R&B singer, songwriter and pianist Benjamin “Benny” Latimore, known to generations of fans simply as Latimore, has died at the age of 86.
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Latimore scored his first Top 40 hit in 1974 with “Let’s Straighten It Out.” His next top 40 hit came in 1977 with “Somethin’ ‘Bout ‘Cha.” Other hits include “Stormy Monday,” and “If You Were My Woman,” a gender-swapped version of the 1970 Gladys Knight and the Pips hit.
The raspy voiced singer worked extensively with Miami, Florida based Dade Records and TK Records in the 1960s and 70s, according to the Miami Herald.
“He was charismatic, classy, kind, humble and respectful,” Harry Wayne Casey of KC and the Sunshine Band said of Latimore, who covered their song “I Get Lifted.”
“He had this voice that would just take you in and swallow you up. At times it was silky smooth. And other times, commanding with soulful R&B energy.”
As a session musician, Latimore is featured on songs like George McRae’s “Rock Your Baby,” as well as Gwen McRae’s “Rockin’ Chair.” He is also featured on Betty Wright’s “Clean Up Woman,” and Bobby Caldwell’s “What You Won’t Do For Love.”
“Benny was cool. He always called me ‘Big Joe’ even though he stood a solid seven inches taller than me,” Joe Stone, producer and president of Harry Stone music told the Miami Herald.
“He was always the tallest man in the room and one of the kindest people and artists I ever had the pleasure of working with. “I feel fortunate to have worked with such a talent and even more fortunate to have co-written a song with him in the early 2000s, one of the highlights of my career.”
Latimore was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in 2017.