DEATH

The Temptations had more hits, but thanks in part to original member Renaldo ''Obie'' Benson, no group delivered soul with as much fire as the Four Tops. The bass singer, who died July 1 of lung cancer at age 69 in his hometown of Detroit, scored both as a Tops vocalist (''Standing in the Shadows of Love,'' ''Reach Out [I'll Be There]'') and as a songwriter (Marvin Gaye's 1971 anti-violence anthem ''What's Going On''). Motown — and music — wouldn't have been the same without him.

Originally posted Jul 08, 2005 Published in issue #829 Jul 15, 2005 Order article reprints
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