From Phoenix to Nashville—How Tanya Tucker Reached Superstardom at 13 Years Old

Child fandom has been and always will be a controversial notion, and there is a good reason for it. However, thanks to some of these children, the finest and most iconic pieces of pop culture were produced. One of those children was the one and only “Delta Dawn” singer, Tanya Tucker.

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Tanya Tucker has remained a staple musician in the world of country music ever since she released “Delta Dawn” in 1972. Hailing on her album, Delta Dawn, the song launched the then 13-year-old Tucker into superstardom thanks to it peaking at No. 6 on the US Billboard Hot Country Singles chart. Although, that is the story the masses are familiar with. The other story is what came before the hit song changed her life.

From Phoenix to Nashville—How Tanya Tucker Got Her Foot in the Door

Prior to ever stepping foot into a Nashville Recording studio, Tanya Tucker was a child star on the Phoenix-based children’s television show, The Lew King Ranger Show. In the show, Tucker served as a guest singer and performed for a total of 18 weeks.

However, even the young Tanya Tucker knew her mental fortitude and talent could achieve far greater things. Thus, she told her father and manager, Beau Tucker, that she wanted to do something more mature. Consequently, Beau, Tanya, and her mother, Juanita, drove to Nashville to record demos and search for a record deal, per the Country Music Hall of Fame. However, immediate success did not find Tanya Tucker. Rather, it took a few a years until Tucker was discovered by actor and songwriter, Dolores Fuller.

Following their meeting, Fuller then introduced Columbia Records’ Billy Sherrill to Tanya Tucker, and after that, Sherrill signed her to a record deal. This was the record deal that led to Tucker’s 1972 release of “Delta Dawn.” Additionally, it was also the deal that made her a bonified child star. After the deal and her album, Tanya Tucker went on to sign a $1.5 million contract with MCA Records. She was just 16-years-old.

The rest of Tanya Tucker’s career is widely known to the public, though, that would not be the case if the young girl didn’t have a vision that extended beyond her role in Phoenix. A surplus of ambition and confidence can surely be detrimental, but in Tucker’s case, it made her the most successful child country star of all time.

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