To begin today … Happy Heavenly Birthday to the great Levi Stubbs … lead singer of the Four Tops! I have been a fan and in awe of his voice and the Four Tops ever since the first time I heard “Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch” on my AM radio! As the Four tops hits were rolling in and as a record collector, I started to research this incredible vocal group. I then realized that they had been singing for years, first as the Four Aims until becoming the Four Tops. As the group Four Aims, their Bass singer, Obie Benson sang lead on “She Gave Me Love”… later in 1956 … they changed their name to the Four Tops and recorded on the Chess Label … “Could It Be You” … the lead was sung in Harmony! As a group their harmonies were tight, they could sing any genre but made a career singing for the Motown Label as the Four Tops with the great Levi Stubbs taking the lead. I remember the first time I/we performed with the Four Tops as the Headliner in a show at Three Rivers Stadium. We opened the show that day but was able to watch the Four Tops in action … their harmonies were impeccable, their moves were tasteful and contagious but Levi’s connection with the audience was amazing! The Tops closed the show and was joined by the cast of the entire concert with the likes of Peter Noone and the Chiffons … you can image when we came back on stage, singing directly behind Levi, the rush I had to perform on the same stage and with the great Levi Stubbs! A few years later, I/we again had the honor of performing with the Four Tops and again spent some quality time with two of my favorite people from Motown … Levi Stubbs and Melvin Franklin of the Temptations. It was then that I realized that they were just two great guys that came up the hard way of the big city just as I had. Both gentlemen were kind and understanding and shared stories like we were old friends who grew up together. If you ever have the chance to stop by my Museum, Johnny Angels Ginchy Stuff and Museum in Da’Burgh… you will find a display of the Four Tops … in that display is an album of the soundtrack from the Little Shop of Horrors re-make movie … the voice of the Man Eating Plant was that of … Levi Stubbs … FEED ME! Levi Stubbs … Amazing!