Tamiko Jones facts for kids

Tamiko Jones, whose real name is Barbara Tamiko Ferguson, is an American singer born in 1945. She is best known for her hit song "Touch Me Baby (Reaching Out For Your Love)" from 1975.

Early Life and Music Beginnings

Tamiko Jones was born in Kyle, West Virginia. She has a mix of Japanese, British, and Cherokee heritage. Her middle name, Tamiko, comes from Japan.

She grew up in Detroit, a city famous for its music. Tamiko started singing there and had her first professional show in a club in 1961. She began her career singing pop songs with a jazz twist.

Her very first song, called "Is It A Sin?", came out in 1963. It was released by Checker Records and she was known simply as Timiko then. Later, in 1964, she recorded "Rhapsody" as Tamiko for the Atco label.

Rising Through the 1960s

By 1966, Tamiko Jones was recording for the Golden World label, where she released the song "I'm Spellbound." After that, she moved to Atlantic Records. In 1967, she put out several singles, including "Boy You're Growing On Me."

That same year, she worked with jazz flutist Herbie Mann on an album called A Mann and a Woman. During the 1960s, she also appeared in some movies as an extra.

In August 1967, after her album with Herbie Mann came out, she signed with a new record label called December Records. This label was started by Jimmy Wisner, who had helped arrange some songs on her album with Mann. This led to her album Tamiko, which was released in February 1968.

Collaborations and Challenges

In 1968, Tamiko Jones became sick with polio and had to go to the hospital. While recovering, she met singer Solomon Burke. They recorded several songs together. For a time, Tamiko was also Solomon Burke's manager and even helped produce his version of the famous song "Proud Mary" by Creedence Clearwater Revival.

She also recorded an album called I'll Be Anything For You. The songs on this album were short and made for radio. Two singles came from it: "Ya Ya / Goodnight My Love" and "Goodnight, My Love / Please Return Your Love To Me." In 1969, her album In Muscle Shoals was released.

Chart Success and Later Career

In the early 1970s, Tamiko Jones started performing again in Las Vegas. However, these shows were very tiring for her, so she returned to New York. In 1971, she began performing at the Rainbow Room with pianist Frank Owens.

Her biggest hit song was "Touch Me Baby (Reaching Out For Your Love)" in 1975. This song reached number 12 on the Billboard R&B chart and number 60 on the main US pop chart. Her next song, "Just You and Me," reached number 78 on the R&B chart. She also released an album called Love Trip.

In 1976, her song "Let It Flow" reached number 76 on the R&B chart. It was released on the Contempo label. Tamiko Jones married John Abbey, who owned Contempo Records and was also the founder of Blues & Soul magazine, in 1977.

In 1977, her song "Cloudy" reached number 92 on the R&B chart. In 1979, her song "Can't Live Without Your Love" reached number 70 on the same chart. Her last song to make the R&B chart was her version of Marvin Gaye's "I Want You" in 1986. In the early 1990s, Jones worked as the manager for the famous singer Smokey Robinson.

In 2008, "Can't Live Without Your Love" was included in the video game Grand Theft Auto IV. Even today, Tamiko Jones's songs are still popular and are often remixed. For example, in April 2024, her song "Let It Flow" from her 1976 album Cloudy was remixed by Disco Dandies.

Music Releases

Hit Songs

Albums

• A Mann & A Woman (1967) with Herbie Mann
• I'll Be Anything For You (1968)
• Tamiko (1968)
• In Muscle Shoals (1969)
• Love Trip (1975)
• Cloudy (1976)
• Let It Flow (1977)