The Lasting Legacy of Abdul “Duke” Fakir, The Four Tops’ Last Original Member
Abdul “Duke” Fakir, the last living original member of the legendary Motown group The Four Tops, has passed away at the age of 88. Fakir died on Monday, July 22, due to heart failure in his Detroit home, surrounded by his wife of 50 years, Piper Gibson, and loved ones.
Born Abdul Kareem Fakir, he was a founding member of The Four Tops, along with Levi Stubbs, Renaldo “Obie” Benson, and Lawrence Payton. The group, known for their smooth harmonies and catchy hits like “I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bun)” and “Baby I Need Your Loving,” remained together until Payton’s death in 1997.
Fakir’s family released a statement, saying: “We are deeply saddened to announce the passing of our loving husband of 50 years, beloved father, grandfather, great-grandfather, friend and forever Four Tops, Abdul Kareem Fakir, better known as Duke.” They added, “Our hearts are heavy as we mourn the loss of a trailblazer, icon, and music legend who, through his 70-year music career, touched the lives of so many as he continued to tour until the end of 2023, and officially retired this year. As the last living founding member of the iconic Four Tops music group, we find solace in Duke’s legacy living on through his music for generations to come.”
Throughout his career, Fakir remained committed to carrying on the legacy of The Four Tops. In a 2020 interview with UK Music Reviews, he said, “As each one of [the original members] passed a little bit of me left with them. When Levi left us, I found myself in a quandary as to what I was going to do from that moment on but after a while I realized that the name together with the legacy that they had left us simply had to carry on, and judging by the audience reaction, it soon became pretty evident that I did the right thing and I really do feel good about that.”
Fakir is survived by his wife, Piper Gibson, and six of his seven children. The music world is mourning the loss of this legendary artist, who left an indelible mark on the music industry.
