Post by Motorcity on Oct 25, 2008 14:00:51 GMT -5
Saturday, October 25, 2008
Visitation for Motown great Levi Stubbs under way
The Detroit News
DETROIT -- Visitation for Levi Stubbs began Saturday and will continue until his funeral Monday.
Stubbs, whose gritty, impassioned baritone was one of the most iconic voices to come out of Motown Records, died Oct. 17 in his sleep, at his Detroit home. The singer, whom Motown founder Berry Gordy called "the greatest interpreter of songs I ever heard," was 72.
"Levi Stubbs was one of the great voices of all times," Motown colleague Smokey Robinson said after learning of Stubbs' death. "He was very near and dear to my heart. He was my friend and my brother, I miss him. God bless his family and comfort them."
The visitation is from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at the Swanson Funeral Home, 4751 W. McNichols Road, Detroit. Services are 11 a.m. Monday at Greater Grace Temple, 23500 W. Seven Mile.
Stubbs suffered a series of strokes that forced him to retire from touring with the Four Tops in 2000. The original group -- which also included Detroiters Abdul "Duke" Fakir, Lawrence Payton and Renaldo "Obie" Benson -- got together during their high school days in the early 1950s. Stubbs went to Pershing, where he met Fakir. The two sang together, then formed a group with two friends from Northern High, Payton and Benson.
At first called the Four Aims, then the Four Tops, they were seasoned performers on the posh nightclub circuit. Fakir is now the only survivor of the original group; Payton died in 1997 and Benson in 2005.
Stubbs used a wheelchair for the past several years and was surrounded by a supportive family. His children visited often, especially son Levi III and daughter Kelly, who lived nearby and were over every day to help their mother Clineice.
"He was a wonderful father, the best in the world," daughter Kelly said at her parents' home as friends and family gathered a week ago after his death.
Stubbs is survived by his wife Clineice, three sisters, his children Deborah, Beverly, Raymond, Levi III and Kelly; 11 grandchildren and 10 great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by one sister and three brothers.
Reporter Susan Whitall contributed to this story.
Find this article at:
www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20081025/METRO/810250412
Visitation for Motown great Levi Stubbs under way
The Detroit News
DETROIT -- Visitation for Levi Stubbs began Saturday and will continue until his funeral Monday.
Stubbs, whose gritty, impassioned baritone was one of the most iconic voices to come out of Motown Records, died Oct. 17 in his sleep, at his Detroit home. The singer, whom Motown founder Berry Gordy called "the greatest interpreter of songs I ever heard," was 72.
"Levi Stubbs was one of the great voices of all times," Motown colleague Smokey Robinson said after learning of Stubbs' death. "He was very near and dear to my heart. He was my friend and my brother, I miss him. God bless his family and comfort them."
The visitation is from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at the Swanson Funeral Home, 4751 W. McNichols Road, Detroit. Services are 11 a.m. Monday at Greater Grace Temple, 23500 W. Seven Mile.
Stubbs suffered a series of strokes that forced him to retire from touring with the Four Tops in 2000. The original group -- which also included Detroiters Abdul "Duke" Fakir, Lawrence Payton and Renaldo "Obie" Benson -- got together during their high school days in the early 1950s. Stubbs went to Pershing, where he met Fakir. The two sang together, then formed a group with two friends from Northern High, Payton and Benson.
At first called the Four Aims, then the Four Tops, they were seasoned performers on the posh nightclub circuit. Fakir is now the only survivor of the original group; Payton died in 1997 and Benson in 2005.
Stubbs used a wheelchair for the past several years and was surrounded by a supportive family. His children visited often, especially son Levi III and daughter Kelly, who lived nearby and were over every day to help their mother Clineice.
"He was a wonderful father, the best in the world," daughter Kelly said at her parents' home as friends and family gathered a week ago after his death.
Stubbs is survived by his wife Clineice, three sisters, his children Deborah, Beverly, Raymond, Levi III and Kelly; 11 grandchildren and 10 great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by one sister and three brothers.
Reporter Susan Whitall contributed to this story.
Find this article at:
www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20081025/METRO/810250412