The Four Tops to be honoured at Grammys

MOTOWN LEGENDS The Four Tops will be honoured at next year's Grammys with a Lifetime Achievement award.

The organisers of the annual music awards said the group will be given the honour alongside the late Rat Pack star Dean Martin.

The Four Tops were best known for their 60s hits such as Reach Out I'll Be There, I Can't Help Myself and Baby I Need Your Loving.

Abdul "Duke" Fakir is the only surviving member of the band after Levi Stubbs died in October this year.

Dean Martin, one of the members of the Rat Pack in the 50s and 60s alongside Frank Sinatra and Sammy Davis Jnr and had success with songs such as That's Amore, Mambo Italiano, died on Christmas Day 1995.

The prizes will be given at a ceremony in Los Angeles on 7 February, one day before the 51st annual Grammy Awards.

Neil Portnow, President of The Recording Academy which runs the Grammys said the recipients were a "prestigious group of legendary performers, creative architects and technical visionaries".

He added: "Their outstanding accomplishments, legendary passion and artistry have positively affected our culture and will continue to influence and inspire generations to come."

Previous honourees include Burt Bacharach and Doris Day .