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Sometimes what you planned as a one-time event becomes something much more.

Abdul “Duke” Fakir, Levi Stubbs, Lawrence Payton and Renaldo “Obie” Benson sang together at a friend’s birthday party for the first time in 1954. They enjoyed it so much that they decided that night to start a group, first named “The Four Aims” and later changed to the “Four Tops”.

The Four Tops helped shaped the sound of Motown and brought joy to the hearts of many with songs like “Sugar Pie Honey Bunch”, and “Reach Out I’ll Be There”.

On February 23rd, one of the group’s founding members, Abdul Fakir, was honored with the Living Legend award by St. Peter’s AME Church in South Minneapolis.

KFAI’s Jumondeh Tweh was there, and he talked with “Duke” Fakir about the group’s great history and classic songs.

Spring Back: A Cabaret on Resilience

Wednesday, March 5, 7pm
Whole Music Club, Coffman Union, 300 Washington Ave SE

KFAI is a proud co-sponsor of the 8th annual Transgender Commission Celebration at Coffman Union, Spring Back: A Cabaret on Resilience. In conjunction with the University of Minnesota’s Transgender Commission, and the GLBTA Programs Office, it is part of KFAI’s What’s in the Mix series. The event features performances and a panel discussion by local artists and activists, including CeCe McDonald, Venessa Fuentes, James DeWitt, Kenneth Williams, Margot Bassett, and Molly Van Avery; as well as emcee Sol Raz Asanti and moderator Jason Jackson.

The University of Minnesota’s Transgender Commission is a coalition of students, staff, faculty, alumni, and community members working for equity, access, and liberation for people of all gender identities and expressions, led by trans*, genderqueer, and gender non-conforming people across the U of M and local Twin Cities community.

The Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, Ally (GLBTA) Programs Office is dedicated to improving campus climate for all University of Minnesota constituents by developing and supporting more inclusive understandings of gender and sexuality.

What’s in the Mix is made possible by a grant from the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund. It will be recorded and edited for later broadcast on MinneCulture, KFAI’s weekly arts and culture program.

President Obama visited St. Paul on February 26, 2014. He spoke at the newly restored Union Depot and presented it as an example of what federal and local partnerships can do, while also promoting what he calls his “Opporunity Agenda”. KFAI’s Janis Lane-Ewart was there, and told host Paul Brohaugh about the president’s visit on the Thursday edition of The Morning Blend.