Miami Soul Legend Latimore Dies at 86; Remembered for Voice That ‘Would Swallow You Up

TAMPA, Fla. — Benjamin William Lattimore, the soul and blues singer known professionally as Latimore whose rich baritone powered the 1974 R&B chart-topper “Let’s Straighten It Out,” has died at age 86.

Lattimore died Aug. 22 in Tampa, according to multiple reports. The Miami Herald, in an obituary published this week, described him as possessing “a voice that would swallow you up,” capturing the commanding yet intimate quality that defined his recordings and live performances for more than five decades.

Born Sept. 7, 1939, in Charleston, Tennessee, Lattimore grew up influenced by country music, the Baptist church choir and the blues. He began his professional career as a pianist for Florida-based groups, including work with Steve Alaimo, before cutting his first records in the mid-1960s for Henry Stone’s Dade label in Miami. He later moved to Stone’s Glades imprint, part of the influential TK Records family that helped define Miami’s soul and disco sound in the 1970s.

His breakthrough arrived in 1973 with a jazz-inflected version of T-Bone Walker’s “Stormy Monday,” which reached the R&B charts. The following year, the self-written “Let’s Straighten It Out” became his signature hit, climbing to No. 1 on the Billboard R&B chart and crossing over to the Hot 100. The slow-burning song about relationship tension and reconciliation established Lattimore as a leading voice in Southern soul. He followed it with additional R&B successes, including “Keep the Home Fire Burnin’” and “Somethin’ ‘Bout ‘Cha,” the latter becoming one of his two Top 40 Hot 100 singles.

Standing tall and delivering material with a smooth yet powerful delivery, Lattimore specialized in songs of romance, heartache and adult relationships. His piano skills remained central to his identity as both a solo artist and session musician. He contributed keyboards to recordings by other artists and later appeared on Joss Stone’s early albums “The Soul Sessions” and “Mind Body & Soul” alongside fellow Miami veterans including Betty Wright and Timmy Thomas.

In the 1980s, Lattimore joined Malaco Records in Jackson, Mississippi, a label known for sustaining Southern soul and blues artists. He released a string of albums there and remained active on the touring circuit. He later formed his own LatStone Records with longtime associate Henry Stone and continued recording into the 2010s, including a 2013 tribute to Ray Charles. In all, he released more than two dozen albums.

Recognition of his contributions came in 2017 when he was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame. He made a notable television appearance in 2014 on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.” He had been scheduled to perform at the Mississippi Delta Blues and Heritage Festival in September.

Colleagues remembered him as a dedicated road performer and distinctive talent. Harry Wayne Casey, known as KC of KC and the Sunshine Band and a fellow product of the Miami TK Records scene, was among those who paid tribute. One contemporary description called him “a true southern soul man who played the road and entertained millions.”

Lattimore’s survivors include his wife, Yvonne Lattimore. Details of funeral arrangements were not immediately available.

His catalog has found new audiences in recent years. Tracks such as “Let Me Go” gained renewed streaming attention through social media platforms, introducing younger listeners to the deep-soul sound he helped popularize. “Let’s Straighten It Out” remains a staple on classic R&B and Southern soul playlists and continues to be covered and sampled.

Lattimore’s career bridged several eras of Black popular music, from the independent label scene of 1960s Miami through the commercial peak of 1970s soul and into the contemporary blues and Southern soul circuit. His ability to convey emotional complexity with restraint and power earned him a devoted following that outlasted the peak commercial years of his biggest hits.

The Miami recording community of the 1960s and 1970s, centered around figures such as Henry Stone, produced a distinctive blend of R&B, soul and later disco. Lattimore stood out within that ecosystem for the blues-rooted authority of his singing and the sophistication of his songwriting and piano work. His move to Malaco later in his career aligned him with a label that prioritized artists with lasting appeal to core Southern audiences rather than fleeting crossover trends.

Peers and fans have emphasized both the technical strength of his voice and the personal connection his music created. Descriptions of his live performances often noted the way his baritone filled a room while retaining an intimate, conversational quality—an effect the Herald’s phrasing of a voice that “would swallow you up” sought to capture.

Though he never achieved the sustained pop stardom of some contemporaries, Lattimore’s influence is evident in the continued circulation of his key recordings and in the respect accorded him by later generations of soul and blues performers. His induction into the Blues Hall of Fame formalized a reputation built over decades of consistent work rather than a single moment of chart success.

In the days following news of his death, tributes highlighted the durability of “Let’s Straighten It Out” and the breadth of a career that began in church choirs and Florida nightclubs and extended to national stages and major-label sessions. The song’s themes of honesty and reconciliation in relationships have given it a lasting relevance beyond its original chart run.

Lattimore’s passing marks the loss of one of the distinctive voices of Miami’s soul era and of the broader Southern soul tradition. His recordings preserve a style of adult-oriented R&B that prioritized emotional directness and musical craftsmanship. For listeners who discovered him through radio in the 1970s or through later reissues and streaming playlists, the voice remains immediately recognizable—deep, assured and capable of conveying both vulnerability and strength.

He is remembered as a singer, songwriter, pianist and working musician who maintained a professional presence across more than half a century. From early sessions in Miami studios to later years on the blues festival circuit, Latimore left a body of work that continues to resonate with audiences drawn to authentic Southern soul.