With a string of hit singles throughout the 1970’s, Tavares is a funk and soul group made up of five brothers who performed and wrote music together for many years.
The Tavares brothers grew up in both Massachusetts and Rhode Island, performing together from a young age as Chubby and the Turnpikes. The band signed to Capitol Records in 1967, changing their name to Tavares in 1973 and experiencing their best years of success throughout the 1970’s. They reached number one on the RnB charts in 1974 with She’s Gone, going on to release their most successful single It Only Takes a Minute the following year which went straight to number one in the pop charts. They began to tour widely, opening for The Jackson 5 and KC and the Sunshine Band and releasing several other big hits such as Heaven Must Be Missing an Angel, Don’t Take Away the Music and Whodunit. Tavares’ music was featured in the soundtrack to 1977 film Saturday Night Fever and in 1982 their single Penny for Your Thoughts was nominated for a Grammy award. Their last big release with the original line up was Words and Music in 1983, before the band members moved on to forge their solo careers.
This five piece remain legends in the RnB and disco scene, with their tracks still being played at clubs and venues around the world. They have been honoured with a Lifetime Achievement Award from the National R&B Music Society Black Tie Gala where they performed live in 2013, and in 2014 were inducted into the Rhode Island Music Hall of Fame.