Antone Tavares
Antone Tavares

Grammy-Winning Music Icon Behind One of the Greatest Love Songs Ever, Dead at 81

Antone Tavares has sadly passed away at 81. Tavares was part of the group that helped revolutionize R'n'B and Soul music in the 70s and 80s.

Antone "Chubby" Tavares has passed away at 81. Antone was one-fifth of the "Taveres" group that helped define R'n'B and Disco throughout the 70s. His son broke the news of his passing with a post on Facebook.

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"It is with great sadness that we share news of our Dad Antone "Chubby" Tavares passing. He passed last night at home in peace & comfort,"

Tavares' son wrote. "Within the past year his health has declined but, his spirit and attitude always remained positive. Dad and his brothers touched many people and brought Joy worldwide. They were Blessed to experience many places and things. A Celebration Of Life to honor him will be held at a later date. The Family appreciates your prayers during this difficult time."

"Taveres" signed with Capitol Records in the late 60s. The group consisted of five brothers. They began their rise to fame with the hit song "Check It Out," which gained attention across the country. The band recorded multiple No.1 hits in R'n'B, including "She's Gone."

Tavares Produced Some Legendary Music

When you look back to that era of R'n'B, Tavares has their fingerprints all over it. Iconic love songs like  "Heaven Must Be Missing An Angel," "Never Had A Love Like This Before" and their rendition of "More Than A Woman" are all staples of that timeframe.

In 1976, the band was labelled as "the next supergroup." Looking back, they clearly achieved that lofty title while becoming legendary members of the R'n'B and Soul genres. The five brothers, who hailed from Massachusetts, took the world by storm. Not only did they help create a wave in the US, but their songs are also still receiving radio play around the world, almost 50 years after they initially released.

During the years after Tavares' split, Antone worked on his own music. He released multiple albums while working alongside legendary producer Preston Glass. His final album, "Jealousy," was released in 2012.

Unfortunately, Antone isn't the first brother to pass away. Tavares is now down to two surviving members. Brother's Pooch and Ralph have also passed, leaving Butch and Tiny as the surviving members of the legendary group.