Tommy Duncan
Tommy Duncan ( born January 11, 1911 as Thomas Elmer Duncan in Hillsboro, Texas; † 25 July 1967) was an American country singer who was the lead singer of Bob Wills Texas Playboys band in the 1930s and subsequently as a soloist and bandleader worked.
Member of the Texas Playboys
Tommy Duncan replaced the early 1930s, Milton Brown, who had left following a dispute with the manager and sponsor W. Lee O'Daniel Light Crust Doughboys the. Bandleader Bob Wills, who is considered the founder of Western Swing today, casted more than 70 singers before he decided to Duncan. 1933 Wills was fired from O'Daniel. In Texas, he founded his own band, the Playboys, from which a little later, the Texas Playboys were. Duncan joined with other Doughboys of the new lineup. As lead singer shaped his melodious baritone for many years the sound of the group. The biggest hit was the 1940 -established classic San Antonio Rose.
Tommy Duncan left the Texas Playboys in 1942 to participate as a volunteer in the Second World War. After the war, he joined again to Bob Wills.
Solo career
In 1948 he was pushed from the choleric Wills of the band. He was then self-employed and put his own band together, the Western All-Stars. Some former Texas Playboys followed. Successes were rare, because the Western Swing massively lost in these years against the Honky Tonk ground. Most famous was the 1949 top 10 hit Gamblin ' Polka Dot Blues. 1960, he reunited with Wills together and published in the Liberty label two albums.
Tommy Duncan died July 25, 1967 of a heart attack.