Free Republic

ohn was a world-class expert and instructor on shooting, firearms, and ammunition. Having been introduced to gun culture at a young age by his uncle Graves Gladney, also of St. Louis, John became a nationally recognized prodigy in shooting and designing firearms and ammunition by the time he graduated from high school. It was a lifelong passion for John, who as an adult became a world-renowned and highly respected expert in many different areas of the global firearms and ammunition industries. His dedication to gun culture and to the history of firearms in America led to his ongoing work as...

Obie Benson (Filed: 05/07/2005) Obie Benson, who died on July 1 aged 69, was for 50 years a member of The Four Tops, the group which provided the Motown label with some of its most enduring hits of the Sixties, among them Reach Out, I'll Be There and Walk Away Renee. The band was formed in 1954 when Benson and Lawrence Payton, a fellow student at Northern High in Detroit, were encouraged to show off their vocal talents at a birthday party in company with two pupils from Pershing High, Abdul Fakir and Levi Stubbs. Such was the reception that...