As one of the groups who defined the Motown sound in the 1950s and 1960s, the
Four Tops were a huge influence on the wider music world with a series of
immortal hit singles including “I Can't Help Myself” and “Reach Out I'll Be
There.” They were originally formed by Levi Stubbs, Duke Fakir, Obie Benson, and
Lawrence Payton when all were students in Detroit - originally performing as the
Four Aims and changing their name to the Four Tops to avoid confusion with
another group, the Ames Brothers. Signed to Chess Records in 1956, they released
a series of records without any great su...