Pooch Tavares, Lead singer for the Grammy winning group Tavares dies at 81

Arthur “Pooch” Tavares, the lead singer of the Grammy-winning music group Tavares, has passed away at the age of 81.

His brother, Perry Lee “Tiny” Tavares, shared a photo tribute on his Facebook page on Wednesday morning, April 17, 2024, with a heartfelt message, “Miss what we had.”

In the poignant post, a final photo featuring Pooch alongside brother Ralph, who passed away in 2021, was accompanied by the words, “Now you two can get the stage ready for us. RI-Paradise.”

The post quickly garnered over 400 expressions of sympathy and condolence from fans and well-wishers.

Pooch, known for his dedication to music and his passion for performance, once said in a previous interview with the Standard-Times, “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.”

In 2014, Pooch suffered a massive stroke, leading to his retirement from the group. Despite this setback, his contributions to Tavares’ success were significant and enduring.

The Tavares brothers, consisting of Feliciano “Butch,” Perry Lee “Tiny,” Antone “Chubby,” Arthur “Pooch,” and Ralph, brought pride to New Bedford with their chart-topping songs, tours alongside The Jackson Five, and their Grammy win.

The R&B group, originally from Providence and later New Bedford, left an indelible mark on the music industry and will be remembered fondly by fans around the world.