HOWARD TATE
The Album
Portrait of Howard Tate
The Track
"Louisiana 1927"
The Label
Solid Ground Productions
Liner Notes
Elvis Costello has called him "the missing link between Jackie Wilson and Al Green." A bit of an R&B enigma, Howard Tate was never a big star, but yet, with his trademark falsetto, managed to etch out a storied career with a run of hits in the '60s. Like most black performers of the era, Tate started out touring as part of a traveling bus show on the chitlin circuit, with contemporaries such as Mary Wells, Aretha Franklin, Jackie Wilson, B.B. King and Percy Sledge. His 1966 critically-acclaimed album debut,
Get It While You Can, was produced by Tate's co-writer, Jerry Ragovoy ("Time Is On My Side") and yielded two songs destined to become blues-rock classics for Janis Joplin and B.B. King ("Ain't Nobody Home"). Jimi Hendrix covered "Stop" and Ry Cooder covered "Look At Granny Run" from that epic first Tate album. Steve Winwood and Al Green have also recorded Tate's songs. That debut album fell through the cracks for the most part, as did his second album in '69. After a disappointing third release in '72, Tate simply dropped off the map and bailed on the music industry for the next twenty-nine years. He raised a family, lost a daughter, sold life insurance and securities and, ultimately, lost his home and spiraled into drug abuse. Tate, who grew up singing in his father's church in Philly, cleaned up his act, became a minister and counseled others.
Thanks to a Philadelphia area oldies radio deejay who asked listeners to call in with the whereabouts of the unsung soul legend, Tate's career was revived in the mid '90s, or at least restored to cult status. He met up with his old pal, Ragovoy and recorded
Rediscovered for RCA Victor, released in 2003, featuring "Either Side of the Same Town," co-written for Tate by Costello. Shout! Factory released
Howard Tate Live in 2005, recorded in Denmark. In 2006, Tate returns with a soul-stirring treatment of the early Randy Newman song, "Louisiana 1927." The track appears on the forthcoming album,
Portrait of Howard Tate.
Site
www.howardtate.net
On
KEXP Seattle
KPIG Monterey-Salinas-Santa Cruz/San Luis Obispo/San Francisco
KRCL Salt Lake City
KFAN Fredericksburg TX
WUIN (Carolina Penguin) Wilmington
KVNF Paonia CO
WKZE Sharon CT
Tours/Appearances
To be announced.
Retail
Portrait of Howard Tate will be in stores this spring.
Contact
Steve Weisberg
, Solid Ground Productions
310.203.1376
