Tanya Tucker (& Dog Stella) Turn in Hall Of Fame Worthy Set in OK

Tanya Tucker wasn’t the headliner Saturday evening (9-17) at Born & Raised Fest in Pryor, Oklahoma. She wasn’t even the warmup act for the true headliner Cody Jinks. It was Brothers Osborne who did those honors. But with the swelter of the late afternoon sun blazing down on her and her band, Tanya Tucker turned in the memorable performance of the weekend that exquisitely symbolized why this woman is worthy of induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame. And she even had a little help from her dog Stella.
Tanya Tucker is nothing short of a modern living Queen of Country Country Music, who deserves all the rights and privileges that such a designation bestows. She proved this in Pryor, Oklahoma on the grounds of the famous Rocklahoma festival where Born & Raised is held. Words fail to express just what a majestic, iconic, uninhibited, and regal woman of country music Tanya Tucker proved herself to be in the 45-minute performance under adverse, extremely hot conditions.
Her set at Born & Raised Fest had it all, from performances of “If Your Heart Ain’t Busy Tonight” and “Texas (When I Die),” to the Grammy-winning “Bring My Flowers Now” from her career resurgent record While I’m Livin’ released in 2019. Tanya’s bulldog Stella came out on stage with her about halfway through the set to the delight of the crowd. Tanya even had a little table set up like a wet bar beside her, because of course she did. And it all culminated in a performance of “Delta Dawn,” which is how Tanya Tucker’s career commenced when she was just 13 in 1972.
Tanya Tucker has lived many lives and seen it all in country over the last 50 years. Along with many other accolades and accomplishments, it’s her her longevity that has made her career so remarkable. She amassed ten #1 singles, another nine #2’s, and 35 total Top 10 hits during her commercial heyday, including 24 Top 10’s from the mid 80’s into the late 90’s in her career’s second resurgence, starting as more of an “Outlaw” singer, but still landing big mainstream success.
After her Brandi Carlile-produced album While I’m Livin’ was released in 2019, Tanya Tucker has now been enjoying a 3rd wave of attention, which is one of the reasons she was playing the main stage of a huge Texas/Red Dirt-oriented festival as opposed to one of Oklahoma’s casino performance halls. This is no nostalgia act. Tanya Tucker is cool, and to a wide cross section of country music fans. There has been a very Johnny Cash-like arc to her career.
Her career also included the high-profile romances with Glen Campbell, Merle Haggard, Andy Gibb, and Don Johnson, which of course gave the gossip columns all kinds of material. It’s included “moments” on major awards shows and other accolades that made her a household name. But what Tanya Tucker’s career has yet to see is official induction to the Country Music Hall of Fame.
With the Hall of Fame institution’s extremely austere approach of only inducting two performers per year, Tanya Tucker has already been pushed out of contention in the Modern Era category, and is now being considered in the Veteran’s Era. With this rigid induction system in place, there always seems to be that one artist who feels perennially snubbed each year when the Hall of Fame inductions are announced. It was Hank Williams Jr. for years. Now it is Tanya Tucker.
But there is absolutely no question this woman should be in the Country Music Hall of Fame, and sooner than later. She proved this in Pryor. And they damn well better get it done soon, or they may as well bulldoze Nashville to the ground and start over.





September 18, 2022 @ 12:26 pm
“But there is absolutely no question this woman should be in the Country Music Hall of Fame, and sooner than later. She proved this in Pryor. And they damn well better get it done soon, or they may as well bulldoze Nashville to the ground and start over.”
Amen, Trigger, Amen . . . .
September 18, 2022 @ 2:38 pm
Tayna is my country queen. I just resonate so strongly with her story and she all been a take no prisoners blaze my own trail kind of person. And the music… speaks for itself. Saw her at Hardly Strictly Bluegrass and most of the audience didn’t know who she was but once she hit Delta Dawn… game over.
September 18, 2022 @ 2:45 pm
One of the voices that made a country fan of a rock and soul-loving college boy in the mid-’70s. As with all country greats, her talent and personality made even the tritest, most formulaic material she was given to record vivid and memorable. A sober, happy Tanya is among the best country singers around to catch live. I saw her twice in the ’90s and loved her show, definitely would be interested to see her now if she ever makes it up to northern New England.
September 18, 2022 @ 3:27 pm
I love Tanya Tucker ????????❤️
September 18, 2022 @ 3:55 pm
“Blood Red and Goin’ Down” is a desert island song for me, in any genre, but she has so many classic performances. Love seeing this well deserved late career renaissance for one of the best.
September 19, 2022 @ 2:27 am
Well duh, me… I read the headline and thought “Dog Stella” was the name of a backing band… ????
September 22, 2022 @ 4:52 pm
That would have been right up there with “Monster Truck Pull,” which was the name Kathy Mattea gave her band for a while after her bus pulled into a fairground and she and the band saw a sign reading:
Tonight
KATHY MATTEA
&
MONSTER TRUCK PULL
September 19, 2022 @ 6:15 am
She has a good case to be a Hall of Famer
September 19, 2022 @ 9:44 am
Definitely deserves to be in hall of Fame. Should already been in there.
September 19, 2022 @ 9:47 am
I know you used “modern” as a qualifier there, but as long as Loretta and Dolly are still drawing breath, I ain’t using the words “living Queen of Country Music” in any sentence that don’t include at least one of them. Having said that, there ain’t many folks who have put together three albums as good as Tanya’s first three. If ever someone questions while I’m cold on the recent comeback album – which was a fine record – I just point to those first three albums. I know that’s not exactly a fair comparison – like I say, very few people ever do something as good as one of her first three – but it sure does put the difference between an album that is inspired and one that is well crafted in sharp relief.
September 19, 2022 @ 7:45 pm
I was at Born & Raised. Her performance was stellar. She was over dressed for the extreme heat but took off her jacket and vest, rolled her sleeves up, and commenced to kicking ass. It was a great show.
September 22, 2022 @ 10:20 am
Although I am a fan and have enjoyed Tanya Tucker’s music since “Delta Dawn,” I cannot find a solid rationale to put her into the Country Music Hall Of Fame.
In recent years the bar seems to have been lowered significantly. The HOF has admitted more than a few members whose accomplishments do not seem Hall-Worthy. A long string of hit records is not the only criteria for admission. The stated purpose of the HOF is “to recognize significant contributions to the advancement of country music by individuals in both the creative and business communities.”
New inductees stand beside legends like Hank Williams, Eddy Arnold, Johnny Cash, Lefty Frizzell. Merle Haggard, Barbara Mandrell, Reba McEntire & Kitty Wells. So the fundamental question is: does this new candidate measure up to previous members?
Outside of her hit records most of Tanya’s notoriety has been from what can only be described as a train-wreck of a personal life. Granted many country stars have turmoil in their personal lives but Tanya often took it up several notches earning frequent cover stories on the gossip rags and featured stories on tabloid TV shows.
I agree that Tanya is a talented and significant artist. Just not to the extent that she should be in the HOF.
October 18, 2022 @ 4:33 pm
I think they all have a past history. Tanya may have been made public and some dis agree but she has not done anything worse than the others. she paid her dues and still is a great singer Get real people she deserves to be in the HOF just like the rest of them probably more since she has done it since she was 13 love me some Tanya Tucker LOUISIANA here for you