Tanya Tucker
Sunday July 22, 2001 Indian Ranch Webster , Massachusetts
Interview by William Bolton
| After the awesome show we had just seen I really doubted that things could get any better. You can only imagine the elation I felt as Tanya's tour manager told us that She had granted the interview and motioned us to follow him.
I was really nervous, but after just a few moments I was put at ease. I realized that I was not only talking to a living legend, I was talking to a very real and genuine person, who is very honest and has a great sense of humor. |  |
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Tanya: I think that country music has changed and it will continue to change. Music is a constantly changing, progressing thing. There will always be music that you like and music that you don’t like. I hear a lot of complaints about this pop stuff, but at the same time it’s what everyone is playing, so somebody’s got to be listening to it. What’s great is that we have a radio station in Nashville 101.3 that plays both the classics and the new music. We should see more stations like this popping up all over the country.
C.C.C.: Is another album in the works?
Tanya: Yes, we are working on a new album. It has been so long because it has been one thing after another. My baby first of all, and then we started touring and that messes it up a bit. Were just trying to get our ducks in a row. There’s so many ways to market albums these days, we just want to pick the right avenue. They want me to have it done before Christmas (laughs) I’ve got news for ya it aint gonna be before Christmas. It will be the first album that my fiancé’ and I have worked on together. He is co-producing it with Barry Beckett.
C.C.C.: Do you plan to tour this extensively in the future or is this year just a special treat for the fans?
Tanya: Well to me, I’m not touring a whole lot. I mean eighty dates is not a lot for me. Then again after doing two hundred and fifty dates I feel like I’m standing still. You know I’m older now and my time is more prioritized with my children and my family and you know they have to come first. Unfortunately they haven’t in the past, my fans have come first, I think my fans understand that I need to spend time with my family. So we’ll probably keep it around eighty dates, which is more than some people work these days. Eventually, I’ll slow down, but I want to give it what I’ve got while I’ve got it to give, make hay while the sun shines.
C.C.C.: Your fan clubs meet and greet policy is the most liberal I've seen. You must love to meet your fans. Tell us about this.
Tanya: I'd say that anybody that has a fan club card, we want to say hello to, because they are the people who go far and beyond the normal fans. Being a member of the club is really special and I’d say that they should get something a little special and that’s what we try to do for them. You know it’s never enough but, it’s what we can do right now.
C.C.C.: From your note in the last fan club letter I gleaned that you really adored "The King"
What was your favorite Elvis...
(A) Album?
Tanya: I don’t really have a favorite album. Probably the one I remember most is the Elvis Country Album. I listen to that one so much that it must be worn out by now. I know every song on it every lick, you know, every breath and that’s one of my favorites. The album cover reminds me of my dad because he looked like my dad. My dad and Vernon Presley looked a lot alike. When Elvis was a boy, with his little hat on, he looked just like my son, Grayson. That’s very special to me. You know he was the king, the king of rock and roll and he’ll always be the king in my mind.
(B) Movie? Tanya: Loving You and also King Creole. I really liked that one. In fact I just saw it recently. I had not seen it in all these years. Of course I loved all of his movies when I was a kid.
c) Think about him in general? Tanya: Well Elvis was great all the way around.
C.C.C.: Who were some of your other favorites?
Tanya: Growing up, Loretta Lynn and Tammy. I loved Connie Smith too. She was a hero of mine I really loved her music also Patsy Cline and Ernest Tubbs.
C.C.C.: Who do you listen to now?
Tanya: Now I’m a pretty diverse listener, if I put on an album I’m liable to play anyone from Julio to Sinatra to Bill Monroe I like all kinds of music as long as it’s good.
C.C.C.: What is your favorite color?
Tanya: White (laughs) I really like black and white.
C.C.C.Second favorite?
Tanya: Silver, silver, silver and pink too. Depends on what it’s on. On a car I like white.
C.C.C.: Some of the shows (venues) on this tour seem somewhat beneath a star of your Magnitude. Is this done intentionally to get closer to the fans?
Tanya: No I think that it’s because for a while we didn’t know if I was going to tour. A lot of the dates were booked all of a sudden. Another thing is that we want to keep our people that have kept me going for so many years, people like these here at Indian Ranch. I’ve been playing these places since I was fourteen. Also as long as they come up with the money we’ll be there, you know what I mean? (laughs) We try to accommodate all of the people who have accommodated me through the years.
C.C.C.: Few are called legends even fewer are known by a nickname what do you think about
(A) being on that short list?
Tanya: I think it’s pretty hysterical. I don’t really think about it as much as everybody else does, but I know it comes up a lot. Even my friends say you’re a legend and I say no I’m Tanya ok? But it’s a great thing, I mean the Pioneer Award, getting into the Hall of Fane, those are things I’ve never really thought much about. Maybe I’ll get those someday. I do think it would be very cool to get them before I die. There are a lot of people in line in front of me, who deserve it more than me.
If I never get in the Hall of Fame it will be ok, as long as I’ve got the fans. Maybe when I’m dead I’ll look down (laughs) instead of looking up and see it.
I hope the fans know how much I appreciate them and I hope to have fans long after I’m gone just like the king.
(B) being known as The Texas Tornado?
Tanya: I don't know how that got pinned on me. I guess one of my friends called me that and it stuck. I've slowed down to a little whirlwind now.
C.C.C.: What are your favorite flowers?
Tanya: My favorite flowers are gardenias or anything that blooms. Carnations are great because they last a long time.
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