About
Tanya Tucker is an American country musician who was catapulted into fame as a teenager in the 1970s, and who maintained a prolific career beyond child stardom. She is best known for hits like “Delta Dawn,” and “Love Me Like You Used To.”
Tucker was born in Seminole, Texas, and began learning the saxophone at age six. Two years later, she discovered her singing voice and made her debut with Mel Tillis, who was so impressed with her talent that invited her onstage to perform with him. By 1969, Tucker was regularly performing gigs in Las Vegas. She recorded a demo tape which caught the attention of producer Billy Sherrill, who was then-head of A&R at CBS Records. Sherrill immediately saw potential, and signed Tucker to Columbia Records when she was just 13 years old. Tucker recorded a cover of “Delta Dawn,” a song she had heard Bette Midler sing on the Tonight Show, and it became an instant hit in the spring of 1972.
When word got out of Tucker’s age, she became a sensation. In 1972, her second single “Love’s the Answer” was a Top Ten hit, and her third single, “What’s Your Mama’s Name,” became a number one single in 1973. Tucker followed these up with two more smash hits, making her a major star. In 1975, Tucker signed with MCA Records, producing a string of hit singles which continued to be popular into the late 1970s. Her next album in 1978 was controversial due to its rock crossover and provocative cover, but the album went gold nevertheless.
Tucker only had two hits in 1980, but that year made her feature film debut in Hard Country. After switching to Arista Records, Tucker had another set of hits, including the Top Ten “Feel Right.” She again switched to Capitol Records, continuing her success into the late 80s with a constant stream of Top Ten singles, including four number one hits.
In 2002, Tucker released her 31st album, Tanya, and since then has come out with various live recordings and compilations. Tucker performs often and is regularly booked for corporate events and private parties.
