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- Sharon Chevin
- 3 days ago
- 5 min read
Soul Legends
The Temptations And Four Tops
Announce UK Tour 2026
“There`s something so compelling about a show like this. It`s as if, for just a small moment in time, the pressures and complexity of life have been forgotten as the music from a golden era takes you on a journey to simpler times, where every song seems to have a different, personal meaning to each and every person in the audience” The Northern Echo
Four years after their last UK appearance, soul legends The Temptations and The Four Tops return to the UK for a short co-headlining tour in June and July. The tour culminates in a performance at the prestigious Royal Albert Hall in London on 3rd July.
Almost 60 years after they first performed in the UK, these two Motown giants will join forces to bring the golden age of Soul to the stage with decades of chart-topping hits, unforgettable
harmonies and timeless stage charisma giving fans a night of pure fun and sing-a-long nostalgia that transcends generations.
Expect an evening of Top 40 hits and Number One singles including ‘Reach Out I`ll Be There’, ‘It`s The Same Old Song’, ‘I Can`t Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch)’, ‘My Girl’, ‘Get Ready’ and ‘Papa Was A Rollin’ Stone’ and many others.
Otis Williams: “I always, always love coming to the UK. I think of it as my second home. The people here make us feel so at home. They love and appreciate the music and they have always strongly supported us. They are so loyal and dedicated. What`s not to love about coming to the UK.”
Lawrence Payton Jr. “The Temptations with their choreography is matched by no one. When they first came out, it was so exciting to see that. It was something we'd never seen before. With the Four Tops, there's the vocal prowess. You had that bellowing lead voice of Levi and those beautiful harmonies that they put together. So it's like a perfect contrast. We're not going to out-dance them and they're not going to out-sing us.”
The Temptations And Four Tops UK Tour Dates 2026
30th June Liverpool M&S Bank Arena
1st July Bournemouth International Centre
3rd July London Royal Albert Hall
Tickets from ticketline.co.uk or venue box offices. Tickets on-sale 9am Friday 28th November.
About The Temptations
The Temptations are one of the most influential vocal groups in American music history, known for their smooth harmonies, dynamic choreography, and genre-defining soul hits. Led by founding member Dr. Otis Williams, the group continues to thrill audiences with live performances across the globe with a catalogue of 37 Top 40 singles including four Number One's.
Formed in Detroit, Michigan, in 1961, The Temptations original line-up featured Otis Williams, Melvin Franklin, Eddie Kendricks, Paul Williams, and Elbridge “Al” Bryant and they quickly caught the attention of Motown Records. After Bryant was replaced by David Ruffin in 1964, the group solidified what would become known as the “Classic Five.” Their breakthrough came with the Smokey Robinson-penned hit ‘My Girl’, which topped the Billboard Hot 100 in 1965 and became their signature song achieving a seven times Platinum award in the process.
Throughout the 1960s and early 1970s, The Temptations dominated the charts with a string of hits including ‘Ain’t Too Proud to Beg,’ ‘I Wish It Would Rain’, and ‘Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me).’ They were known not only for their vocal prowess but also for their slick suits and synchronized dance moves, setting a new standard for R&B performance. They evolved musically over the years embracing Psychedelic Funk with tracks like “Cloud Nine” ‘Psychedelic Shack’, ‘Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone’ and the biting social commentary of ‘Ball Of Confusion’ gave them an edge missing from many of their peers.
The Temptations’ impact on music is immeasurable. They have earned numerous accolades, including induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1989, multiple Grammy Awards, and a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. More than six decades since their founding, The Temptations continue to perform, inspire and thrill generations of music lovers around the world.
Today The Temptations are lead by founder member Otis Williams, now in his 64th year with the group and is joined by Ron Tyson, a member now for 42 years and Terry Weeks, now in his third decade with the group along with Tony Grant and Jawan M. Jackson.
Otis Williams:“There`s no gimmickry or tomfoolery, just great songs, great lyrics, great melodies well performed and people have loved those songs for years.”
About the Four Tops
The Four Tops originally came together as The Four Aims in 1953 comprising Levi Stubbs, Abdul “Duke” Fakir, Renaldo “Obie” Benson and Lawrence Payton before changing to the world famous Four Tops in 1956 when they released a number of early singles on Chess Records and Columbia Records building up their live performances in the process through endless touring. This line-up would remain constant for almost half a century.
In 1963 they were discovered by Berry Gordy Jr. of Motown to record Jazz standards and sing in sessions for the likes of The Supremes but their big break came when the song writing team of Holland-Dozier-Holland handed them the song ‘Baby I Need Your Loving’ giving them a Top 20 hit, their first in a string of 24 US Top 20 singles including two Number One`s and 21 UK Top 40 singles with 10 reaching the Top 10 including the timeless classics, ‘I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch)’, ‘Reach Out I’ll Be There’, ‘Bernadette’, ‘Walk Away Renee’ and ‘It’s The Same Old Song’ making them legends in the process. Over 30 years after forming they continued to ride high in the charts with ‘Indestructible’, a collaboration with Smokey Robinson and ‘Loco In Acapulco’, from the ‘Buster’ soundtrack.
The Four Tops were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1990 and in 2009 received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement award amongst many other accolades in recognition to their immense contribution to music.
In 2024 founder member Abdul “Duke” Fakir sadly passed away at the age of 88 after over 70 years in the Four Tops.
Lawrence Payton Jr.“Duke said to us, I know that you guys can continue this, but you have to continue it and do things the way the Four Tops did, with love, honour and just be true to yourself and true to the music. That, more than anything, is what`s important to me.”
Today, the group is led by long-time members Lawrence Payton Jr., son of founder member Lawrence Payton, alongside Theo Peoples formerly of The Temptations and Ronnie McNeir with almost 50 years of Four Tops service between them and who have recently been joined by Michael Brock, with the blessing of the families of the original members to actively preserve their enduring legacy. The Four Tops continue to tour globally, proving that their music and message remain as powerful, relevant and popular as ever.
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