(January 1, 2026) It seems like the The Four Tops have been part of our lives forever, and they keep chugging along as they excitedly enter their 8th decade of musical greatness, with a full 2026 schedule.
Formed in the mid-50s as high schoolers in Detroit, Levi Stubbs, Obie Benson, Lawrence Payton and Duke Fakir were first known as the Four Aims. However, to avoid confusion with the popular Ames Brothers vocal quartet, the group changed its name to the one that would become synonymous with Detroit’s “Sound of Young America,” The Four Tops. After cutting several tracks for various record labels in the late 50s and early 60s, the Tops signed with Berry Gordy’s Motown label and teamed with super songwriters Holland/Dozier/Holland. Their first collaboration, 1965’s “Baby I Need Your Lovin,” was a smash crossover hit and set the stage for jaw-dropping future successes. Over the next three decades, the Tops became an institution on the Pop and R&B charts, with over 50 hits, including the #1 smashes “I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch),” “Reach Out, I’ll Be There,” “Ain’t No Woman (Like The One I Got), and “When She Was My Girl.”
Sadly, the original group members have passed, beginning with Payton in 1997 and ending with Duke Fakir in 2024. But during those years, the Tops carefully added new members who were able to capture the classic Four Tops sound. Former Temptations lead singer Theo Peoples was the first to join the group following Payton’s death (and after a time away, rejoined in 2024), and accomplished singer and Four Tops keyboardist Ronnie McNeir moved to the front of the stage in 2001 after Stubbs’ health issues forced him to retire. Lawrence Payton, Jr. became a Top in 2005 upon the death of Obie Benson, and Michael Brock was Duke Fakir’s personal choice to replace him when he retired in 2024 (and sadly died soon after). In each case, the Tops were careful to prepare for changes, finding both talented singers and men who fit in the group. As Brock told us, “I was Duke’s understudy, and he trained me for over 15 years to step in and become a member of The Four Tops upon his retirement. It is such an honor to follow in the footsteps of Duke Fakir and continue the legacy of The Four Tops.“
My wife and I were blessed to see the current lineup of the Tops in Fall of 2025 as part of the Motown Museum 40th anniversary celebration, and they sound fantastic. And it is clear that the members understand the legacy that they’ve inherited. As Payton, son of group founder Lawrence Payton, told us, “Being a Top means carrying on a standard of family perfection, loyalty, commitment, and longevity and honoring the legacy of my father and The Four Tops.”
So, as we enter 2026, we celebrate this classic soul group that continues to bring it night after night, thrilling longtime fans while attracting new ones with their iconic collection of songs and a stage show that brings the house down.
By Chris Rizik
Here are their upcoming 2026 shows (click on links for ticket information):
January 17 – Fantasy Springs Resort Casino, Indio, CA
February 12 – Mayo Performing Arts Center, Morristown NJ
February 13 – Toyota Oakdale Theatre, Wallingford, CT
February 14 – Seneca Casinos, Niagara Falls, NY
February 21 (8:00) – Andiamo Celebrity Showroom, Warren, Michigan
March 23 – Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, Sarasota, FL
March 24 – Ruth Eckerd Hall, Clearwater, FL
March 26 – Peabody Auditorium, Daytona Beach, FL
