The Temptations and The Four Tops Deliver the Best of Motown at the CCPA on Sun., September 10, 7:00 PM
CERRITOS, CA – Jam along to The Temptations’ Happy People and Get Ready and The Four Tops’ Baby I Need Your Loving and Same Old Song when two of Motown’s biggest acts dominate the stage for an evening of greatest hits and snazzy moves at the Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts (CCPA) on Sunday, September 10 at 7:00 PM. Tickets start at $69.
Rolling Stone magazine said THE TEMPTATIONS is “indisputably the greatest black vocal group of the modern era, this quintet created masterpiece after masterpiece of chugging, gospel-tinged soul.” The Grammy-winning Soul-R&B quintet set the bar for vocal groups with an impressive avalanche of hits, including My Girl and The Way You Do the Things You Do, a song penned and produced by Smokey Robinson that propelled the Grammy-winning group into worldwide fame. Known for its fine-tuned choreography and harmonious crooning, The Temptations quickly became a Motown favorite and one of the most revered male vocal groups of all time, able to tackle lush Pop and politically charged Funk with equal aplomb and appeal.
With a colorful repertoire that has embraced numerous genres over the last five decades – including Soul, R&B, Doo-Wop, and Funk – the group has garnered an impressive list of honors. The single Cloud Nine earned a 1968 Grammy for “Best Rhythm & Blues Performance.” Papa Was a Rolling Stone won two Grammys in 1972 for “Best R&B Vocal Performance” and “Best R&B Instrumental Performance” and was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame along with My Girl. The band scored another Grammy in 2000 for Ear-Resistible, which was chosen “Best Traditional R&B Vocal Album.” The Temptations was inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 1999.
The Temptations today consists of original member Otis Williams, Terry Weeks, Ron Tyson, Tony Grant, and Jawan M. Jackson. The band continues to wow sold-out crowds with its timeless hits, such as I Wish It Would Rain, I Can’t Get Next to You, and Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me).
THE FOUR TOPS began as a band of high school pals who performed at school parties and church socials, progressing eventually to the small-club circuit. It quickly became a group that helped to shape and define the Motown momentum of the 1960s.
With the help of legendary Motown record producer Berry Gordy, who recognized the band’s talent for spinning Gospel with a Rock rhythm, the foursome shot to international stardom with a steady stream of hits that shook up Pop and R&B charts, including I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch); It’s the Same Old Song; and Reach Out I'll Be There, which became The Four Tops’ signature song.
Even after the quartet left the Motown Records label, The Four Tops maintained a constant presence on the music scene and charts with Keeper of the Castle, Ain’t No Woman (Like the One I’ve Got), and When She Was My Girl. The group – which currently consists of original member Abdul “Duke” Fakir, Lewis “Ronnie” McNeir, Lawrence Roquel Payton, Jr., and Alexander Morris – remains one of the most successful Motown acts, still celebrated for its gritty Gospel-R&B musical hybrid, which delights even the Pop and Classic Rock audiences.
In 1990, The Four Tops was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. In 1997, the band received the Pioneer Award for Lifetime Achievement, and in 1999 it earned a spot in the Vocal Group Hall of Fame.
For tickets or more information, call (562) 916-8500 or go to cerritoscenter.com.
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