Lawrence Payton

A primetime TV concert special celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Apollo Theater with Motown legends.

Television special taped before a live studio audience at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium in Pasadena, California on March 25, 1983, and broadcast on NBC on May 16. Highlights include Michael Jackson's performance of "Billie Jean", a Temptations/Four Tops "battle of the bands", Marvin Gaye's inspired speech about black music history and his memorable performance of "What's Going On", and a Jackson 5 reunion. This performance is noted for Michael Jackson debuting his signature moonwalk.

The Four Tops circa the early 21st century are more Vegas than their original R&B/soul roots, as proven by the 2002 DVD/video, 40th Anniversary Special. Recorded live on August 8, 1996, at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, the quartet glitzes it up for slightly over an hour, performing fun versions of such classics as "Baby I Need Your Loving," "Reach Out (I'll Be There)," "Standing in the Shadows of Love," "Shake Me Wake Me (When It's Over)," and "Ask the Lonely," among others.