The Tams

The Tams are an American vocal group from Atlanta, Georgia, who enjoyed their greatest chart success in the 1960s, but continued to chart in the 1970s, and the 1980s. Two separate lineups of the group continue to perform and record. One lineup, called 'The Original Tams with R. L. Smith', features original member Robert Lee Smith, and the other lineup is under the leadership of Little Red, the son of longtime member Albert Cottle and stepfather Charles Pope and the nephew of group co-founder Joe Pope.The band formed in 1960, and took their name from the Tam o'shanter hats they wore on stage. By 1962, they had a hit single on Arlen Records. "Untie Me", a Joe South composition, became a top 20 on the Billboard R&B chart. The follow-up releases largely failed until 1964, when "What Kind of Fool (Do You Think I Am)", reached the top 10 on the US Billboard Hot 100. The song spent three weeks at number one on the Cash Box R&B chart. Many of their popular hits were written by Ray Whitley."Hey Girl Don't Bother Me" was also a modest US hit the same year. The Tams had only one further major US hit (in 1968) when "Be Young, Be Foolish, Be Happy", peaked at No. 26 on the US R&B chart, and subsequently made the UK top 40 in 1970.Their 1965 recording "I've Been Hurt" was their biggest regional hit (based on sales and airplay) prior to 1980.The group reached the Number one slot in the UK Singles Chart in September 1971, with the re-issue of "Hey Girl Don't Bother Me", thanks to its initial support from the then thriving UK Northern soul scene. The song also topped the Irish Singles Chart, making them the first African-American group to have a number-one single in Ireland.

Biography summary from English Wikipedia, photograph via Wikimedia Commons.