RIP Howard Tate – August 13, 1939 to December 2, 2011

The influential soul singer Howard Tate was best known for soul hits like “Ain’t Nobody Home” and “Get It While You Can”, which later was covered and re-popularized by Janis Joplin.

Tate died in his New Jersey apartment of natural causes at age 72. Born in Macon, Georgia and raised in Philadelphia, Tate came into prominence in the late 1960s through the 1970s with his brilliant collaborations with producer / songwriter Jerry Ragavoy.  The recordings from this period are considered among the greatest examples of soul music ever recorded. After a tragic decline into drug addiction and homelessness during the 1980s, Howard Tate was able to pull himself together to experience a brilliant comeback with the Ragavoy produced 2003 release “Rediscovered”, which was nominated for a Grammy for best contemporary blues album. The later part of his career saw many well-received festival and concert appearances and additional great recordings to add to his historic legacy. He will be fondly remembered for his blues-drenched voice complete with brilliant bursts of falsetto. That voice always sold the message of the song. To hear Howard Tate singing the original version of “Get It While You Can” click