The legendary Four Tops will headline this year's 15th annual Presidential Scholarship Gala at Claflin University.

The scholarship fund-raising event will be held Friday, Nov. 21, in Tullis Arena of the Jones T. Kennedy Health and Physical Education Center. The event begins with a silent auction at 6 p.m., and the gala begins at 7 p.m. Tickets are currently on sale for $200 per person and available for purchase from Dr. Iris D. Bomar on the third floor of Tingley Memorial Hall on campus. For more information, call 803-535-5376.

"This year marks the 15th year of the Presidential Scholarship Gala and the 15th year of Dr. Henry N. Tisdale's presidency," said Spencer Anderson, the 2008 gala chairman. "We are excited about having The Four Tops this year. The entertainment is always one of the highlights of the evening."

The Presidential Scholarship Gala supports the university's presidential scholars. Additionally, the event pays tribute to leaders with the induction of new members to the Claflin University Hall of Fame and provides a special social event for alumni and the Orangeburg community. This year's theme is taken from the new university tagline, "The World Needs Visionaries."

"Funds from the Gala provide scholarships for academically gifted students pursuing studies at the undergraduate level," said Claflin University President Dr. Henry N. Tisdale. "Support from alumni and the community each year demonstrate their commitment to helping our scholars become competitive beyond the walls of Claflin, especially for post graduate degrees."

The Four Tops have been marveling audiences with their blend of vocal power and harmonies since 1954. High school friends from Detroit's North End, Levi Stubbs, Renaldo "Obie" Benson, Abdul "Duke" Fakir and Lawrence Payton started playing parties as the Four Aims, as they were aiming for the top. After catching the ear and eye of singer Billy Eckstine, they changed their name to The Four Tops, so as not to be confused with the Ames Brothers.

After a stint with Chess Records in the late 1950s and Columbia Records in the early '60s, the group was introduced to Berry Gordy, who signed them to his new label, Motown Records. At Motown, the group was teamed with songwriters Holland, Dozier and Holland. Hit after hit followed, starting in 1964 with "Baby I Need Your Loving" and continuing with songs like "Reach Out, I'll Be There," "Standing In The Shadows of Love," "Bernadette" and " I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch)." The group was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in the early 1990s.

In June 1997, Lawrence Payton died of liver cancer. The group decided to continue and worked for almost two years with the three remaining members, with no signs of slowing down, dedicating every show to Payton's memory.

The year 1999 marked the group's 45th anniversary and the first member change. In February, Theo Peoples and Ronnie Mcneir joined Benson and Fakir onstage for the first time. When Benson died in 2005, the group was then joined by Rokie Payton. The group continues to play concerts and corporate events worldwide.

Special to The T&D

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