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The Tamlins were a reggae and dub vocal group in 1970’s Jamaica. Composed of Carlton Smith, Junior Moore, and Derrick Lara, The Tamlins are among the most recognized backup singers in reggae especially for their years of international touring in support of Peter Tosh. They have backed John Holt, Delroy Wilson, Pat Kelly, and Marcia Griffiths, among others, as well as recording on their own. Having released one unsuccessful LP in 1976, they came to prominence in the late 1970s by releasing 12” singles in Jamaica for Channel One Studios, usually covering earlier rocksteady hits such as “Hard to Confess”. They gained wider attention for their notable Sly and Robbie-produced version of the Randy Newman song, “Baltimore” (1979). The arrangement on that single was notably similar to that used on Nina Simone’s cover of the song, released less than a year earlier. They also cut “Go Away Dream” for the same producers, while vocalist Lara enjoyed some solo success in the early 1980s. Lara’s ethereally high lead vocals bring to mind the best of ’70s Philly soul music, a style they have often covered. |
