so why go solo?

I know all 4 were needed for the stage show, but were the other Tops really needed in the studio? I know the Andantes were used.

[tjl]

I'd say you'd have to include "Little Anthony" of the Imperials too in this category - and Bobby Smith of The Spinners.

[arr&bee]

How bout- walter williams-eddie lavert[the o'jays]?

[bob_olhsson]

Levi absolutely LOVED singing harmony with the rest of the group. I suspect he only put up with what I heard him call "that screamin' sh!t" because of its commercial necessity.

Levi and Gladys Knight were by far the most fun singers I got to record. Each would stand there and out-sing themselves until the producer was too tired to keep on going.

[Sotosound]

Levi was The Four Tops, so why go solo?

I know all 4 were needed for the stage show, but were the other Tops really needed in the studio? I know the Andantes were used.

Sheesh! That's a broad brush.

If you listen carefully to the big Motown hits then you will always hear all of the Four Tops plus, sometimes, sweetening by the Andantes, not just Levi Stubbs and The Andantes.

Moreover, the Tops' Motown producers didn't always use The Andantes. Check out "Loving You Is Sweeter Than Ever."

Even further than this, when they left Motown they also left The Andantes behind while continuing to have chart hits for a further 15 years or so.

Even further than this, Levi wasn't the only lead singer. Just listen to "Simple Game" or "One Woman Man".

Also, their vocal arrangements were all created by Lawrence Payton. If you hear the isolated backing vocals of "Bernadette", for instance, then you'll get some idea of just how good those vocal arrangements were. They weren't show-off-y, however. They were just an essential ingredient that would have been so noticeable in its absence. Imagine an Italian Bolognese sauce without garlic or herbs, or potato crisps without salt.

[PeaceNHarmony]

Levi absolutely LOVED singing harmony with the rest of the group. I suspect he only put up with what I heard him call "that screamin' sh!t" because of its commercial necessity.

Levi and Gladys Knight were by far the most fun singers I got to record. Each would stand there and out-sing themselves until the producer was too tired to keep on going.

Thanks so much, Bob - I SO value the posts you and Ralph provide. Did Levi and Gladys record at the same time as their group members as a rule, or were the leads done separately?

[PeaceNHarmony]

Hi!

Let's not forget another very tight group, The Dells, which performed in the very same line-up from 1952 till 2009, with the exception of one change in the early 60s.

Best regards
Heikki

My BELOVED Dells ...

[bob_olhsson]

Thanks so much, Bob - I SO value the posts you and Ralph provide. Did Levi and Gladys record at the same time as their group members as a rule, or were the leads done separately?

I don't remember separately.

[tmd]

Were absolutely part of the Tops, reached the pinnacle with Ask the Lonely, which really should have been called Levi Stubbs and the Andantes.

[tmd]

Agree, Marvin Junior ranks just below Levi, love his voice, There Is an amazing song

[Sharpmoves]

What a brilliant and rightfully respectful thread dedicated to one of the greatest singers of all time, Levi Stubbs. A voice of operatic emotional and dramatic power and a person of true character and professionalism. It was Levi's voice that cut through to me as a child in the 1960s, increasingly absorbed in the popular music of the time. Reach Out really did that - it reached out and found me, and the album of the same name became a fixture on my tinny record player. Each song, interpreted by this great singer and his group created a vivid glimpse of the adult world and its passion and pain. It changed my life and shaped my musical tastes to this day. RIP Levi Stubbs.