HAUPPAUGE, NEW YORK — Duke Fakir, a founding member of the renowned soul and R&B group, the Four Tops, with a music career spanning over seven decades, has revealed his struggle with hearing loss during his illustrious career. The iconic vocal quartet, known for shaping the Motown sound of the 1960s with hits like “Reach Out, I’ll Be There” and “Baby I Need Your Loving,” has captivated audiences worldwide with their harmonious performances.
Despite his enduring success as one of the group’s lead singers, Duke Fakir recently disclosed the gradual hearing loss that had challenged his ability to stay on key and in tune while performing.
“While singing on stage, I found that I couldn’t hear myself completely, which is critical to staying on key and singing properly. The progression was slow, so it took me a while to realize that something needed to be done about it”
Considering options like wearing in-ear monitors, a choice embraced by his fellow bandmates to concentrate solely on voices and the drumbeat, Duke emphasized his preference for the traditional approach of hearing the entire stage, including the horns and rhythm section. Consequently, he turned to hearing aids as the most suitable solution. At the age of 87, Duke now wears the Moment hearing aids from Widex, a choice that has reconnected him with the music in a profound way.
Duke expressed his delight, saying, “The Widex Moment hearing aids are the greatest thing since candy. For the first time in a very long time, I can truly hear myself, my inflections, my tone. They’ve upped my level of professionalism to the point where members of the group are noticing a huge improvement. Recently, one of them said, ‘Wow, Duke! Your pitch is brilliant!'”
Four years ago, Duke initially adopted Widex’s previous generation of hearing aids, Widex Evoke, under the care of Felix Cruz, a hearing instrument specialist and owner of Cruz Hearing Aid Service in Michigan. Duke’s hearing experience notably improved, and the upgrade to Widex Moment has taken sound quality to new heights.
Felix Cruz explained, “When Duke first came to us, he said music just wasn’t sounding the way it used to, but he showed immediate improvement wearing Widex Evoke. Now, with Widex Moment, he’s taken sound quality to a new level. He’s back to hearing music the way it should sound. For musicians like Duke, there’s no better choice. I’ve personally worn Widex for seven years and have tried every hearing aid under the sun. For me, no one can match the Widex sound. It’s purer, cleaner, and richer — all of which are appreciated by musicians and music lovers everywhere.”
“No matter where I go or what I’m doing, they help tremendously. My wife likes to talk quite a bit, and now I can hear her more distinctly. She hates repeating herself, so she appreciates being able to say things to me only once.”
–Duke Fakir
With his extensive background in the music industry, Duke also derives comfort from immersing himself in music for relaxation. His hearing challenges are no longer an obstacle to enjoying every element of a song, as each lyric and instrument is now distinctly audible, especially when utilizing the app to emphasize the music and diminish background noises.
Whether he’s performing on stage or in the comfort of his home, Duke fully utilizes the diverse settings provided by the Widex Moment companion app. This empowers him to tailor his listening experience by fine-tuning treble and bass tones or focusing exclusively on conversations while eliminating distractions from the surrounding environment. “The experience is so personalized and easy to control — like having my own sound studio,” he enthused. “Plus, they are so comfortable to wear and keep a charge all day. I never need to worry about charging them until I go to bed.”
At the pinnacle of his career, Duke Fakir, with the assistance of Widex Moment hearing aids, has no intention of slowing down. He remarked, “I’m still able to enjoy and excel at something that’s been a huge part of my life for 70 years! The Widex Moment hearing aids work like magic and have changed my life!”
About Widex
At Widex we believe in a world where there are no barriers to communication; a world where people interact freely, effortlessly, and confidently. With sixty years’ experience developing state-of-the-art technology, we provide hearing solutions that are easy to use, seamlessly integrated in daily life and enable people to hear naturally. As one of the world’s leading hearing aid producers, our products are sold in more than one hundred countries, and we employ 4,000 people worldwide.
Source: Widex
