The Four Tops' Renaldo "Obie" Benson died Friday shortly after being diagnosed with terminal lung cancer.
Benson, 68, co-founded the famed Motown group in 1954 in Detroit. He served as the group's bass voice and in the early days handled its choreography. Outside of the Tops, Benson was best-known for writing Marvin Gaye's 1971 classic "What's Going On" after witnessing a scuffle between police and peace demonstrators in San Francisco.
Fellow Top Abdul "Duke" Fakir said Benson "lived and enjoyed every minute of it. He put a smile on everyone's face, including my own."
Benson's leg was amputated earlier this month due to circulation problems. He suffered a heart attack after that surgery and was subsequently diagnosed with cancer. He is the second Four Tops member to pass away, following Lawrence Payton, who died in 1997. Health problems have kept Tops lead singer Levi Stubbs off the road for the past few years.
Benson is survived by two adult daughters, Ebony and Toby. Funeral arrangements were pending.
© Copyright 2005 by United Press International
