b. Howard Tate, 14th August 1939, Macon, Georgia, U.S.A.
d. 2nd December 2011, U.S.A.
Born in 1939, Howard relocated to Phildelphia as a child, and as a teenager, was recruited to the Gospel Group, the Gainors, whose line-up included Garnett Mims.
The group recorded for Mercury Records and Cameo Records in the early 1960s.
In the early '60s, Howard was the vocal frontman for Bill Doggett, the organist famous for the instrumental hit 'Honky Tonk'.
Garnett was to, later, introduce Howard to the record-producer Jerry Ragovoy, who began recording him at Verve Records.
Jerry produced songs between 1966 to 1968, including 'Ain't Nobody Home' (in 1966), 'Look at Granny Run Run' (in 1966), 'Baby I Love You' (in 1967), and 'Stop' (in 1968).
These 45's were penned by Jerry.
get it while you can - 1967 / reaction - 1970 / howard tate - 1972 / rediscovered - 2003
Howard also recorded an album called 'Howard Tate's Reaction', which was released in 1970 on Turntable Records.
Produced by Lloyd Price and Johnny Nash, the album was re-released in 2003.
Jerry and Howard collaborated again in 1972 for the Atlantic Records release 'Howard Tate', which included more songs penned by Jerry.
This album also featured a cover of Bob Dylan's 'Girl from the North Country' and Robbie Robertson's and Levon Helm's 'Jemima Surrender'.
Howard switched labels to the Epic Records imprint for a 45, and a few songs for his own label, before retiring from music in the late 1970s.
He began selling securities in the New Jersey and Philadelphia area, however, his life was beginning to be consumed by drug addiction.
Howard ended up living in a homeless shelter, however in the 1990's he began counselling drug abusers and the mentally ill, and worked as a preacher.
In 2001, a Jersey City disc jockey located Howard, and later that year he played his first date in many years, in New Orleans.
He began working with Jerry Ragovoy again, on an album called 'Rediscovered', in 2003.
At Roskilde Festival 2004 he sang 'Love Will Keep You Warm' with the Danish group, Swan Lee.
In 2006, Shout! Factory released 'Howard Tate Live', which was recorded in Denmark in summer 2004.
'A Portrait of Howard' was released in late 2006 on the independent Solid Ground label.
A year later he recorded 'Blue Day' in Nashville with producer Jon Tiven, which was released in 2008.
Howard was also a judge for the 6th annual Independent Music Awards.
His music has been covered by many various performers, including Jimi Hendrix and Hugh Masekela ('Stop'), Ry Cooder covered 'Look at Granny Run Run', B.B. King recorded 'Ain't Nobody Home', and Brand Nubian sampled 'Look at Granny Run Run'.
Janis Joplin also recorded 'Get It While You Can'.
On 2nd December 2011, Howard passed away from complications of Multiple Myeloma and Leukemia. He was 72.
Albums:
Get It While You Can (Verve Records 1967)
Howard Tate's Reaction (Turntable TTS-5002 Records 1970)
Howard Tate (Verve Records 1972)
Howard Tate (Koch Records 2001)
Rediscovered (Private Music Records 2003)
Live (Shout! Factory Records 2006)
A Portrait Of Howard (Solid Ground Productions Records 2006)
Blue Day (Evidence Records 2008)
