Renaldo Benson facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Renaldo "Obie" Benson
|
|
|---|---|
Benson in 1967
|
|
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Renaldo Benson |
| Also known as | Obie Benson |
| Born | June 14, 1936 |
| Died | July 1, 2005 (aged 69) |
| Genres | |
| Occupation(s) | Singer-songwriter |
| Years active | 1954–2005 |
| Labels | |
| Associated acts | The Four Tops |
Renaldo "Obie" Benson (born June 14, 1936 – died July 1, 2005) was an American soul and R&B singer. He was also a talented songwriter.
Obie Benson was best known as a founding member of the famous Motown group, the Four Tops. He was the bass singer for the group. He joined the Four Tops in 1953 and sang with them for over 50 years. His last performance was in April 2005.
Benson also helped write the famous song "What's Going On". This song became a huge hit for Marvin Gaye in 1971. Rolling Stone magazine later called it one of the greatest songs of all time.
Contents
Obie Benson's Life and Music Career
Starting Out with The Four Tops (1954–1964)
Renaldo Benson went to Northern High School in Detroit, Michigan. There he met Lawrence Payton. In 1954, they met Levi Stubbs and Abdul "Duke" Fakir at a friend's party. They all loved to sing and decided to form a group.
They first called themselves the Four Aims. For a short time, Roquel Billy Davis, who was Lawrence Payton's cousin, was also in the group. Davis helped the group get signed to Chess Records. The group then changed their name to the Four Tops. This was to avoid confusion with another group called the Ames Brothers.
The Four Tops released one song with Chess Records, but it did not become a hit. After that, they recorded with other labels like Red Top Records and Riverside Records. In 1960, they signed with Columbia Records. They released a song called "Ain't That Love." In their early years, the Four Tops often sang at jazz clubs. Obie Benson was also in charge of creating the group's dance moves.
Becoming Famous (1964–1990)
In 1963, the Four Tops joined Motown Records. Motown was a very popular record company. Benson and the other members already knew Barrett Strong. He was a songwriter who had worked with famous artists like Jackie Wilson.
At Motown, the Four Tops worked with a songwriting team called Holland-Dozier-Holland. This team wrote and produced many of their biggest hits. These included "I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch)" and "Reach Out I'll Be There." Both of these songs became number one hits in the United States.
Writing "What's Going On"
In 1969, Obie Benson was on tour with the Four Tops. He saw an event in Berkeley, California, where people were protesting. This event made him think about the problems in the world. He started writing the song "What's Going On." He worked on the lyrics with his friend Al Cleveland.
Benson wanted the Four Tops to record the song. However, they felt it was too much of a protest song. He even asked singer Joan Baez to record it, but she said no. Finally, he asked Marvin Gaye. Marvin Gaye liked the song but thought another group, The Originals, should sing it.
Benson eventually convinced Marvin Gaye to record "What's Going On." Gaye added his own lyrics and musical ideas to the song. It was recorded in June 1970. At first, Motown Records did not want to release it. They thought it would not be popular. But the song was finally released and became a huge hit! It reached number two on the Billboard Pop Singles chart. It also topped the R&B chart.
"What's Going On" is still considered one of the greatest songs ever made. Rolling Stone magazine ranked it very high on their list of 500 Greatest Songs. It is also in The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll.
Later Career and Hits
After 1967, the Four Tops had fewer big hits. In 1972, Motown Records moved to Los Angeles. The Four Tops then signed with ABC-Dunhill. They had more Top 10 hits like "Keeper of the Castle" and "Ain't No Woman Like the One I've Got." These were their first Top 10 hits since 1967.
The Four Tops continued to have R&B hits for a few years. In 1981, they had another number one R&B hit with "When She Was My Girl." In 1983, the group returned to Motown for a special TV show called Motown 25. They recorded a few more albums before moving to Arista Records. Obie Benson and the Four Tops also sang on Aretha Franklin's album Through the Storm in 1989.
Hall of Fame and Final Years (1990–2005)
In 1990, Renaldo Benson and the Four Tops were honored. They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. This is a very special award for musicians. In 1997, they received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. In 1999, they were also inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame.
For over 40 years, the Four Tops had the same four members. This was very rare for a music group. However, in 1997, Lawrence Payton passed away. Temptation member Theo Peoples joined the group in 1998. Later, Levi Stubbs became ill, and Theo Peoples became the lead singer. Ronnie McNair took Lawrence Payton's place.
Obie Benson continued to tour a lot with the Four Tops. They often toured with another famous group, The Temptations.
Renaldo Benson passed away on July 1, 2005. He had been suffering from serious health issues. His last performance with the Four Tops was on April 8, 2005. He sang on the Late Show with David Letterman. After his death, Lawrence Payton's son, Roquel Payton, joined the group. Abdul "Duke" Fakir is now the only original member of the Four Tops still performing. Obie Benson is buried in Woodlawn Cemetery in Detroit.
