Tami Lynn – born Gloria Brown on January 25, 1939 in New Orleans, Louisiana – was a soul and R&B vocalist. While she earned a lot of acclaim from fellow musicians and provided backing vocals on many high-profile albums – including the Rolling Stones’ Exile on Main Street – she released very little solo material and remained an overlooked vocalist until her death in 2020. Gloria Brown began singing in church choirs at a young age and appeared in her school’s musical productions before performing gospel music on local radio stations. She was discovered by Alvin ‘Red’ Tyler, who encouraged her to perform in local R&B and blues clubs under the stage name Tami Lynn. Allen Toussaint became interested in her talents and signed her to AFO Records. She toured in label package shows, ending up in New York City and opening shows for Ella Fitzgerald, Miles Davis, and John Coltrane. In 1965, she recorded the song “I’m Gonna Run Away from You” for Atco Records, which remained unreleased until it was issued in the UK in 1971, where it became a Top 10 hit. Tami Lynn released Love Is Here and Now You’re Gone, her debut album, in 1972. While her solo career was not setting the charts on fire, she provided backing vocals on recordings by Dr. John, the Rolling Stones, King Floyd, Wilson Pickett, and others. “I’m Gonna Run Away from You” was reissued in the UK in 1975 and entered the Top 40. Tami Lynn did not release another album until 1992’s Tamiya Lynn. Tami Lynn died on June 26, 2020.
