Ebet Roberts, Redferns Veteran soul crooner Howard Tate died late last week…
Howard Tate Dead: Soul Singer Who Wrote 'Get It While You Can' Dies at 72
- Posted on Dec 5th 2011 6:00PM by Theo Spielberg
Gilles Petard, Redferns
Tate enjoyed a briefly successful career in the late 1960s and early 1970s, recording hits like 'Get It While You Can,' before sliding into obscurity, where he toiled for decades. He first achieved success in 1966 with the single 'Ain't Nobody Home,' and as he told NPR, success took him by surprise.
"I came home from work one day," he said, "and a big limousine was sitting in front of the door. And they said, 'You gotta get in here right away. You gotta get a suit. You're playing with Marvin Gaye tomorrow night.'"
After a string of critically acclaimed yet publicly ignored records -- as well as extortionate record deals -- Tate retired from the music industry, joining the ranks of cult favorites virtually unknown in the popular sphere. After the death of his 13-year-old daughter in a house fire and the dissolution of his marriage, Tate sought solace in drugs and fell into a downward spiral of addiction and vagrancy.
In 1994, Tate checked himself into a rehab clinic and soon became a preacher. He returned to recording music, collaborating with his long lost producer, the famous Jerry Ragovoy, in the early 2000s and enjoyed a briefly resuscitated music career. Tate continued to perform and record sporadically until his death.
- Filed under: News
All the Howard Tate info you want to know
- Articles
- Videos
- Photos
- Events
Twisted Tales: Rumors of Soul Singer…
SpinnerHoward Tate's fans thought he was dead. Back in the day, the singer's stone soul…
Glenn Paul Manion: 5,178 Gigs: Living…
The Huffington Post - MusicWith all the changes in popular music over the decades, the stereotypes about being…
Blake Shelton's 'Healing in the…
The BootNine days after the deadly tornado that touched down in Moore, Okla., Blake Shelton…
Around The Web:
Howard Tate - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Howard Tate – Free listening, videos, concerts, stats, & pictures at ...
Add a Comment
I NEVER HEARD HIM
December 08 2011 at 10:46 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Replyanother of the great ones gone..... R.I.P.......
December 08 2011 at 3:19 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyHoward Tate was from the "old school" so alot of the younger generation may not know of him but he was very gifted writer and singer of this time and a great loss to those of that time...Sad to see so many of the old school singers and writers and musicians pass on, that was some great music and when a romantic song was truly romantic...indeed....
December 07 2011 at 5:05 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyMy fav Howard Tate track was "Look At Granny Run Run". Grand Funk Railroad later covered that track. As for people who have never heard of Howard Tate, all I can say is do some research on some of the great lesser known artist of the 50's 60's 70's, there is a whole world of artist waiting to be (re) discovered. RIP Mr. Tate.
December 07 2011 at 5:02 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyGreat voice, great loss. R.I.P. Howard Tate.
December 07 2011 at 4:11 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Replysorry had to do it...blacks built the pyramids.....god get over the whole black thing already.....jeeeeeez old old old...if u dont like being black kill yourself but stop crying already
December 07 2011 at 2:13 AM Report abuse Permalink -1 rate up rate down Replywho r these people no one knows about....half the dead people here no one knows who they r
December 07 2011 at 2:11 AM Report abuse Permalink -1 rate up rate down Reply
93 Comments