Tamara Champlin Informations

Tamara Champlin is an American singer-songwriter who started her career as a session singer in Houston, Texas, later moving to Los Angeles. She has performed with and written for singers such as Elton John, Leon Russell, Nicky Hopkins, Steve Lukather, Andreas Carlsson, husband Bill Champlin and son Will Champlin. Tour dates from 2010 to 2016 with Bill Champlin included California, Europe, Hawaii, Japan, South America, Kuwait and Iraq; she is a full member of the Sons of Champlin, a founding member of Bill Champlin and Wunderground, active in the Rhythmic Arts Project to benefit children, and the Saving K-9 Lives Charity encouraging adoption of shelter pets.

Tamara Champlin's (then Matoesian) early career began as a Gilley's dancer and singer with Becky Bauch Williams (then Conway) in the movie, Urban Cowboy (Paramount Pictures 1980), followed by credits on Elton John's album The Fox in 1981, and future husband Bill Champlin's album Runaway. She went on her first road trip as part of Rita Coolidge's band to South Africa also in 1981. In films, she was the vocalist for "Heart of Glass" (composed with Bill Champlin and Bruce Gaitsch) from Caddyshack II; sang three songs in the Rob Lowe Movie Illegally Yours where she also shared songwriting distinction with Bruce Gaitsch on "Who Wins" from that film; lastly with husband Bill Champlin and Rita Coolidge there were two songs performed on screen in the Jim Carrey Movie "Copper Mountain" (1983). In 1983-84 she was a regular background vocalist on Alan Thicke's Show the "Thicke of the Night" and in 1988 was part of the Atlantic Records 40th Anniversary Celebration.

Writing collaborations followed including "Price of Love" (written with Jack Ponti and Vic Pepe) for the Baton Rouge Release; "If You're Not The One For Me" (written with Bruce Gaitsch), sung by Bill Champlin and Brenda Russell, from Tim Scott's "Keep This Love Alive", "Stone Cold" Released by Paul Rodgers (Queen/Bad Company) with his band the Law on their Album Laying Down The Law (1991) and was a background vocalist on Peter Cetera's Album World Falling Down.

Tamara Champlin's solo CD You Won't Get To Heaven Alive (Europe /1991) was released in the US in 1995 (Turnip). In addition to vocal and musical performances by many of the co-writers on this CD, performers such as Nicky Hopkins Bill Champlin, Tris Imboden and Greg Mathieson held contributing credits as players. "Tragic Black" (written with Michael Caruso and Cal Curtis) was number 1 in Germany and "You Won't Get To Heaven Alive" (a collaboration with Randy Cantor and Michael Caruso) reached the top 20 in Spain.

Also in 1995 she co-wrote three songs – "Southern Serenade" (where she shared vocal credits), "God Sent Angels" (background vocals), and "Someone Else" – and performed a duet on a Bill Champlin-Greg Mathieson tune "Love Is Gonna find You" featured on Bill Champlin's "He Started To Sing". On Champlin's Live CD Mayday (Champlin Records - 1996), she was part of the band that toured in Europe to promote it. The album included their duets of "Southern Serenade" and "Love Is Gonna Find You" with Tamara performing her own "Backstreets of Paradise".

There were a series of collection releases to follow where she was a guest lead vocalist and writer: "Make You A Believer" on "World Jam Volume 1; "Express Yourself" from Rocco Prestia's Solo Release "Everybody on the Bus" both in 1999; "Talkin' To Angels" from a charity project "Wings of Light-Songs of Inspiration" Released in 2001; Janey Clewer's "Love" CD (2012) where she shared vocals on the title track (written by Janey Clewer) with Janey, Peter Cetera and Bill Champlin; "Voices in The Wind" from Frederic Slama's Release "Secrets of LA" (2013) and was the featured vocalist on the tune "Circle of Danger" from Slama's 2014 release "LA Connection". In 2015, she released a Single "Dreamin' of Chagall" (Champlin/Caruso/Champlin) inspired by works of artist Marc Chagall.

Continuing during this time were her writing credits for other performers: "Saint Forgiveness" (Champlin/Gaitsch/Champlin) written for Bruce Gaitsch "Aphasia" Album in 1997; "Runaway Love" (Champlin/Caruso/Matkosky) recorded by both Rita Coolige on her "Thinkin' About You" Release (1998) and was a top 40 Billboard Hit for Chris Ledoux's on his "One Road Man". (1996). On Chicago's "What's It Gonna Be Santa" Christmas Release she and husband Bill Champlin (a 28-year member of the band) contributed a co-write that he sang: "Bethlehem". Many collaborations with Michael Caruso followed: "Shoo-Rah", "I'm Not Your Lover"; (Champlin/Caruso/Matkosky) recorded again, by Rita Coolige; "Louisiana Wind" written by Champlin, Caruso, Matkosky and Lecompt was featured on Mike LeCompt's "Can't Let Go"(2002); "Pretty Ugly" and "Pretty When She Cries" (Champlin/Caruso) from a Perfect Day's Release "All Over Everything" (2004) and Bekka Bramlett's Hit on Music Row "What's On My Mind" (2009). Son, Will Champlin, became part of this writing team in 2004 and the trio wrote many songs that featured Will as the vocalist for his first 3 albums (2004-2009). Will Champlin later went on to be part of Heather Headley's Grammy Award Winning Album "Audience of One" and was a Season 5 finalist on The Voice.

In addition to the studio work there was a live show in 2010 at Cafe 316 in Monterey, California, where she performed her own music and was accompanied by Bill and Will Champlin. Tamara was with the sold-out tour in Scandinavia (2011) that featured Leon Russell, Bill Champlin, Joe Williams, and Peter Friestedt, and again in 2016 as part of Champlin Williams Friestedt tour in Europe and Japan. In 2014 re-formed her own band - this time with husband Bill Champlin, Carmen Grillo, Johnny Griparic and Dave Raven entertaining at Genghis Cohen. In 2014–2016 she sang acoustically with Bill Champlin in the US, Europe, Japan, Hawaii, Central and South America and also with the Sons of Champlin that toured steadily on the West Coast

She was involved with the group of musicians organized by Lone Wolf Entertainment in 2011, that included husband Bill and son Will that traveled to Iraq and Kuwait to entertain US forces stationed there. In 2014 Tamara and Bill Champlin were part of a performance at Riverside, California, in support of the Lone Survivor Foundation dedicated to assisting wounded American service members and their families. Tamara was associated with Eddie Tuduri's Rhythmic Art Project that helps children with learning disabilities and in 2017 was part of their 20th Anniversary Show where she performed a duet with Michael McDonald. She has worked with and been part of concert performances for Saving K-9 Lives founded by Jasmine and Bobby Kimball In 2018, she joined Bill Champlin and the Wunderground playing shows in 2018-2019 and releasing an album "Bleeding Secrets"

Tamara Champlin is the daughter of Gregor Matoesian and Kenarr Matoesian. She has three siblings Greg Matoesian,; Michele Taylor and Matthew Matoesian, Chief Financial Officer in son Stephen's Company, Bundts of Steel. She is married to William Bradford (Bill) Champlin ; they and they have one child, William Christoper (Will) Champlin who has a daughter, Harper (Tamara and Bill's grandchild). Her extended family circle includes her step-children (Bill's daughter and son by his prior marriage) Amy Joy Kelly and Bradford Raymond Champlin along with their four children.

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