BOBBY KARL WORKS THE ROOM
Chapter 477
Pictured (L-R): The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum’s Carolyn Tate, Tanya Tucker, daughters Presley Tucker and Layla Laseter, and the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum’s Kyle Young.
Of the six women who have the most top-10 hits in country-music history, five are enshrined in the Country Music Hall of Fame.
They are, #1 Reba McEntire, #2 Dolly Parton, #3 Loretta Lynn, #5 Tammy Wynette and #6 Kitty Wells. The #4 position is occupied by Tanya Tucker. It’s a travesty that someone of this stature has not been inducted and an even bigger one that a vocal stylist this gifted has never even been nominated.
By the way, other female Country Music Hall of Fame members include #9 Barbara Mandrell, #10 Emmylou Harris, #13 Connie Smith and #21 Jean Shepard, plus Brenda Lee and Patsy Cline, who are tied at #22 of the women with the most top-10 country hits.
Tanya might not be in the Hall, but she now has what is maybe the next best thing, her own exhibit. On Thursday evening (Nov. 13), the Hall of Fame & Museum held a preview party for “Tanya Tucker: Strong Enough to Bend,” a second-floor display of her career memorabilia, located in the space the Miranda Lambert exhibit occupied.
“This is freaking me out,” said Tanya to the party attendees. “I’m just so proud to be a part of country music. I want to continue the legacy.”
“We thank her for all she’s given to country music,” said the Hall of Fame’s Kyle Young. “When Tanya Tucker hit town at age 13, Nashville had never seen anything like her. Forty years later….there is [still] only one Tanya Tucker.”
“This lady right here has given so much back to people,” said Jett Williams of Tanya’s legendary generosity. “I’m proud to stand here and honor this great lady….We are all richer for knowing her.”
Tanya credited her late parents for saving most of her career mementos, noting that she couldn’t have cared less as a kid. The exhibit includes some of her child stage outfits, as well as a denim jacket commemorating “Delta Dawn,” her debut hit from 1972. A copy of the 9/26/74 issue of Rolling Stone is in the display case. Tanya was the first female country star ever on the magazine’s cover. The following year, she signed a $1.4 million dollar contract with MCA Records.
“She was all of 16 when she did this,” commented Kyle.
Many of her colorful costumes are featured, including the outfit she wore as a halftime entertainer at the 1994 SuperBowl. A childhood record player, the script from her 1981 appearance on The Love Boat, National Cutting Horse Association awards, an Elvis statuette, her 1993 ACM video award and her pink Harley-Davidson motorcycle are also in the exhibit.
“This event has caused me to do a lot of thinking and to appreciate so much what music has done for me,” said Tanya of her exhibit during a pre-party press conference. “I took the last three or four years off, because I really didn’t know if I wanted to perform anymore. Maybe my music matters more than I think it does. Now I don’t think I could ever stay away from singing and performing. This event has caused that.”
Party attendees included Steve Popovich Jr., Steve Betts, Steve Lassiter, Jerry Lassiter, Jerry Crutchfield (Tanya’s longest-tenured producer), Dianne Sherrill, Diamond Rose, David & Karen Conrad, Cerrito, Craig Hayes, Kelly Zumwalt, Bill Wence, Barb Hall, Bob Paxman, Billy Galvin, Bonnie Sugarman, Mike Vaden and Tanya’s lovely singing daughters Presley and Layla.
“A lot of my friends are here from all over the world,” said the honoree. Tanya also said that she is working on a comeback album. “I asked Haggard, ‘What do you think I should do?’ He said, ‘Keep singing, one song at a time.’”
A sampling Tanya Tucker CMHoF exhibit items
