Tanya Tucker

Tanya Denise Tucker (born October 10, 1958) is an American country music singer, who had her first hit, "Delta Dawn" at the age of 13 in 1972.

She has been one of the few child singers in American music to have success well beyond her teen years, her hits exceeding into the 80s and 90s. She became one of country music's most successful female vocalists of all time. Her life has been in the news quite a few times, battling drug and alcohol problems as a teenager, as well as a brief engagement to Glen Campbell.

Early life & rise to fame

Tucker was born in Seminole, Texas in 1958. She did much of her growing up in Arizona however, as well as Utah and Nevada. This was because her father pursued many construction jobs. By the age of 5, Tucker was already riding horses. At the age of 6, she began taking saxaphone lessons, and then two years later, Tucker decided she wanted to sing. Even as a child, people were stunned by Tucker's voice. She even met Mel Tillis, who even invited young Tucker to perform with him on stage. In 1969, Tucker and her family moved to Las Vegas, Nevada, where Tucker performed regularly.

Tucker's father began sending out demo tapes of Tucker that landed its way to Nashville, Tennessee (the Country music capital), where it was taken by the attention of Epic/Columbia producer Billy Sherrill. Sherrill was so impressed with Young Tanya's voice that he signed the young singer to Columbia Records in 1972.

The success of "Delta Dawn"

Initially, Sherrill was supposed to have Tucker record the tune "The Happiest Girl In the Whole USA", however, Tucker heard a version of the song "Delta Dawn" on the Tonight Show by Bette Midler, and ultimately decided that would be her very first single. "The Happiest Girl In the Whole USA" was then passed over to Donna Fargo and was made into a big-selling Country-Pop crossover hit. As for "Delta Dawn", the song was a big hit for Tucker, peaking in the Top 10 on the country charts at #6, even scraping the bottom of the pop charts. This made Tucker one of the youngest country stars to ever become successful in country music. A year later, Australian singer, Helen Reddy would score a #1 Pop hit with her version of "Delta Dawn". Although most people remember Reddy's version of the song, Tucker's was the original.

Country star in the late 70s

Tucker's follow-up to the hit, "Love's the Answer" also went to #6 on the Country charts and proved a successful follow-up to "Delta Dawn". Her third release, "What's Your Mama's Name" became Tucker's first #1 Country hit. An album of the same name was also released the year it became a hit in 1973. Although Tucker was quite young, she was not afraid to sing any risky material, which could first be seen with the 1973 hit, "Blood Red and Goin' Down". Even more controversial was the David Allan Coe-penned "Would You Lay With Me (In a Field of Stone)". Although the song was about sex, Tucker defended the song as just simply as it being "a noble and sweet love song". By this time, Tucker had already won the Academy of Country Music's "Top New Female Vocalist" award, as well as a receiving a Grammy award nomination fore "Delta Dawn". A Greatest Hits album was also in the works, and she was also on the face of Rolling Stone magazine.

In 1974 an album entitled Would You Lay With Me In a Field of Stone was released, followed by another hit called "The Man That Turned Mama On". In 1975, Tucker switched to MCA Records.

In 1975, after switching over to MCA Records, Tucker released a new album of new material, simply entitled Tanya Tucker. It featured the #1 Country hit "Lizzie and the Rainman", that also crossed over into the Adult Contemporary charts and became a hit there, getting Tucker's name noticed in other places besides country music. She had another #1 that year called "San Antonio Stroll". By now, Tucker was a huge country star, and was one of country music's most successful and popular female vocalists.

She changed her image completely in 1978 with the release of her TNT album, which gave her a more sexy image, and her material also changed, with MCA trying to appeal her to pop/rock-styled hits. Even though the album was not so-well-liked by some people, it went Gold the next year. The album featured the #5 Country hit, "Texas (When I Die)" (one of her signature songs), along with a Top 20 hit.

After the album, it was obvious, that Tucker's album sales were declining. In 1980 she had a #10 hit called "Pecos Promenade". This song, along with another Top 10, would be Tucker's last major hit for awhile. She also had the attention of quite a few male suitors, particularly Merle Haggard, Glen Campbell, and Don Johnson. In 1980, Tucker recorded some duets with country-pop crossover star, Glen Campbell. They started to date each other, even though Campbell was 22 years older than Tucker was, and also when he was still married. The couple got much attention from the tabloids. Tucker then later claimed that Campbell abused her physically. Around the same time, Tucker was also battling drug addiction, to drugs like cocaine and marijuana, and also battled alcohol problems. She eventually sought help, by entering rehab at the Betty Ford Center. Over the years, Tucker has been compared to Britney Spears, for having the same kinds of problesm in their personal lives.

Despite having a Top 10 hit in 1982 with her album Changes, Tucker didn't receive any more hit success. By 1983, Tucker's singles weren't even making the Top 40 anymore, and it was obvious that as Tucker got older, her popularity declined, which had the same effect on many child stars throughout the years.

Comeback in mid-80s & success into the 90s

Tucker was almost off the charts, when in 1986, she signed with Capitol Records. She made a successful comeback with her album Girls Like Me, released that same year. The album was a big success, and featured the #1 hit, "Just Another Love", as well as the #3 hit "One Love at a Time", which was the first single released from the album. Her music was now more country pop-styled and up-tempo, but this material was what made Tucker popular again. The year 1988 was one of Tucker's most successful years on the country charts, racking up three No. 1 Country hits. Her number-ones were "I Won't Take Less Than Your Love", "If It Don't Come Easy" and "Strong Enough to Bend". A Greatest Hits album followed in 1989, releasing a Top 5 hit to the country charts that year from the album called "My Arms Stay Open All Night", which peaked at #2.

Tucker pushed well into the 1990s with a #2 country hit, "Walking Shoes", along with a string of Top 10 hits which were, "Don't Go Out With Me" (1990), "It Won't Be Me" (1991), "Oh What It Did to Me" (1991), and "Down to My Last Teardrop" (1991). In 1991, Tucker also won the CMA's most coveted female award, Female Vocalist of the Year. That same night she won the award, her second child was born. Her second child was born out of wedlock, which brought Tucker back into the tabloids for a brief period of time. The previous year, she was named by CMT "Female Video Artist of the Year".

Tucker continued making hits into 1992, with "Two Sparrows and a Hurricane", as well as quite a few other Top 10 Country hits. "Two Sparrows in a Hurricane" was named by the Academy of Country Music the "Video of the Year". By now, Tucker was a 20-year veteran in country music, even though she was only in her mid-30s. In 1994, "Hangin' On" was her last Top 5 hit, as well as her last Top 10 hit for awhile. That year she performed at the Half Time show at Super Bowl XXVIII. However, Tucker was able to stay in the Country Top 40 this time. In 1996, Tucker was one of the Top 10 most played artists of the year, and that time Capitol Records' biggest signed female artist. In 1997, she returned to the Top 10 on the Country charts for the last time with the hit, "Little Things", which peaked at #9. Into the new millennium, Tucker remained successful, even though her big hits were well behind her. She continued to make the Top 40 on the Country charts. In 2003, she had her last charting single with the #49 hit "Old Weakness (Coming On Strong)". That year, she was inducted into the Texas Country Music Hall of Fame.

Tanya Tucker today

Since Tucker's hit-making days, she has published an autobiography that hit the bookstores in 1997 called Nickel Dreams: My Life. She has also continued to release albums. In 2005, she released an album called Live At Billy Bob's Texas. That same year, she contributed two songs to a tribute album to Bob Wills, called A Tribute to Bob Wills 100th Anniversary. The year continued to make Tucker busy, now with a new book called 100 Ways to Beat the Blues on Fireside, which included tips on pulling yourself out of the dumps, from some of Tucker's good friends, like Willie Nelson, Brenda Lee, Little Richard, and Burt Reynolds. Tucker also starred in her own reality show, Tuckerville, on The Learning Channel in 2005. The show is an in-depth visit of Tucker behind the scenes in her home with her family.

Gretchen Wilson makes reference to Tucker in her hit song "Redneck Woman."

Tanya is also releasing a new album this year (2007) titled Lonesome Town, and a new Live concert recorded at the Renissance centre, back in december, will be released as well,

Tanya will sing a duet with country music icon Billy Joe Shaver, on his upcoming album "Everybody's Brother" released on august 7th 2007.

Discography

Albums

• Delta Dawn (1972)
• What's Your Mama's Name (1973)
• Would You Lay with Me (1974)
• Tanya Tucker (1975)
• Lovin' and Learnin' (1976)
• Here's Some Love (1976)
• Ridin' Rainbows (1977)
• You Are So Beautiful (1977)
• TNT (1978)
• Tear Me Apart (1979)
• Dreamlovers (1980)
• Should I Do It (1981)
• Live (1982)
• Changes (1983)
• Girls Like Me (1986)
• Love Me Like You Used To (1987)
• Strong Enough to Bend (1988)
• Tennessee Woman (1990)
• Greatest Hits Encore (1990)
• What Do I Do with Me (1991)
• Can't Run from Yourself (1992)
• Soon (1993)
• Fire to Fire (1995)
• Complicated (1997)
• Tanya (2002)
• Live at Billy Bob's Texas (2005)
• Lonesome Town (2007)

Charted singles

Year	Single	U.S. Pop Singles	U.S. Country Singles	U.S. A.C. Singles.	Album
1972	"Delta Dawn"	72	6	-	Delta Dawn
1972	"Love's the Answer"	-	5	-	Delta Dawn
1973	"What's Your Mama's Name"	86	1	-	What's Your Mama's Name
1973	"Blood Red and Goin' Down"	74	1	-	What's Your Mama's Name
1973	"Would You Lay With Me (In a Field of Stone)"	46	1	-	Would You Lay with Me (In a Field of Stone)
1974	"The Man That Turned Mama On"	86	4	-	Would You Lay with Me (In a Field of Stone)
1974	"I Believe the South Is Gonna Rise Again"	-	18	-	Would You Lay with Me (In a Field of Stone)
1975	"Spring"	-	18	-	You Are So Beautiful
1975	"You Are So Beautiful"	-	40	-	You Are So Beautiful
1975	"Lizzie and the Rainman"	37	1	7	Tanya Tucker
1975	"San Antonio Stroll"	-	1	-	Tanya Tucker
1975	"Greener Than the Grass We Laid On"	-	23	-	Greatest Hits
1976	"Don't Believe My Heart Can't Stand Another You"	-	4	-	Lovin' and Learnin'
1976	"You've Got Me to Hold on To"	-	3	-	Lovin' and Learnin'
1976	"Here's Some Love"	82	1	-	Here's Some Love
1976	"Ridin' Rainbows"	-	12	-	Ridin' Rainbows
1977	"It's a Cowboy-Lovin' Night"	-	7	-	Ridin' Rainbows
1977	"Dancing the Night Away"	-	16	-	Ridin' Rainbows
1978	"Save Me"	-	86	-	Best of Tanya Tucker (MCA)
1978	"Texas (When I Die)"	70	5	-	T.N.T.
1979	"I'm the Singer, You're the Song"	-	18	-	T.N.T.
1980	"Pecos Promenade"	-	10	-	Smokey & the Bandit 2 (soundtrack)
1980	"Dream Lover" (with Glen Campbell)	-	59	-	Dreamlovers
1980	"Can I See You Tonight"	-	4	-	Dreamlovers
1981	"Love Knows We Tried"	-	40	-	Dreamlovers
1981	"Should I Do It"	-	50	-	Should I Do It
1981	"Why Don't We Just Sleep In Tonight" (with Glen Campbell)	-	85	-	It's the World Gone Crazy (Glen Campbell album)
1981	"Rodeo Girls"	-	83	-	Should I Do It
1982	"Feel Right"	-	10	-	Changes
1982	"Cry"	-	77	-	Changes
1983	"Changes"	-	1	-	Changes
1983	"Baby I'm Yours"	-	22	-	Changes
1986	"One Love at a Time"	-	3	-	Girls Like Me
1986	"Just Another Love"	-	1	-	Girls Like Me
1986	"I'll Come Back As Another Woman"	-	2	-	Girls Like Me
1987	"It's Only Over For You"	-	8	-	Girls Like Me
1987	"Love Me Like You Used To"	-	2	-	Love Me Like You Used To
1987	"I Won't Take Less Than Your Love" (feat. Paul Overstreet and Paul Davis)	-	1	-	Love Me Like You Used To
1988	"If It Don't Come Easy"	-	1	-	Love Me Like You Used To
1988	"Strong Enough to Bend"	-	1	-	Strong Enough to Bend
1988	"Highway Robbery"	-	2	-	Strong Enough to Bend
1989	"Call on Me"	-	4	-	Strong Enough to Bend
1989	"Daddy and Home"	-	27	-	Greatest Hits
1989	"My Arms Stay Open All Night"	-	2	-	Greatest Hits
1990	"Walking Shoes"	-	3	-	Tennessee Woman
1990	"Don't Go Out" (with T. Graham Brown)	-	6	-	Tennessee Woman
1992	"Some Kind of Trouble"	-	3	-	What Do I Do with Me
1991	"Oh What It Did to Me"	-	12	-	Tennessee Woman
1991	"(Without You) What Do I Do With Me"	-	2	-	What Do I Do with Me
1991	"Down to My Last Teardrop"	-	2	-	What Do I Do with Me
1992	"If Your Heart Ain't Busy Tonight"	-	4	-	What Do I Do with Me
1992	"Two Sparrows In a Hurricane"	-	2	-	Can't Run from Yourself
1993	"It's a Little Too Late"	-	3	-	Can't Run from Yourself
1993	"Tell Me About It" (with Delbert McClinton)	-	4	-	Can't Run from Yourself
1993	"Soon"	-	2	-	Soon
1993	"Already Gone"	-	75	-	Common Thread: Songs of the Eagles
1994	"We Don't Have to Do This"	-	11	-	Soon
1994	"Hangin' In"	-	4	-	Soon
1994	"You Just Watch Me"	-	20	-	Soon
1995	"Between the Two of Them"	-	27	-	Fire to Fire
1995	"Find Out What's Happenin'"	-	40	-	Fire to Fire
1997	"Little Things"	-	9	-	Complicated
1997	"Ridin' Out the Heartache"	-	45	-	Complicated
2002	"A Memory Like I'm Gonna Be"	-	34	-	Tanya
2003	"Old Weakness (Coming on Strong)"	-	49	-	Tanya
2007	"-"	-	-	-	Lonesome Town

External links

• Official Tanya Tucker website
• Tanya Tucker Online - Unofficial Fansite
• Tanya Tucker at IMDb
• Tanya Tucker Photo Galleries 75 images from Tanya Tucker's 1973 Hee Haw appearance
• http://tanya.flickguy.com/tstuff.htm