e Four Tops – USA Radio Museum

FOUR TOPS SPIN MAGIC OVERSEAS IN U.K. . . . NOVEMBER 26, 1966

The 4 Tops Act Takes U.K. by Storm

 

 

Billboard September 17, 1966.

LONDON — Motown’s Four Tops took London by storm, Sunday, January 13 (Note: actual date was November 13, according to Adam White, U.K. Motown historian), with a memorable one-night-only performance at Brian Epstein’s Saville Theater.

The group gave two sold-out concerts before an audience that included John Lennon, Mick Jagger, Donovan, Jane Asher, Eric Burdon, Georgie Fame, and EMI chief Sir Joseph Lockwood.

The fantastic reception the Four Tops were accorded should assure Epstein of boom box-office takings when the group undertakes a nationwide tour of Britain for him in January.

As the group’s stage debut marked the launching of the Saville — previously a legit theater — as a London showcase for pop talent. Following unsuccessful stage venues including Ron Moody’s musical “Joey, Joey,” Epstein has announced that he will concentrate on staging the world’s top pop talents at his West End venue.

In the words of Decca’s promoter Tony Hall, who hosted Sunday’s show, Epstein plans to turn it into the Apollo of Shaftesbury Avenue. Little Richard is expected to give a one-nighter there later this year, and Epstein has scheduled a Christmas show starring Georgie Fame and Julie Felex.

The concert acclaim for the Tops sets the seal on their British chart success with “Reach Out (I’ll Be There),” which has climax a magnificent 1966 for Tamla-Motown here during time it has had up to six and seven acts simultaneously in the top 50 — a fantastic achievement for a U.S. label.


The Four Tops, Brian Epstein, back-stage press conference at the Saville Theater, London, November 13, 1966.

The Four Tops included three good renditions of non-Motown songs in their act, the Beatles’ “Michelle,” Tom Jones’ hit, “It’s Not Unusual,” and a great workout set on stage with “If I Had A Hammer.” They ran a number associated with their sound, “Baby, I Need Your Lovin,” and had to give two performances of “Reach Out.” They left their audience clapping, singing, and very happy — shouting, demanding more.

The quartet was backed by Bob Miller’s big pop band. Also on the bill was one of Epstein’s most professional acts, Cliff Beznett and the Rebel Rousers, whose strong act included their Beatles-penned British hit, “Got To Get You Into My Life,” and an Australian group called the Easybeats, currently scoring here with “Friday On My Mind.” END

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Credit, information and news source: Billboard, November 26, 1966

USARM Note: This post was previously published and archived by Motor City Radio Flashbacks on January 27, 2012

The Four Tops greets Beatles’ manager Brian Epstein, Tops UK promoter, with Del-Shannon at the Royal Albert Hall in London.

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MOTOWN MONDAYS! THE FOUR TOPS ON CBS’ ED SULLIVAN SHOW

THE MOTOWN SOUND

The Ed Sullivan Show

 

The entire Ed Sullivan Show catalogue has hit the streaming platforms!

On June 12, 2020 came news Universal Music Enterprises and Sofa Entertainment brokered a deal to license and make available the entire Ed Sullivan video performance from the Sofa library, who acquired the entire catalogue in 1990. UME will make available the entire catalogue for public streaming in restored, digitized form, according to the Detroit Free Press.

Since its premiere launch on June 12, more videos have been added on the official Ed Sullivan You Tube channel, highlighting the Motown sound. As reported, it will take three years to upload the more than 10,000 performances which aired Sunday evenings on CBS-TV from June 20, 1948 to June 6, 1971.

For more on this story, go HERE.

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Note: Ed Sullivan passed away on October 13, 1974. He was 73.

 

THE ED SULLIVAN SHOW . . .  CBS’ MOTOWN CLASSICS!

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NEW! For this ‘Motown’ Monday, we are featuring three classic Motown video performances from the Ed Sullivan Show:

The Four Tops (1966), The Temptations (1967), The Supremes (1965)

MORE Ed Sullivan Motown performances will be forthcoming on Motor City Radio Flashbacks!

 

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DETROIT MOTOWN MONDAY: RECORD FLASHBACK ’70

 

 

 

 

THE FUNK BROTHERS

(THE FOUR TOPS)

 

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Released September 5, “Still Water” peaked at #4 (charted 13 total weeks R&B overall) on the Billboard R&B chart in 1970. B-side: “Still Water (Peace)”

 

MOTOWN 1170 (Source: Billboard Top R&B Singles)

 

 

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MOTOWN MONDAYS! ’66 4 TOPS NEWS PRINT FEATURE

Detroit Free Press August 19, 1966

Detroit Free Press August 19, 1966

 

Friday, August 19, 1966

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A MOTOWN MONDAY NEWS PRINT BACK-PAGE

The Detroit Free Press: ‘Motown Mondays on the Radio’

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Above article is courtesy freep.com newspaper archive. Copyright 2020. Newspapers.com.

The above featured ‘Motown’ newsprint article was clipped, saved, and imaged from the credited source by Motor City Radio Flashbacks

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Missed any of our previous MOTOWN related news prints? GO HERE

 

 

On your mobile device? Tap over above newsprint image. Open to second window. “Stretch” image across your device screen to magnify for largest print view.

On your PC? Click on all images 2x for largest print view.

 


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