American musical history is incomplete without R&B & funk bands. There are many legendary soul musical groups and singers that have taken the genre to the next level and inspired many young singers. Antone Lee Tavares of the Tavares Group is one of the leading R&B singers in the history of American music. His contribution is massive and is still ruling in the hearts of music lovers. Being the lead vocalist of the band, he garnered a massive fan following and love from the people.
Due to his exceptional singing style and voice, music lovers love to know about him. There are many impressive facts about him that they must know related to his songs, achievements, career, life, etc. In this biography, we are going to talk about everything interesting about the lead vocalist of the band Tavares Group, Antone Lee Tavares.
Antone Lee Tavares’ Early Life and Career
The singer, along with his family, were of Café Verdean descent. Initially, he performed as Chubby and Turnpikes in 1959, along with his youngest brother, who was just 9 years old. Slowly and gradually, Bernie Worrell made his debut in the group in 1968. After that, Paul Klodner and bassist Steve Strout took the place of Joey Kramer.
They, as Chubby and Turnpikes, got an opportunity with the popular Capital Records in 1967 and got signed by the label. The collaboration worked, and the band registered their hit records, such as ‘Nothing But Promises’ in 1968, along with many more. In 1973, the band gave a new identity to their band and kept the name Tavares. The new name worked for them, and they gave their debut a massive R&B hit that reached the top 10 hits in the same year.
Simultaneously, they released their first hit album featuring Victor, one of the youngest brothers, who beautifully sang the superhit song of the album, ‘Check It Out’. However, he didn’t work after that and took an exit from the group.
In 1974, the band hit their blockbuster R&B and continued the hit spree in 1975 by giving a top 40 pop album followed by a hit single that reached the top 25 position, ‘Remember What I Told You To Forget. Also, the band gave their biggest hit, ‘It Only Takes a Minute’. The song made them an instant sensation in America, and many people sampled and made a cover version of the song, including Jonathan King, Jennifer Lopez, etc.
The Tavares Group and Their Albums
The band started climbing the popularity charts all across America. After reaching 1980, their newly released albums, Madam Butterfly and Supercharged, didn’t perform as well as their previous albums. Also, the band signed with the new label RCA and left Capitol Records. After that, the band released their last super hit single, ‘A Penny for Your Thoughts’, which brought them a Grammy nomination in 1982. After that, the band released their last musical piece, Words and Music, in 1983.
In 1984, Ralph also parted ways with the group, and Pooch took over as a booking agent for the group to generate business between 1984 and 2014. At the same time, Tiny took the opportunity to start his solo career in the 1990s, leaving other group members to tour together. But he rejoined the group in 2009.
But, in 2014, Pooch had a sudden cardiac arrest, and the booking business of the band was then taken care of by Oriola Management LLC. After getting better, he didn’t join the group and opted to take retirement by giving the last performance to his fans.
How did modern artists take inspiration from Tavares’s songs?
The legendary R&B musical group inspired many young artists who took inspiration from the band and sampled their hit tracks. The British boy band covered their smash hit ‘It Only Takes a Minute’ which also reached the Top 10 UK Hits and became a featured song in the popular Konami’s dancing game.
Similarly, their other hit song, ‘Out of the Picture’, inspired the famous American rapper 50 Cent to compose his track, ‘Many Men’. In 2008, the group member’s father and musician, Feliciano Vierra Tavares, passed away and left the legacy of the band.
After a long break, Chubby Tavares launched his debut album, Jealousy, on July 17, 2012, right after the band Tavares and The Temptations did a UK tour together.
The Tavares and Awards
The group Tavares was honored with the epitome of awards and recognition, the Grammy Awards, which were established in 1958. Tavares got one award from their single nomination. Also, the group was inducted in 2014 into the RI Music Hall of Fame.
Antone Lee Tavares & Tavares Discography
As the main vocalist of the band Tavares, Antone Lee Tavares has delivered multiple hits and albums that are still making waves among R&B lovers. He has written several chartbuster songs that helped the band attain unmatched fame, popularity, and recognition.
The leading and most prominent albums of Chubby Tavares and his band are Check It Out, In the City, Future Bound, New Directions, Words and Music, Lover Storm, Sky High, Loveline, etc. All these albums are still famous among music lovers, especially R&B enthusiasts.
On the other hand, the band has also delivered many hit singles that stood in impressive positions on US R&B charts. Some of the prominent ones are Check It Out, The Love I Never Had, My Ship, Too Late, Heaven Must Be Missing, She’s Gone, Don’t Take Away the Music, A Penny for Your Thoughts, Deeper in Love, etc.
Antone Lee Tavares and Tavares’s Final Thoughts
No doubt, Antone Lee Tavares was the spine of the band and helped the group deliver an incredibly amazing list of albums and singles. Their contribution as a family and musical group to American musical history is incredible and unforgettable. They gained massive respect and love from their fans. With so many singles and albums, they not only won hearts but also inspired many artists, such as 50 Cent, Jennifer Lopez, etc., to create the best samples and cover versions.
FAQs
Where and when was Antone Tavares born?
He was born on June 2nd, 1944, in Providence, Rhode Island.
Who are all his brothers?
His brother’s names are Ralph Edward Tavares, Arthur Paul Tavares, Feliciano Vierra Tavares, and Perry Lee Tavares.
What did the Tavares musical group achieve?
Tavares managed to win one Grammy Award nomination in the category of Album of the Year for the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack in 1979. Along with that, the musical group was honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award in 2013 by the National R&B Music Society.
Was the band Tavares inducted into the Hall of Fame category?
Yes, Tavares, led by Antone Lee Tavares, was successfully inducted into the Cape Verdean Museum Hall of Fame in 2006, followed by the Rhode Island Music Hall of Fame in 2014.
