Biography
Born and raised in Richmond, VA, Laurie Tate counted among the earliest R&B divas to mold the sonic identity and commercial triumphs of the storied Atlantic Records label. Details concerning her early development remain scarce, yet during summer 1950 co-founder Herb Abramson placed her under contract, after which she promptly recorded alongside the Joe Morris Band. Their initial release, the intense ballad “Anytime, Anyplace, Anywhere,” ascended to the top of the Billboard R&B charts by mid-November and positioned the still-new Atlantic imprint as a genuine market contender.
Tate became a permanent member of Morris’s ensemble upon the second single, “Don’t Take Your Love from Me,” sharing the spotlight with featured vocalist Billy Mitchell. Rebranded as the Joe Morris Blues Calvacade, the unit delivered its third single, “You’re My Darling,” in mid-1951 while undertaking a West Coast tour. The 1952 follow-up “You Can’t Stop My Crying” again proved successful, reportedly moving 50,000 copies within the first ten days of issue. While on the road behind that record, the Blues Calvacade added singer and pianist Ray Charles, who departed after several weeks to pursue an independent path; Lowell Fulson stepped in as his replacement. Just as the group prepared a national tour alongside the Five Keys, Tate suddenly stepped down, attributing her exit to impending motherhood. Morris recruited Faye Adams in her stead, and Adams herself later enjoyed a major R&B career. No further record of Tate’s personal or professional endeavors has surfaced.
Tate became a permanent member of Morris’s ensemble upon the second single, “Don’t Take Your Love from Me,” sharing the spotlight with featured vocalist Billy Mitchell. Rebranded as the Joe Morris Blues Calvacade, the unit delivered its third single, “You’re My Darling,” in mid-1951 while undertaking a West Coast tour. The 1952 follow-up “You Can’t Stop My Crying” again proved successful, reportedly moving 50,000 copies within the first ten days of issue. While on the road behind that record, the Blues Calvacade added singer and pianist Ray Charles, who departed after several weeks to pursue an independent path; Lowell Fulson stepped in as his replacement. Just as the group prepared a national tour alongside the Five Keys, Tate suddenly stepped down, attributing her exit to impending motherhood. Morris recruited Faye Adams in her stead, and Adams herself later enjoyed a major R&B career. No further record of Tate’s personal or professional endeavors has surfaced.