By: Laura Claffey
CIO: What have you been doing since your last album?Tanya: I've been busy doing a lot of things. We work 80 dates a year on the road. But, mostly I've just been freed up more to spend time with my kids. But still it's not enough time. Even though I try and try to make time in my day, each day, for each one of my three kids, it's difficult with all their different activities. It's hard to keep up. By the time I get done with my fans and my music and my kids and my family and my fiancé and my horses, well, they suffer too, but, I don't really have much time left to do anything else.
CIO: Tell me about your new single, "A Memory Like I'm Gonna Be" - did you write it? Is there a story behind it?
Tanya: "A Memory Like I'm Gonna Be" was written by Jerry Laseter, my fiancé, and Roger Murrah. They wrote it from an old idea that I had. I had been carrying it around for a long time. When Roger was over writing one afternoon with Jerry, I hit them with the idea. They loved it, so they wrote it, and I think they did a great job!
CIO: Will you be shooting a video for the new single? Do you enjoy making videos?
Tanya: I'm not going to be doing a video for this single. I think it's pretty self explanatory. I think everybody knows what I look like anyway! I do enjoy making videos, even though they are long days and very hard work. They are very expensive, too. That always gets me...how expensive they have gotten to be. But, I do enjoy them, especially when they turn out great!
CIO: When you choose a song what do you look for?
Tanya: I look for a feeling. It's not really what I look for, its more like, what I feel for. How I feel when I hear it, what the song says to me, and how I feel when I sing it.
CIO: You have been doing this since you were a teenager. What keeps you going?
Tanya: I don't know what keeps me going. Sometimes I wonder...I think it's just pure perseverance and wanting to succeed and having that burning desire to always have success.
CIO: What's the weirdest thing a fan has done for you?
Tanya: I can think of a lot of great things fans have done for me. I have been given horses, cars, all sorts of things as gifts, so I feel I am very lucky to have such great fans!
CIO: What's the weirdest thing a fan has done to get near you?
Tanya: I think probably just the same ole, same ole. Trying to get in the house or trying to get backstage. They've come on the bus actually! Nobody knew who they were, but, they came right on the bus. It was funny. My fans have been very good to me.
CIO: What has been your best, most favorite gig so far?
Tanya: I've had a lot of great gigs. Just off the top of my head, Farm-Aid was a great gig! It was lot of fun, lots of people. Anywhere I have a great audience that loves Country Music, and loves to hear me sing, that's a great gig!
CIO: Who are your influences?
Tanya: My influences vary. Elvis was a big influence to my music, but Loretta Lynn was, as well. George Jones, Merle Haggard, all of the old favorites were my favorites, too.
CIO: What do you like most about being a singer?
Tanya: The best thing is being able to perform in front of people and to express my feelings, whatever they may be at the time. Just to be able to make the world a happier place to be.
CIO: What do you do in your spare time?
Tanya: In my spare time? I don't have any! If I have any spare time, I do enjoy riding cutting horses, or just everyday things mostly. Shopping with my kids or going to Disney World. I do crafts. I enjoy making things for people as gifts and giving them to them.
CIO: How long have you had your hot pink Harley?
Tanya: I've had it for several years now, and I love it!
CIO: Will you be participating in the upcoming Harley celebrations?
Tanya: I think there is talk of being involved in some of them. I hope so. If my schedule allows.
CIO: You are working with a collectable doll producer. What is that all about, and are they still available?
Tanya: I don't know if they still are. They are made by the Hamilton Collection. The "Tanya Tucker Series". I have, like, five or six dolls. They were just beautiful porcelain dolls! A couple were big, some were smaller, very beautiful, and I was very, very proud that they would ask me to have my own doll collection!
CIO: What was the last CD you bought?
Tanya: Don Henley's "End of the Innocence".
CIO: Who are your favorite artists?
Tanya: My favorite artist depends on what mood I'm in. I really like Alan Jackson, in Country Music. I think he's really very, very talented along with George Jones, and Merle Haggard, the same old favorites. I just got Elvis's new DVD. I like Julio in the evenings when I'm trying to relax. I've been getting in to Willie's new album. It's really good!
CIO reader Becca: Out of all your albums, is there one that stands out and that really makes you proud of the work that you did on that album? Or maybe an album that you weren't so proud of?
Tanya: Yeah, probably two of the least favorite albums of mine are "TNT" and the first album on MCA. I had two hits on the one with MCA "Lizzy and the Rainman" and "San Antonio Stroll". That was my first album I'd ever made in LA and recorded there, and I just didn't enjoy making it and I didn't enjoy making "TNT" as well. The album was a lot better on "hype" than it was on music. My favorite albums have to be "Delta Dawn", the first one I did. And "Can't Run From Yourself" is another favorite, and "Complicated" is a favorite. This new album is one of my very favorites of all time!
CIO reader Chris Ramey: What plans do you have to sign a new record deal with Capitol, or another label?
Tanya: Well, I think that's already been done. I've signed with Capitol as far as the distribution goes for my own label "Tucker Time". The lawsuit with Capitol has been settled. We settled our differences and now were embarking on a new "re-launch" of my career.
CIO reader Peter Cunningham: Have you ever had any plans to visit England?
Tanya: I've been to England, and I've performed there before, and I loved it. I went last year and took my kids, and they loved it. We enjoyed it. It's probably one of our favorite places to go and to visit, not just to work but to also play. We're infatuated with all the Royalty situation there. We love Royalty!
CIO reader Ivan Stones: Have you ever considered doing a Christmas album?
Tanya: Yes, I am embarking on that as we speak. That's our next project. We are going to be starting to do that in the next few months. After thirty years of being in the business, it's amazing that I still have a few first's left! My first Christmas album.
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