Theo Peoples
Encyclopedia
Theo Peoples is an African-American
R&B
/soul
singer. The son of a preacher
, he was discovered by Ron Tyson
and tapped to replace Richard Street
in the long-lived Motown group The Temptations
in 1992.
His first recordings with the group were released in the box set Emperors of Soul
(1994) where he sang lead on "Givin' U The Best," "Elevator Eyes" and "Blueprint For Love." On the album For Lovers Only
, Peoples sang lead vocals for "Night and Day," which was featured in the 2000 film What Women Want
. After Ali-Ollie Woodson
left the Temptations in 1996 due to his battle with throat cancer, Peoples assumed the role of lead second tenor/baritone for the group. Although he was replaced by Barrington "Bo" Henderson before the album's release, Peoples made significant contributions to the multi-platinum and Grammy Award nominated Phoenix Rising, singing lead on the group's #1 hit "Stay" and composing the single "This Is My Promise."
He joined the Four Tops
, another classic-era Motown act, following his departure from The Temptations in 1998. After original Four Tops lead singer Levi Stubbs
had to cease touring, Peoples took his place as lead singer. Renaldo "Obie" Benson, died July 1, 2005. Levi Stubbs
also died in his sleep on October 17, 2008. Theo, Abdul "Duke" Fakir, Ronnie McNeir
, and Roquel Payton, son of the late Lawrence Payton
, continued to tour and perform until he left the group in 2011 and was replaced by Spike Deleon (Bonhart).
As a member of the Tops, Peoples is probably most noted for his performances of "Always and Forever
," a track originally released by the funk group Heatwave
in 1977. The song was featured in The Four Tops 50th anniversary live special, From the Heart (2004). Peoples has also released several solo albums including Down Time (2000), Listen 2 Your Heart (2002) and Chemistry...You and Me (2004).
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
R&B
Rhythm and blues
Rhythm and blues, often abbreviated to R&B, is a genre of popular African American music that originated in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predominantly to urban African Americans, at a time when "urbane, rocking, jazz based music with a...
/soul
Soul music
Soul music is a music genre originating in the United States combining elements of gospel music and rhythm and blues. According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, soul is "music that arose out of the black experience in America through the transmutation of gospel and rhythm & blues into a form of...
singer. The son of a preacher
Preacher
Preacher is a term for someone who preaches sermons or gives homilies. A preacher is distinct from a theologian by focusing on the communication rather than the development of doctrine. Others see preaching and theology as being intertwined...
, he was discovered by Ron Tyson
Ron Tyson
Ron Tyson is an American tenor/falsetto singer and songwriter. Tyson is the current tenor for long-lived singing group The Temptations, filling the role made famous by Eddie Kendricks in the 1960s.-Biography:...
and tapped to replace Richard Street
Richard Street
Richard Allen Street is an American soul and R&B singer, most notable as a member of The Temptations from 1971 to 1993...
in the long-lived Motown group The Temptations
The Temptations
The Temptations is an American vocal group having achieved fame as one of the most successful acts to record for Motown Records. The group's repertoire has included, at various times during its five-decade career, R&B, doo-wop, funk, disco, soul, and adult contemporary music.Formed in Detroit,...
in 1992.
His first recordings with the group were released in the box set Emperors of Soul
Emperors of Soul
Emperors of Soul is a 1994 box set compilation for The Temptations, released by Motown Records. The five-disc collection covers the Temptations' entire four-decade history, from the first recording of The Distants in 1959 to four new recordings by the then-current Temptations lineup of Ali-Ollie...
(1994) where he sang lead on "Givin' U The Best," "Elevator Eyes" and "Blueprint For Love." On the album For Lovers Only
For Lovers Only
For Lovers Only is a 1995 covers/pop standards album by The Temptations for the Motown label, something of a sequel to their 1967 album The Temptations in a Mellow Mood. The album features the final recordings of Melvin Franklin, who fell ill during recording and died before the album's release...
, Peoples sang lead vocals for "Night and Day," which was featured in the 2000 film What Women Want
What Women Want
What Women Want is a 2000 American romantic comedy film, directed by Nancy Meyers and starring Mel Gibson and Helen Hunt. The movie was a box office success with a domestic gross of $182,811,707 and a worldwide gross of $374,111,707, against a budget of $70 million.-Plot:Nick Marshall, a Chicago...
. After Ali-Ollie Woodson
Ali-Ollie Woodson
Ali-Ollie Woodson was an American R&B singer, songwriter, keyboardist and occasional actor. He was known for singing with The Temptations beginning in 1984, and also worked with Aretha Franklin and Bill Pinkney....
left the Temptations in 1996 due to his battle with throat cancer, Peoples assumed the role of lead second tenor/baritone for the group. Although he was replaced by Barrington "Bo" Henderson before the album's release, Peoples made significant contributions to the multi-platinum and Grammy Award nominated Phoenix Rising, singing lead on the group's #1 hit "Stay" and composing the single "This Is My Promise."
He joined the Four Tops
Four Tops
The Four Tops are an American vocal quartet, whose repertoire has included doo-wop, jazz, soul music, R&B, disco, adult contemporary, hard rock, and showtunes...
, another classic-era Motown act, following his departure from The Temptations in 1998. After original Four Tops lead singer Levi Stubbs
Levi Stubbs
Levi Stubbles , better known by the stage name Levi Stubbs, was an American baritone singer, best known as the lead vocalist of the Motown R&B group Four Tops...
had to cease touring, Peoples took his place as lead singer. Renaldo "Obie" Benson, died July 1, 2005. Levi Stubbs
Levi Stubbs
Levi Stubbles , better known by the stage name Levi Stubbs, was an American baritone singer, best known as the lead vocalist of the Motown R&B group Four Tops...
also died in his sleep on October 17, 2008. Theo, Abdul "Duke" Fakir, Ronnie McNeir
Ronnie McNeir
Ronnie McNeir is an American singer and songwriter born Lewis Ronald McNeir on December 14, 1951 in Camden, Alabama. As a solo artist, he recorded for the De-to, RCA, Prodigal, Motown, Capitol, Expansion and Motor City labels, recording his first song when he was seventeen...
, and Roquel Payton, son of the late Lawrence Payton
Lawrence Payton
Lawrence Albert Payton was an American tenor, songwriter and record producer for the popular Motown quartet, the Four Tops....
, continued to tour and perform until he left the group in 2011 and was replaced by Spike Deleon (Bonhart).
As a member of the Tops, Peoples is probably most noted for his performances of "Always and Forever
Always and Forever (Heatwave song)
"Always and Forever" is a R&B song written by Rod Temperton and first recorded by the British-based multinational funk-disco band Heatwave in 1976...
," a track originally released by the funk group Heatwave
Heatwave (band)
Heatwave was an international funk/disco musical band featuring Americans Johnnie Wilder, Jr. and Keith Wilder of Dayton, Ohio, Englishman Rod Temperton , Swiss Mario Mantese , Czechoslovak Ernest "Bilbo" Berger , Jamaican Eric Johns and Briton Roy Carter .They were known for their successful...
in 1977. The song was featured in The Four Tops 50th anniversary live special, From the Heart (2004). Peoples has also released several solo albums including Down Time (2000), Listen 2 Your Heart (2002) and Chemistry...You and Me (2004).