Tamiko Jones, born Barbara Tamiko Ferguson in 1945 in Kyle, West Virginia, is an American singer of part Japanese, British, and Cherokee descent. She began her career performing pop songs in a jazz style after making her professional debut in a Detroit club in 1961. Her first record release was "Is It A Sin?" issued by Checker Records in 1963 under the name Timiko. Jones moved to the Atco label, where she recorded "Rhapsody" as Tamiko in 1964, and later to Golden World and Atlantic Records, releasing several singles, including "Boy You're Growing On Me" in 1967. That year, she also collaborated with jazz flautist Herbie Mann on the album A Mann And A Woman. In 1968, after being hospitalized with polio, Jones met singer Solomon Burke, and they recorded several duets. She co-produced Burke's cover of "Proud Mary" and released her own album I'll Be Anything For You under Creed Taylor’s CTI label. Her first chart hit was "Touch Me Baby (Reaching Out For Your Love)", which reached Number 12 on the Billboard R&B chart in 1975. This success was followed by other notable singles, including "Just You and Me" and Love Trip. In 1986, her version of Marvin Gaye's "I Want You" made it to Number 81 on the R&B chart. Jones' vocal tracks continue to be popular today, receiving regular remixes and edits.
