Soul singer Howard Tate spent most of his career as a critics' darling. He never had huge hits, but the cognoscenti had high regard for his work, much of it produced with Jerry Ragavoy. Robert Christgau wrote: "Tate is a blues-drenched Macon native who had the desire to head north and sounds it every time he gooses a lament with one of the trademark keens that signify the escape he never achieved. He brought out the best in soul pro Jerry Ragovoy, who made Tate's records jump instead of arranging them into submission, and gave him lyrics with some wit to them besides." Tate died this week at 72 from complications of multiple myeloma and leukemia. Here's his take on a Bob Dylan classic.
Download 03 Girl From the North Country
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