(December 19, 2022) Today is a day that was probably years in the making, but marks the end of an era. Antone “Chubby” Tavares, longtime lead singer of the legendary sibling vocal group Tavares, announced on social media that he will be retiring from the group on December 30, due to persistent health issues, including heart surgery in 2019. Chubby posted on Facebook:
64 years that have gone by since our mother decided to make a move from Providence RI. Back to the home of her family and friends, but she was brought up in West Wareham. At the age of 16 once we we moved to New Bedford MA. I decided to form my own singing group, that consisted of my friends that I knew from the past. Their names were Benny and George Duarte brothers, a drummer named Paul Joya ,and last but not least John Fortes. I named my group Chubby and the Realities, we actually started doing shows around The New Bedford, the Cape area, and now 60 years later I haven’t been well. I happen to have some great doctors at Cleveland Clinic in Florida, that take good care of me and they know how much I love doing what I do, but they are concerned about my health. So as of December 30th I have elected gracefully to bring my career with Tavares, formerly of Chubby and the Turnpikes, to its end. I must say to all my family, friends and fans, with the help of the good Lord I am going to make it on May 12th 2023 I will be at Ziterion in New Bedford Ma with Tavares. Just let me say that we all get old, some of us live to be a ripe full age, and some of don’t. Just remember to try and do the right thing in life, all I can say is that I’ve been on an Amazing Ride. Please don’t give up on Tavares the New Generation of Tavares are taking over with their Dads. God bless you all. Chubby Tavares.
Chubby’s retirement follows the retirement of brother Pooch Tavares after a stroke in 2014, and the death of Ralph Tavares a year ago.
Originally called "Chubby and the Turnpikes," the Tavares brothers spent the late '60s and early '70s in their native New England covering tunes of R&B greats at various clubs, while trying to land a record deal. They finally scored a contract with Capitol Records' then-new black music division and released their first single, "Check It Out," in 1973. It soared to the top 10 on the R&B charts and became the group's first top 40 pop hit. And the associated Check It Out LP gave the first glimpse of tight brotherly harmonies and alternating lead vocals that would become the Tavares trademark sound.
What followed over the next decade was a tremendous string of hits, including a #1 hit cover of Hall & Oates’ “She’s Gone,” and even bigger dance classics such as “It Only Takes a Minute” and “Heaven Must Be Missing An Angel.” The brothers’ final major hit, the 1982 Kenny Nolan ballad “Penny For Your Thoughts,” also won them a Grammy nomination (they previously won a Grammy for their “More Than a Woman” contribution to the soundtrack of Saturday Night Fever).
Tavares will always hold a special place for me, as the brothers were my first interviews when I was 18 years old. And Chubby has always been an extremely gracious, thoughtful person to talk to, as well as a dynamite lead singer who fueled nearly all of the group’s major hits.
We will be praying for a happy, healthy retirement for one of the all-time great soul music singers, and we look forward to what comes next with the group Tavares.
By Chris Rizik