December 5, 2011

Soul singer Howard Tate, who was effectively lost to fans for years after his once-promising career was cut short, died December 2nd of complications from multiple myeloma and leukemia. He was 72.

Tate, who was born in Georgia and grew up in Philadelphia, was a highly touted young singer in the Sixties and early Seventies, when he recorded for Verve, Atlantic and other labels. A favorite of the producer Jerry Ragovoy, Tate had six Top 40 R&B hits and sang an early version of "Get It While You Can," later covered by Janis Joplin.

After an initial splash, Tate's career sputtered. His 1970 album (reissued in 2003), Howard Tate's Reaction, sold poorly despite co-production from fellow singers Lloyd Price and Johnny Nash. After a self-titled follow-up on Atlantic Records also failed to sell, Tate dropped out of the music industry. He worked in the financial industry before a drug dependency landed the singer on the streets in the late 1980s. When he recovered, he worked as a counselor and a preacher.

Located by a Jersey City disc jockey in 2001, Tate played his first show in decades that year in New Orleans.

A 2003 comeback album, aptly called Rediscovered, featured covers of songs by Elvis Costello and Prince. Tate continued to perform and record on and off until his death.

Link

RIP.

It's coincidental that less than 6 months after his main collaborator passes (Jerry Ragovoy), now Howard Tate is gone.


Actually, Howard recorded the original version of...



...Get It While You Can

The original 1966 version followed by an updated intimate version recorded for his 2003 album Rediscovered with JR on piano.

I spoke with JR while this album was being recorded and he was very excited about working with Howard again.
Around that time period, he invited me to the Long Beach Blues Festival where Howard Tate performed with a stellar band.

A few other Howard Tate/Jerry Ragovoy collabs...



...Ain't Nobody Home




...I Learned It All The Hard Way




...Glad I Knew Better




...Stop




...Keep Cool (Don't Be A Fool)




...Baby I Love You




...Glad I Knew Better




...8 Days On The Road




...Half A Man




...Ain't Got Nobody To Give It To




...Show Me The Man




...Eternity


Very underappreciated singer.



Music for adventurous listeners


tA

Tribal Records

R.I.P

You guys are gonna have to forgive me but I thought he had passed a few years ago.

His song "Stop" was covered brilliantly by the Band Of Gypsies.

SPYZFAN1 said:

R.I.P

You guys are gonna have to forgive me but I thought he had passed a few years ago.

His song "Stop" was covered brilliantly by the Band Of Gypsies.

And The James Gang (Joe Walsh).

Music for adventurous listeners


tA

Tribal Records

theAudience said:

It's coincidental that less than 6 months after his main collaborator passes (Jerry Ragovoy), now Howard Tate is gone.



Very underappreciated singer.



Music for adventurous listeners


tA

Tribal Records

Yeah that's real ironic...

Timmy84 said:

theAudience said:

It's coincidental that less than 6 months after his main collaborator passes (Jerry Ragovoy), now Howard Tate is gone.



Very underappreciated singer.



Music for adventurous listeners


tA

Tribal Records

Yeah that's real ironic...

They're inextricably linked, in life and now death.

Wonder if he'll get a sticky to complete the current triumvirate with Hubert Sumlin and Dobie Gray?



Music for adventurous listeners

tA

Tribal Records

Timmy84 said:

theAudience said:

It's coincidental that less than 6 months after his main collaborator passes (Jerry Ragovoy), now Howard Tate is gone.



Very underappreciated singer.



Music for adventurous listeners


tA

Tribal Records

Yeah that's real ironic...

Rest In Peace Howard

I have/had his eponymous "Howard Tate" album..

StarMon said:

Rest In Peace Howard

I have/had his eponymous "Howard Tate" album..

Then you're familiar with the track It's Heavy.

If you look it up on YouTube you won't find Howard's version but you'll find the original accompanied by a very interesting connection/story.

Trust me, it'll be worth your time.

Music for adventurous listeners

tA

Tribal Records

theAudience said:

StarMon said:

Rest In Peace Howard

I have/had his eponymous "Howard Tate" album..

Then you're familiar with the track It's Heavy.

If you look it up on YouTube you won't find Howard's version but you'll find the original accompanied by a very interesting connection/story.

Trust me, it'll be worth your time.

Music for adventurous listeners

tA

Tribal Records

Yeah, somewhat. It's been a while since I've heard any of Tates music. Your posting on the other thread brought back memories, as wells as the postings on this thread from the Howrad Tate album.