Tavares

Students of the heredity versus environment debate will find it difficult to separate the genes from the heartstone in the case of Arthur "Pooch", Antone "Chubby", Feliciano "Butch" and Perry Lee "Tiny" Tavares. Their father, a multi-talented musician with a passion for Wes Montgommery and Jimmy McGriff, played guitar and sang in small clubs in the TAVARES hometown of New Bedford, Massachusetts. Their oldest brother John, kindled his siblings interest in the tight, fluid singing of R&B harmony groups such as The Cadillacs, The Penguins and the Moonglows and personal tastes filled in any existing gaps with, among others, Mary Wells, Gladys Knight and The Pips and Etta James. But whatever the magical, musical combination, the balance was, and is just right.
Of Cape Verdean descent, the five grew up in a close-knit family of ten children. Each took to the family vocation of singing at an early age, blending voices whenever and wherever they could. In 1964, they made their first professional appearance at the Blue Fame in Onset, and as they continued to perform in small clubs in the New Bedford-Boston-New York area both their reputation and audience grew.
It had been John's idea to form a group (originally called The Del Rios) in 1962 with Ralph, Pooch and Chubby. When John dropped out, Butch joined and when Pooch had a minor operation, Tiny replaced him. After Pooch returned to the group, the brothers couldn't tell Tiny to leave, so they turned their quartet into a quintet, changed their name to ”Chubby and the Turnpikes” and soon to just “The Turnpikes”. In 1971, they did a nine week tour with Lola Falana in Italy. The Italians had difficulty with ”Turnpikes”, so the Brothers decided to use their family name and soon became known as TAVARES all over Europe. After the tour they returned to the states and continued to do what they do best: sing!
The albums:
1974: CHECK IT OUT - ON HARD CORE POETRY
1975: IN THE CITY
1976: SKY HIGH
1977: THE BEST OF TAVARES
1978: FUTURE BOUND
1979: MADAM BUTTERFLY
1980: SUPER CHARGED - LOVE UPRISING
1981: LOVELINE
1982: NEW DIRECTIONS
1983: WORDS AND MUSIC
Among their biggest hit singles: Check it Out / Whodunnit / Heaven must be missing an Angel / Don't take away the music / More than a woman / Penny for your thoughts.
In the early 80's Ralph and Tiny parted from the group, but Pooch, Chubby and Butch continued as Tavares giving their Fans and Friends, the best of TAVARES with harmony and energy.

Discography: