Latimore (musician) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Latimore
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Latimore in October 1983
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Benjamin William Lattimore |
| Born | September 7, 1939 Charleston, Tennessee, U.S. |
| Genres | Blues, R&B, soul |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, songwriter |
| Instruments | Vocals, piano |
| Years active | 1965–present |
| Labels | Dade, Glades, Malaco |
Benjamin William Lattimore (born September 7, 1939), known as Latimore, is an American singer, songwriter, and piano player. He is famous for his blues and R&B music. In 2017, he was honored by being added to the Blues Hall of Fame.
Contents
Latimore's Musical Journey
Early Life and Music Beginnings
Latimore was born in Charleston, Tennessee. His musical style was shaped by different sounds. He listened to country music and sang in his Baptist church choir. The blues also played a big part in his early influences.
His first professional music job was playing piano. He worked with various groups in Florida. Around 1965, he made his first recordings. These were for Henry Stone's Dade record label in Miami.
Rising to Fame
In the early 1970s, Latimore joined the Glades record label. He had his first big hit song in 1973. It was a jazzy version of "Stormy Monday" by T-Bone Walker. This song reached No. 27 on the R&B music chart.
His first national hit was "If You Were My Woman." This song reached No. 70 on the R&B chart. Latimore's biggest success came in 1974 with "Let's Straighten It Out." This song became a No. 1 hit on the R&B chart. It also reached No. 31 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart.
He continued to have more hit songs. These included "Keep The Home Fire Burnin'" in 1975. It reached No. 5 on the R&B chart. "Somethin' 'Bout 'Cha" was another hit in 1976. It reached No. 7 on the R&B chart.
Later Career and Collaborations
In 1982, Latimore moved to Malaco Records. He released seven albums of modern blues music with them. He briefly left Malaco in 1994. During that time, he released Turning Up The Mood. He returned to Malaco in 2000 with his album You're Welcome To Ride. Later, he recorded Latt Is Back with Brittney Records.
Latimore also worked with Henry Stone again. They started a new record label called LatStone. This label released his album Back 'Atcha.
He has also continued to work as a session pianist. This means he plays piano for other artists' recordings. He played on Joss Stone's albums, The Soul Sessions (2003) and Mind Body & Soul (2004). He also appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon in May 2014.
In 2017, Latimore received a great honor. He was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame. This recognized his important contributions to blues music.
Latimore's Music Releases
Latimore has released many albums and singles throughout his career. Here are some of his notable releases.
Albums
- 1973 Latimore
- 1974 More, More, More Latimore
- 1975 Latimore III
- 1976 It Ain't Where You Been...It's Where You're Goin'
- 1982 Singing in the Key of Love
- 1991 The Only Way Is Up
- 2007 Back 'Atcha
- 2013 Latimore Remembers Ray Charles
Charted Singles
- 1974: "If You Were My Woman" - Black Singles No. 70
- 1974: "Let's Straighten It Out" - Black Singles No. 1, Pop Singles No. 31
- 1975: "Keep the Home Fire Burnin'" - Black Singles No. 5
- 1976: "Somethin' 'Bout 'Cha" - Black Singles No. 7, Pop Singles No. 37
- 1977: "I Get Lifted" - Black Singles No. 30
