in 1966 Born in 1936 in
Detroit, Michigan, Stubbs had a brother,
Joe, who later became a member of
100 Proof (Aged in Soul),
The Falcons,
The Contours and
The Originals. His cousin was
Jackie Wilson. Stubbs attended
Detroit Pershing High School, where he met
Abdul "Duke" Fakir. He began his professional singing career with friends Fakir,
Renaldo "Obie" Benson and
Lawrence Payton, forming a singing group called the Four Aims in 1954. Two years later, after signing with
Chess Records, the group changed their name to the Four Tops. The name change was meant to avoid confusion with the then-popular
Ames Brothers. and he also turned down several offers for a solo career, out of loyalty to his bandmates. Stubbs' final performance with the Four Tops was at the group's "50th Anniversary Concert" on July 28, 2004, at the
Detroit Opera House.
Voice acting Stubbs provided the voice of the carnivorous plant Audrey II in the 1986 film version of the
musical Little Shop of Horrors, one of the songs he sang for the film, "
Mean Green Mother from Outer Space", was nominated for an Oscar. He also was the voice of
Mother Brain in the animated TV series
Captain N: The Game Master (1989), using the same voice. Stubbs also guest-starred in a number of TV shows as himself.
Berry Gordy offered him the role of Louis McKay in the 1972 film
Lady Sings the Blues, which would have starred him opposite
Diana Ross as
Billie Holiday. Stubbs turned the role down, however, once again not wishing to overshadow the other members of the Four Tops. == Reputation ==