Duke Fakir retires as last original Four Tops member; Michael Brock to join

[Motown Eddie]

From SoulTracks.com:

They are on the Mount Rushmore of soul groups, and are among the bedrock acts of Motown’s tremendous run in the 1960s. And the Four Tops continue on, nearly seven decades after forming in Detroit in the 1950s. But there will be a notable change going forward, as Abdul “Duke” Fakir, the last surviving original member of the group, has retired at age 88. Duke had been the sole original member of the group for nearly two decades, since the retirement of lead singer Levi Stubbs and the 2005 passing of Obie Benson.
With Duke’s retirement, the group now consists of Alexander Morris, Ronnie McNeir, Lawrence Payton, Jr. [son of founding member Lawrence Payton, Sr.] and the newest member, singer Michael Brock.

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Duke Fakir retires as last original Four Tops member; Michael Brock to join - SoulTracks

[copley]

With the retiral of Duke there are no original members left. They are now merely nothing more than a tribute act!

[Sotosound]

With the retiral of Duke there are no original members left. They are now merely nothing more than a tribute act!

From Four Tops to One Top to No Tops.

Odyssey have a similar thing going.

Both are now tribute acts.

[BayouMotownMan]

I think Duke should have retired the name, but no doubt he and the surviving family members of the other Tops get a nice cut from the performances. It's not a group I would pay to see

[Motown Eddie]

From Four Tops to One Top to No Tops.

Odyssey have a similar thing going.

Both are now tribute acts.

And we can add The Spinners to the list of vocal groups that don't have any original members in their lineup with the retirement [and passing] of Henry Fambrough.

[soulwally]

Michael Brock is a super singer, been in The Dramatics, and Willie Ford’s version of the group after the split with LJ Reynolds