Lead singer for the Grammy winning, Billboard topping R&B group Tavares dies
NEW BEDFORD — Arthur “Pooch” Tavares, member of the iconic music group Tavares, has passed away.
His brother, Perry Lee “Tiny” Tavares, posted a photo tribute on his Facebook page Wednesday morning, with the message, "Miss what we had."
On the final photo, depicting Pooch with brother Ralph, who passed away in 2021, he wrote, “Now you two can get the stage ready for us. RI-Paradise.”
Post drew hundreds of expressions of sympathy
The post quickly drew over 400 expressions of sympathy and condolence.
"You have to take your music seriously. You have to have a passion for it. If you don't work hard at it you will never last," said Pooch in a previous Standard-Times article. "The constant rehearsing the fighting for everything you want ... without that passion for it you have nothing."
Pooch suffered a massive stroke in 2014, which ultimately led to his retirement from the group.
It was only a little over a week ago that the New Bedford City Council met to discuss the dedication ceremony for Tavares Brothers Way, a street honoring the brothers and their accomplishments.
Councilors had hoped to schedule Tavares dedication quickly
Councilors had hoped to set the ceremony as quickly possible, knowing that Arthur had been ill.
Councilor Derek Baptiste, who had made the motion to honor Tavares, said Wednesday, "It's a tough day. I wish we could have gotten everything done earlier so he could have celebrated — let him see the day. You want people to get their flowers while they're here. I'm just having a hard time with it today."
Baptiste said he received a text this morning from a family member confirming his death.
He said there was some comfort in knowing that Arthur knew the dedication was going to happen.
But it was still difficult.
It's tough when you start losing legends
"It's tough when you start losing legends, when you lose people you look up to," he said.
New street signs proclaiming Tavares Brothers Way have been prepared, it was reported to the council on April 8.
Councilors and city officials were coordinating on a date for the ceremony.
Councilors had also supported incorporating a memorial with benches at the site, which the city was working on.
New Tavares Way will replace part of Griffin Court
The new street replaces Griffin Court, from South Second Street to JFK Memorial Boulevard, which has no houses or businesses.
Baptiste had said the site was especially appropriate because the area selected was once a thriving Cape Verdean community.
Tiny Tavares was in attendance at the January meeting in which the council initially approved the new street.
He said after that meeting, "It's a privilege to finally have it done. I'm glad it's being done, especially on behalf of my family. I want my brothers to witness it. We've lost one [Ralph Tavares], and I don't want to lose any more before it happens."
How Tavares became famous
The five Tavares brothers made New Bedford proud with numerous chart-topping songs, tours with The Jackson Five and even winning a Grammy.
The R&B group Tavares featured brothers Feliciano, aka “Butch,” Perry Lee, aka “Tiny,” Antone, aka “Chubby” Arthur “Pooch" and Ralph Tavares who grew up in Providence and later New Bedford.
New Bedford street: could be named for hometown music icons Tavares
They had eight singles on Billboard's Top 40, 12 Singles on the R&B Top 10 Chart (Including three No. 1 records), three Dance Chart Hits, including a No. 1, and 10 Hit Albums. This included their best-known 1976 hit "Heaven Must Be Missing an Angel" and the Bee Gees song "More Than a Woman.”
Their work on the soundtrack to the iconic movie, “Saturday Night Fever,” won them a Grammy in 1978.
The brothers were inducted into the Cape Verdean Museum Hall of Fame in 2006; in 2013, they were honored with "Lifetime Achievement Awards" by The National R&B Music Society Black Tie Gala; and they were inducted into the Rhode Island Music Hall of Fame in 2014.
Ralph, the oldest member of the group, passed away in 2021 of natural causes two days shy of his 80th birthday.
This article originally appeared on Standard-Times: Arthur 'Pooch' Tavares, lead singer for R&B group Tavares, dies
