Latimore

Benny Latimore was born in Charleston, Tennessee in 1939. His first professional experience came as  a pianist for various Florida-based groups including Joe Henderson and Steve Alaimo before securing a contract with the Dade and Glades labels of Florida under the name "Benny Latimore."

Latimore's first regional hit was a disparate cover of  T-Bone Walker's "Stormy Monday," yet his first national charter was a cover of Gladys Knight's "If You Were My Woman" (#70 R & B). In 1974 Latimore dropped a single that made him a star. "Let's Straighten It Out" shot to #1 on Billboard's R & B singles chart and it even crossed over to Pop at #31.  Hissecond LP,  "More, More, More" dropped soon after. He continued to hit the charts for the remainder of the 1970s with Glades Records with songs like "Keep The Home Fires Burning" (#5 R & B) and "Somethin' 'Bout Cha" (#7 R &B). The hits dried up in 1980 with the poor showing of "Discoed To Death" (#68 R & B)

Latimore found a new home with Malaco Records in 1982, resulting in seven albums worth of modern Soul music. He briefly exited the label in 1994 and released an uninspired effort for the J-Town label ("Turning Up The Mood") before returning for one last hurrah for Malaco in 2000 with "You're Welcome To Ride".  Next he recorded one album with Mel Waiters' label Brittney Records called "Latt is Back", inexplicably adding a second "T" to his name. ("Lattimore").

A dry spell followed with nothing new surfacing on Latimore before collaborating on a new record label with Henry Stone called LatStone. The label proceeded to issue Latimore's first new album in six years called "Back 'Atcha", which includes one of his best songs in years, "My Give A Damn Gave Out (A Long Time Ago)".
 

Album Discography

"Latimore" (Glades 1973)

Tracks: Jolie/If You Were My Woman/Take Me to the Pilot/Willoughbly Grove/Power and the Glory/(Be Yourself) Be Real/So Much Love/For What It's Worth/(They Call It) Stormy Monday Eckstine, Hines
Releases

"More, More More" (Glades 1974)

TRACKS: Ain't Nothing You Can Do/Snap Your Fingers/That's How It Is/Let's Straighten It Out/Ain't Nobody Gonna Make Me Change My Mind/I Don't Know/Put Pride Aside/Every Day I Have the Blues

"Latimore lll" (Glades 1975)

Tracks: Keep The Home Fire Burnin', Qualified Man, Are You Where You Wanna Be, There's A Red-neck In The Soul Band, Ladies' Man, Leave Me Alone, Just One Step, She Don't Ever Lose Her Groove.

"It Ain't Where You Been" (Glades 1977)

TRACKS: It Ain't Where You Been/Somethin' 'Bout 'Cha/All the Way Lover/Sweet Vibrations/Let's Do It in Slow Motion/Let Me Go/I Get Lifted

"Dig A Little Deeper" (Glades 1978)

TRACKS: Long Distance Love/Out To Get 'Cha/We Got To Hit It Off/Ain't Nothing Like A Sweet Woman's Love/Too Hot To Handle/Dig A Little Deeper/Tonight's The Night

"Getting Down To Brass Tacks" (Glades 1980)

TRACKS: Take It All/Ain't No Comin' Back/Life of the Party/Take Me to the Mountain Top/Yes We Can/Joy/Do It Now/Discoed to Death

"Singing In The Key Of Love" (Malaco 1982)

TRACKS: Ain't Nothing You Can Do/Baby, Come & Lay Down/Bad Risk/Brother, Doctor, Sister/Do That To Me One More Time/Here I Am Again/Let The Doorknob Hit'cha/Let's Get High On Eachother/Singing In The Key Of Love

"Good Time Man" (Malaco 1985)

TRACKS: Cry To Me/Falling To Pieces Together/Good Time Man/She Didn't Love Me Like You/Snuggle Up With Somebody/Sometimes/Too Crowded In My Bed/Too Thin/Wake Me Up/We Ain't Through Yet

"Every Way But Wrong" (Malaco 1987)

TRACKS: Second Wind/Put Out The Fire/Every Way But Wrong/Body Shop/This Love Is Real/It Won't Get Better This Time/My Mind Went Blank/Sunshine Lady/There's No Limit To My Love/She's All That

"I'll Do Anything For You" (Malaco 1988)

TRACKS: Hell Fire Lovin'/Out To Lunch/Let's Straighen It Out/You/I'll Do Anything For You/Sara Smile/One Shirt, Soulless Shoes/We Don't Make Love Anymore/Take Me Down

"Slow Down" (Malaco 1989)

"The Only Way is Up" (Malaco 1991)

"Catchin' Up" (Malaco 1993)

"Sweet Vibrations: The Best Of" (Castle 1995)

"Straighten It Out: The Best Of" (Rhino 1995)

"Turnin' Up The Mood" (J-Town 1995)

"All You'll Ever Need" (601 Music 1998)

"You're Welcome To Ride" (Malaco 2000)

"Latt Is Back" (Brittney 2003)

"The Early Years" (Henry Stone Music 2005)

"Back 'Atcha" (LatStone 2007) LISTEN

*** Latimore albums the past two decades are a frustrating experience and this new new venture is no exception. "Back 'Atcha" is the maiden release on a new record label, LatStone, co-owned by Latimore and legendary producer/mogul/gangsta Henry Stone. Nevertheless, it's 100% a Lat-helmed record, playing most of the parts (on Motif keyboards) and writing all ten of the songs (including three co-authored by Roach Thompson). It's hit and miss. Two great songs ("Edna Mae", "My Give A Damn Gave Out A Long Time Ago"), two awful songs ("Miami", "Ghetto Girl"), 1 strong blues ("Wake Up America") and some awkward attempts to fit into mainstream R & B (albeit of the 80s and early 90s); very much like his previous platter, the Mel Waiters-produced "Latt Is Back".

It kicks off right with the charming "Edna Mae", a sentimental ode to mama on top of a loping drum pattern, noodlin' guitar and electric piano only to give way to the pedestrian, faux reggae "Ghetto Girl". A relic of the 80s for sure. Despite the plastic backing "'Nanna Puddin'" scores again on sentiment (props to a woman who's like sweet ole' grandma's pudding). That drum track though nearly ruins the track. Same goes for the soaring ballad " I See Love", which proves Lat can sing as well as ever. Sexy Latimore lets that baritone purr on the trance-like "Honeymoon" and testifies on the anti-war "Wake Up America". We buy Latimore discs for that voice but it sounds even better with an organic sound. That said, it's still a pleasure to have a new record (six years since the last one!). How about a sequel with more Stone?

Chart History

Albums

1974 More, More, More Black Albums 13
1975 Latimore II Black Albums 49
1977 It Ain't Where You Been... Pop Albums 181
1977 It Ain't Where You Been Black Albums 47
1979 Dig A Little Deeper Black Albums 51
1982 Singing In The Key Of Love Black Albums 61
1983 I'll Do Anything For You Black Albums 66
1984 I'll Do Anything for You Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums 67
1991 The Only Way Is Up Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums 34

Singles

1974 If You Were My Woman Black Singles 70
1974 Let's Straighten It Out Black Singles 1
1974 Let's Straighten It Out Pop Singles 31
1975 Keep The Home Fire Burnin' Black Singles 5
1975 There's A Red-Neck In The Soul Band Black Singles 36
1976 Qualified Man Black Singles 43
1977 I Get Lifted Black Singles 30
1977 Let Me Live The Life I Love Black Singles 49
1977 Somethin' 'Bout 'Cha Black Singles 7
1977 Somethin' 'Bout 'Cha Pop Singles 37
1979 Dig A Little Deeper Black Singles 42
1979 Goodbye Heartache Black Singles 82
1979 Long Distance Love Black Singles 75
1980 Discoed to Death Black Singles 68
1986 Sunshine Lady Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks 76
1991 I Need a Good Woman Bad Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks 86