Tommy Tucker (singer)

Tommy Tucker ( real name Robert Higginbotham ) ( born March 5, 1933, Springfield (Ohio ); † January 22, 1982 in Newark, New Jersey) was an American blues singer and pianist.

Career

Not much is handed down over the life of blues singer and pianist Tommy Tucker. Tommy Tucker was the cousin of Joan Higginbotham, an astronaut who stayed aboard the space shuttle Discovery in December 2006.

He learned piano from 1941 and joined the Bobby Wood's orchestra, from the 1953 Doo Wop lineup Cavaliers emerged. In Woods band he met the trumpeter Clarence Leville, with whom he formed a house band in the Dell Farm Club in Dayton / Ohio in 1951. They accompanied here blues greats like Big Maybelle, Billie Holiday, Little Walter, Jimmy Reed, Little Willie John Amos Milburn or. Then he changed frequently the groups that emerged in 1955 with Leville at the Belvaderes, with which he then in 1956 also played at the Dusters. Two unsuccessful singles from each one of these formations were the result. 1957 Tucker joins the house band at The Frolic Nightclub in Springfield / Ohio.

Along with Atlantic Records Ahmet Ertegun - owner, he wrote the song My Girl (I Really Love Her So ), he unsuccessfully brought out in 1961 as a soloist.

The only hit

Tucker's single and biggest hit was the original composition and subsequent mods anthem Hi Heel Sneakers with the distinctive slide guitar work in bottleneck style of Welton " Dean" Young, who had worked with Tucker already in the fifties. After publication of the Jimmy Reed -like style at Chess Records subsidiary label Checker Records on 13 January 1964, the title came down to rank 11 of the pop charts and was among some 200 versions of the much covered songs. The recording was probably still produced in the founding year, 1962, the A-1- studios by Herb Abramson. Long Tall Shorty, written by Don Covay and Herb Abramson, was an unsuccessful sequel to May 1964 was covered by the Kinks ( on the eponymous LP of 2 October 1964). Abramson also produced in 1966 That's Life for its own festival label, but could not halt the decline of artistic Tucker.

End of the sixties, he settled as a real estate agent in East Orange (New Jersey) and returned in 1974 back into the studio, where he was old rockers Bo Diddley on albums like Mother Tucker or The Rocks is My Pillow - accompanied the Cold Ground is My Bed. The albums failed, as most singles before.

It should not be confused Tommy Tucker, whose stage name goes back to a professional football player with the rockabilly singer Tommy Ray Tucker. Tommy Tucker died on January 22, 1982 at inhaling toxic fumes.

Discography Singles ( selection) with Release date

  • The Belvaderes: Do not Leave Me To Cry / I Love You ( Hudson # 4 ), 1955
  • The Dusters: Give Me Time / Sallie Mae ( with Jimmy Binkley 's Orchestra ) ( Arc # 3000 ), 1956

Tommy Tucker:

  • My Girl (I Really Love Her So ) / Rock 'N' Roll Machine (as tea Tucker ) ( Atco # 6208 ), October 1961
  • Hi Heel Sneakers / I Do not Want 'Cha ( Watcha Gonna Do ) ( Checker # 1067 ), January 1964
  • Long Tall Shorty / Mo ' Shorty ( Checker # 1075 ), May 1964
  • Alimony / All About Melanie ( Checker # 1112), June 1965
  • Chewin ' Gum / ( All My Life ) I've Been A Fool ( Checker # 1133), January 1966
  • Everybody's Darlin ' But Mine / Sorry About That ( Western Lounge # 1301 ), 1966
  • That's Life / That's How Much I Love You Baby ( festival # 704 ), 1966
  • You Learn Something New Everyday / Old Devil Memory (XL Records # 355 ), April 1966
  • Sitting Home Alone / I'm Shorty ( Checker # 1178 ), 1967
  • A Whole Lot Of Fun Before The Weekend Is Done / Real True Love ( Checker # 1186 ), 1967

Discography LPs (selection)

  • Tommy Tucker: "Hi- Heel Sneakers and Long Tall Shorty" ( Checker 2990 )
  • Tommy Tucker: "Mother Tucker " ( Red Lightnin ' 022)
  • Tommy Tucker: " The rocks is my pillow - The cold ground is my bed" ( Red Lightnin ' 037)
Springfield (Ohio) Name Authority File
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