Renaldo "Obie" Benson (June 14, 1936 – July 1, 2005) was an American soul and R&B singer and songwriter. He was best known as a founding member and the bass singer of Motown group the Four Tops, which he joined in 1953 and continued to perform with for over five decades, until April 8, 2005.
He also co-wrote "What's Going On" which became a No. 2 hit for Marvin Gaye in 1971, and which Rolling Stone rated as No. 4 on their List of Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time released in 2004.
Early life and education
Renaldo Benson was born in Detroit, Michigan on June 14, 1936. Benson attended Northern High School in Detroit, Michigan with Lawrence Payton.
The Four Tops
Formation: 1953–1964
The pair met Levi Stubbs and Abdul "Duke" Fakir while singing at a friend's birthday party in 1954 and decided to form a group called the Four Aims. Benson went into cardiac arrest and died of lung cancer and other illnesses on July 1, 2005.
References
Notes
- [ Allmusic.com article on Renaldo Benson]
- History of Rock article on the Four Tops
- Ben Edmonds, What's Going On?: What's Going On and the Last Days of the Motown Sound Canongate US 2003 on the recording of "What's Going On?"
- Rolling Stone article on "What's Going On" as part of its 500 Greatest Songs of All Time article
Obituaries
- ABC News America article on Benson's death
- Washington Post article on Benson's death
- Washington Times obituary
- Detroit News Susan Whitall's Remembrance
- Funeral Photo Gallery: Renaldo "Obie" Benson