Four Tops frontman Levi Stubbs dead at 72

Levi Stubbs will be sorely missed.  I grew up with his music and still play it today.  He and the 4 Tops were truly one of the greatest.  God bless him for making so many wonderful memories to people of my generation.

One Song defines the majesty of Mr. Stubbs' voice---Ask The Lonely.  He took the lyrics and made them his own.  He told a story of heartache and sadness with a mellow tone that crescendoed into a painful acknowledgment of him being the loneliest of lonelies after love died.  His range was far reaching and could leave you trembling in amazement as you audibly witnessed his incomparable ability to make the listener feel as though  those words were meant for him/her.  The cream of the crop-the voice of the Four Tops is gone, but his majesty will reign forever in the music we were so blessed to hear for so many years. Condolences to the family and may God bless you all. Thank You Levi for that "old school Motown magic" when music was respectable, meaningful, and real.

They were my fave soul group of the 60's. They played a few years ago at the casino I worked at north of Seattle, & Mr Stubbs and I got to talking while they were waiting for their limo. When I asked him & the other guys about what it was like growing up in a neighborhood with so much talent, he said that if you liked to sing, it was heaven. We talked for quite a while about music, Motown, the NBA, & '68 Tigers, & I really feel blessed to have gotten to connect with this very nice man, & I'll always treasure the picture the group autographed to me.

BTW, to respond to the commenter who said "The giants of the era are dropping...", we should feel really fortunate to have grown up in an era where we had so many giants.

I simply loved Levi Stubbs of the Four Tops.  His voice was unique and he was so good looking.  I guess you can tell I had a crush.  I am a native Detroiter, who loved the way Levi took a song and made it his own.  My favorite was I Believe in You and Me.  What a beautful song.  I cried when I saw him do it on stage with the New Tops while he was ill.  In spite of his illness, he still could sing.  I feel as though I've lost a love one, because throughout the years I've always felt connected to his music.  It still sounds wonderful even 40 years later.  Thank you for the wonderful memories.

RIP

Pat

As a small child, I definitely remember certain songs. I couldn't tell you who it was, but I could always sing the "hook".Even more so than the Temptations, the Four Tops were ingrained into my memory. Starting Kindergarten (Sept. 1964), I would hear "Baby, I need your loving" daily. My musical catalog was beginning, and Motown was the soundtrack of my early life. No one voice spoke to me stronger than Levi Stubbs and I've kept their songs dear to my heart. For my twelfth birthday, I recieved the five-record set "The Motown Story" and all the songs of my childhood were finally secured. I've been a Radio and Club DJ for over 30 years now, and all these years later I'm realizing that even though I was very young then, I was fortunate to see the impact these records had firsthand. My heart is very heavy right now. I'll be singing "Reach out, I'll be there" until my dying day.

Levi Stubbs was member of a unique breed of man, voice, singer and performer; like his fellow iconic contemporaries of that era, Paul Williams, David Ruffin, Eddie Kendircks and Smoky at Motown, Eddie Levert in Philly and Marvin Junior and later on, Maurice White in ChiTown; that inspired latter visionaries and unique voices and talents like Gerald Levert to write, sing and live lyrics like "I want to live the love that I sing about, in my song." We are so blessed to live at a time in hunan history to possess technology which allows us the luxury of the highest possible quality of original recorfings of these gifted artist's, audio and now video,  to survive their passing and preserve the presentation, choreography, range, phrasing, tones, timing, squeeks, growls, melodies and refrains of their individual unique styles for future generations to experience, be awed by, taught by, and exceed.

The loss of an entertainer has never affected me like when I heard the news of Levi Stubbs' death. For most of my cognizant life, the music of the Four Tops was and still is part of my personal soundtrack. Starting with kindergarten (Sept. 1964), Motown was my strongest musical influence. I feel fortunate to come along just in time to witness the impact of these songs, most notably the Four Tops & Supremes. "Reach out, I'll be there" is my favorite song of all time, and after DJ'ing for the last 30 years I still have so many memories of that time. Much love to the 1960's. Levi, R.I.P.

There will never be a voice that golden. Voices like that don't come around that often. Everyone has a part of their life they can relate to his music and his voice. I have some truly fond memories and he will never be forgot.God Bless Levi and thank you  for the wonderful memories.