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Sophie Tucker (13 January, 1884 - 9 February, 1966) was a singer and comedian, one of the virtually all popular United States entertainers of the first third of the 20th century.

She wwhen natural as Sophia Kalish within Russia; her family immigrated to the United States whilst she was an baby & settled inside Hartford, Connecticut. Around 1903 she was briefly married to Louis Tuck; from which she decided to vary her title to "Tucker." (She would marry twice supplementary around her life, however neither marriage lasted supplementary than 5 years.)

Tucker played piano and sang burlesque and vaudeville tunes, at first inside blackface. She late said that this was at a insistence of theater managers, world health organization said she was "too fat and ugly" to become accepted per audience in any more context. She possibly sang songs that acknowledged her heftiness, rather "Nobody Loves a Fat Girl, But Oh How a Fat Girl Can Love."

She processed a title for herself within the style that was known at the instance as a "Coon Shouter," performing African American influenced songs. Non content by owning performing in the elementary minstrel traditions, Tucker hired a few of the better African Western singers of the period to give her lessons & hired African Western composers to write songs for her work.

At the 1908 appearance the baggage containing Tucker's makeup kit was purloined shortly prior to a indicate, & she in haste went in stage forswearing her customary blackface. To the theater manager's surprise, Tucker was the large hit forgoing her makeup than using it, & she never bore blackface over again. She did, but, prove my point to draw tremendously of her lesson from either African Our contries writers & culture, singing within the ragtime- and blues-influenced style, becoming known for a instance when "The Ragtime Mary Garden," the information to a noted operatic soprano of the era.

Tucker processed her foremost appearance in the Ziegfeld Follies in 1909, but didn't go hanker there because Ziegfeld's other female stars shortly refused to part a spotlight by having a popular Tucker.

She mass produced a number one of her many recordings of "Some of These Days" inside 1911 for Edison Records. A tune, written by Shelton Brooks, was a hit & became Tucker's theme song, & late was a title of her 1945 autobiography.

Inside 1921 Tucker hired pianist & ballad maker Ted Shapiro as her accompanist & musical director, the position he would keep throughout her career. Besides writing the total of songs for Tucker, Shapiro became sectiwithin of her stage work, swimming piano on stage when she sang, & exchanging raillery & sally by using her in between totals.

Tucker remained the popular singer through the 1920s, and hired stars like Mamie Smith and Ethel Waters to give her lessons. She as well manufactured a foremost of her numerous movie appearances in the 1929 sound picture "Honky Tonk."

In the 1930s Tucker brought elements of nostalgia for the early years of 20th century into her show. She wwhen billed as "The Last of the Red Hot Mamas," as her hearty intimate appetency was the frequent subject of her songs, unusual for female performing artist of the era. In the 1950s and early 1960s she made television appearances on the popular Ed Sullivan Show, What's My Line, and The Tonight Show.

She continued performing in the U.S. & UK until shortly before death of lung cancer in 1966. She was interred at Emanuel Cemetery within Wethersfield, Connecticut.

Sophie Tucker's risible style is credited sustaining influencing afterwards female entertainers, including Bette Midler, Joan Rivers, and Roseanne. Additionally to her performing, Tucker move inside efforts to unionize professional actors, and was elective president of the American Federation of Actors in 1938.

Quotes
"I've been rich and I've been poor. Believe me, honey, rich is better." Once The Beatles performed the song Till There Was Wise shoppers from either The Music Man early in their careers, Paul McCartney would often introduce a total by saying that "It's also been done by our favourite American group - Sophie Tucker."

Sophie and Me: Some of These Days
Profile of Lois Young-Tulin, great grand niece of Sophie Tucker, and information on book she authored.

Sophie Tucker
Essay on her life and career, by Carrie McLaren.

Last of the Red Hot Mamas
Biography of the Vaudeville actress and singer, from About.com, with related links.

Sophie Tucker
Photographs of her and her tombstone at Emanuel Cemetery in Wethersfield, Connecticut, biographical sketch, and interactive visitor comments.

Sophie Tucker
Photo plus brief summary of her life, from the American Vaudeville Museum.


Arts: Movies: Titles: B: Broadway Melody of 1938
Arts: Music: Styles: V: Vocal: Tin Pan Alley Pop
Arts: Performing Arts: Theatre: Vaudeville




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