Raised on a sole diet of country music in Willcox, Arizona where Tucker grew up, by the age of eight had her heart set on becoming a country music singer. Tanya’s debut performance came alongside singer Mel Tillis, after which in 1969, the Tucker family moved to Las Vegas, Nevada. The eleven year old prodigy subsequently began performing regularly and impressed enough to ultimately sign with Columbia Records. Released in early 1972 Tucker’s debut single “Delta Dawn” made waves across the U.S. peaking at No. six on the Billboard Country Charts. In the same vein as young country music stars Brenda Lee and Wanda Jackson, audiences were amazed by her age, adding to the majesty of her performance.
Tucker subsequently released the Top 10 singles “Love’s the Answer”, followed by the No. 1 Hit “What’s Your Mama’s Name” in the spring of 1973. The releases set the scene for Tucker’s future output and propelled her to national stardom, aided by the No. 1 singles “Blood Red and Goin’ Down” and “Would You Lay with Me (In a Field of Stone)”. Following a string of further hit singles in the early 1970s, Tucker inked a deal with MCA Records and surprised audiences by adopting rock n roll sensibilities on her 1978 album “T.N.T.”.
With dwindling sales and only the occasional hit, Tucker began collaborating with Glen Campbell before moving to Arista Records in 1982. The full-length “Changes” arrived the same year spawning the hit “Feel Right”, marking a period of high alcohol and drug consumption for the singer. Overcoming her difficulties, Tucker returned with a bang and the No. 3 Hit single “One Love at a Time” in 1986. A steady stream of hits followed including the No. 1’s “I Won’t Take Less Than Your Love”, “If It Don’t Come Easy”, and “Strong Enough to Bend”, after which the singer was voted the Female Vocalist of the Year by the Country Music Association in 1991.
Tucker enjoyed another period of success in the ‘90s with eight consecutive Top 10 singles, breaking the mould of former child stars that can't maintain their success. The singer’s 31st album release “Tanya” arrived in 2002, followed by a series of compilations and live albums including “Live at Billy Bob’s Texas” in 2005, and “My Turn” in 2009.
Tanya Tucker still has it. She has been performing for over forty years now, but she has not lost a step at all. I saw her in 2012 in Las Vegas and she put on an incredible show. She was warm and engaging with the crowd. She sang for over two hours and performed every single major hit that I think she has ever had and the crowd sang along with almost all of them. I loved her performance of “Wine Me Up” and “Down to My Last Teardrop.” A lot of singers lost their voice as they get older, but Tanya Tucker still sounds exactly like she did when she started performing in the 70s, if not better. She sounds more in control of her voice and confident in her abilities. Another great part of the show is the way she interacted with the crowd. Between songs she would tell us stories about other country legends, like Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, and Hank Williams Jr. I am not going to recount them here, but this talented lady has seen and heard a lot of crazy things over the years, especially from other Outlaw country musicians. A lot of modern country has moved toward a more Pop sound, but Tanya Tucker has remained true to her roots and still performs classic Outlaw Country. If you love that kind of music, you will definitely love to see her live.
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