{"id":2427,"date":"2015-10-15T07:41:55","date_gmt":"2015-10-15T12:41:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/keenerpodcast.com\/?p=2427"},"modified":"2015-10-15T07:41:55","modified_gmt":"2015-10-15T12:41:55","slug":"tbt-with-the-four-tops","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/keener13.org\/?p=2427","title":{"rendered":"TBT With The Four Tops"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Four<\/a>By Bob Berry<\/p>\n

Keener’s Scotty Regan<\/strong><\/a> tells a great story about The Four Tops<\/strong><\/a>, and their lead singer Levi Stubbs.<\/p>\n

It seems one day Scotty was walking into Motown’s offices<\/strong><\/a> on W. Grand Blvd, when he runs into Levi, and asks how he was doing. The answer (which I am paraphrasing) threw him for a loop:<\/p>\n

“Man, Holland-Dozier-Holland<\/strong><\/a> just had us record our worst song ever. They had me singing like a black Bob Dylan<\/strong><\/a>..”. And off Levi steamed.<\/p>\n

As it turns out, Levi was wrong, twice<\/em>. “Reach Out, I’ll Be There” became the Tops’ second Number One single<\/strong><\/a>, 49 years ago today, October 12th, 1966.<\/p>\n

And he forgot that Levi Stubbs<\/strong><\/a>, pushed to imitate Dylan or not, was always, unmistakably, Levi.<\/p>\n

I hope you enjoy Throwback Thursday, with “Reach Out” (and Scotty helping out on vocals!) recorded live at The Roostertail<\/strong><\/a> for Keener’s Motown Monday<\/strong><\/a>. May Levi, Larry and Obie rest in peace, with thanks for the joy they brought us, then and now.<\/p>\n