Biography
Tamara Champlin began working as a singer in Houston, evolving into a sessions musician, before moving to LA. Shortly after that, she would meet and later marry musician, singer/songwriter Bill Champlin http://www.billchamplin.net Credits include working with Mickey Gilley's band in the 80's film Urban Cowboy, touring with Rita Coolidge, the Jim Carey Movie "Copper Mountain" in 1983 (with Rita Coolidge & Bill Champlin) and the video of "Heartbeat" with Don Johnson in 1986.
She also sang with a horn band called Pockets, was nominated for a Grammy in 1983 as a background singer, and eventually developed her own solo band doing original material. It was during this time she was a regular singer on the Alan Thicke show and performed during the unprecedented 13 hour concert with Paul Schaffer, Tom Scott and the entire Saturday Night Live Band, in 1988 celebrating the 40 years of Atlantic Records.
Tamara then released a solo album with BMG/RCA in 1991 in London with many of the tracks being used on her solo album released in 1995 entitled "You Won't Get to Heaven Alive." The title track of the album would chart in the Top 20 in Spain and "Tragic Black" written by Tamara and Michael Caruso would be number 1 in Germany.
Tamara has written with or for such artists as Elton John, Andreas Carlson, Tom Scott, Chicago, The Doobie Brothers, Brenda Russell, Paul Rogers and Douglas Carr. She has contributed background vocals for many others such as Richard Marx, Elton John, Phil Collins, James Brown and Mister,Mister and garnished gold records from Europe and Scandinavia. She also co-wrote the 1996 hit for the late Chris LeDoux, "Runaway Love." In between these solo accomplishments, Tamara sang with the Bill Champlin band that toured in Europe in the mid 90's, recently took the stage with the Sons of Champlin, first as a featured performer, then in 2010 as a full band member. Tamara also guested with Santa Fe and the Fat City Horns in Las Vegas.
She worked with son Will Champlin, also a singer/songwriter in his own right, composing the title track on Lori Michael's cd "Living My Life Out Loud". Tamara later teamed again with son Will, Michael Caruso and Robin Scofield and co-wrote the title track to Will's "Killing Me With Twilight" EP now available at http://www.willchamplin.com. In November of 2009, she completed a tour with Bill Champlin's Band to promote his new CD "No Place Left to Fall".
Tamara shared a co-writing spotlight again for Bekka Bramlett's "What's on My Mind" with Michael Caruso and Dennis Matkosky, which was a top 40 hit on the Country Music Chart. She performed with Bill Champlin in Norway & Sweden in the spring & summer of 2010 with the Norwegian Kringkastings Orchestra, Peter Friestedt and TOBB, then returned to the states for shows with the Sons of Champlin.
On October 21, 2010 she performed Live at Cafe 316 in Monterey, Ca to a capacity crowd the music of Tamara Champlin. She was accompanied by Bill and Will Champlin.
April 28th-30th, 2011, Tamara performed with the Bill Champlin Band LIVE at the Cotton Club In Japan. The Band, since renamed "Champlin", also featured Will Champlin, Carmen Grillo, Bobby Watson and Herman Matthews. This current lineup has just returned from Kuwait and Iraq as part of Bobby Kimball's USO Tour. This summer will feature a a showcase engagement at the Canyon Club July 7, 2011 with additional summer and fall dates TBA.
Please stop by and join Tamara on her other social networks:
http://www.facebook.com/tamarachamplinband
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Tamara-Champlin/68807293856
http://www.twitter.com/tamarachamplin
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