In 1980, I was a district reporter on the East Manchester Reporter, a local weekly newspaper which reached out to the north of the city, covering Newton Heath, Moston and Harpurhey, bordering on to Blackley.
It was here, at Holy Trinity C of E School, in a tight-knit neighbourhood of terraced houses just off Moston Lane that two of the original Four Tops came to open the parish Christmas fair. The presence of Abdul Fakir and Renaldo Benson - known to all as 'Duke' and 'Obie'. had the desired effect, attracting a larger-than-usual turnout for the fair which raised £1,100 for church funds - a hugely impressive sum in an era of high unemployment and economic restraint. Inevitably there was a long and winding queue of fans and autograph seekers eager to meet two of the legendary American soul group, among the main players of the 1960s 'Motown Sound' - their classic hits including Reach Out I'll Be There, Standing In The Shadows of Love and Walk Away Renee.
What a scoop for the church - and for us! The vicar, Father Nicholas was one of our regular contacts and had invited me along with Reporter photographer Dave Dent to capture a unique occasion for the church, school and the local community. Duke and Obie were happy to chat to me and to pose for a photo with Father Nicholas and two girls from the local Brownie pack.
The story and picture made the front page of our local edition the following week - and after all these years still has pride of place in my scrapbook.
The following is an extract from my original report from October 1980 - including the thoughts of the two special guests:
To cheers from customers and stallholders, Duke Fakir and Obie Benson were introduced by Father Nicholas as they entered Holy Trinity Primary School hall. They called at each stall chatting with the stallholders before signing photographs...
A lengthy queue of youngsters and adults waited patiently to meet the singers. Some carried instamatic cameras to photograph friends or relatives with the Tops.
Visits to schools and churches are part of a regular routine for the group in the United States. Duke told the Reporter: "At home in Detroit we make many appearances like this. In England I think many people are afraid to ask us because they don't think we will come."
Obie added: "When we were youngsters we often dreamed of meeting our favourite pop stars. After we became famous we decided we should make these kind of public appearances to keep in touch with the people."
Pictured below: Obie Benson and Duke Fakir of The Four Tops are offered crisps by two members of Holy Trinity Brownies, Janine Pope and Amanda Bartholomew, both aged eight. Looking on is Father Nicholas. Photo by Dave Dent, East Manchester Reporter, 25/10/1980
THE FOUR TOPS
23/07/2024: Last surviving member dies aged 88: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c4ng8015n2wo
Abdul 'Duke' Fakir: December 26, 1935 – July 22, 2024
Levi Stubbs: June 6, 1936 – October 17, 2008
Renaldo 'Obie' Benson: June 14, 1936 – July 1, 2005
Lawrence Payton: March 2, 1938 – June 20, 1997
Biggest hits include:
Reach Out I'll Be There, 1966, highest chart position no.1
Standing In The Shadows of Love, 1967, highest chart position no.6
Bernadette, 1967, highest chart position no.8
Walk Away Renee, 1967, highest chart position no. 3
If I Were A Carpenter, 1968, highest chart position no.7
It's All In The Game, 1970, highest chart position no.5
Simple Game, 1971, highest chart position no.3
When She Was My Girl, 1981, highest chart position no.3
Loco In Acapulco, 1988, highest chart position no.7
© Mike Wallbank, The Show That Time Forgot
Tameside Radio
July 2024
