Tommy Tucker (bandleader)
Tommy Tucker | |
|---|---|
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Gerald L. Duppler |
| Born | May 18, 1903 Souris, North Dakota, United States |
| Died | July 11, 1989 (aged 86) Sarasota, Florida, U.S. |
| Genres | Big band, jazz |
| Occupation(s) | Bandleader, music professor |
| Instrument(s) | Piano, accordion, trombone |
Gerald L. Duppler (May 18, 1903 – July 11, 1989), better known under his stage name Tommy Tucker, was an American bandleader.
The Tommy Tucker Orchestra entertained many listeners as a big band in the 1930s and 1940s. Popular as a dance band, the Tucker orchestra played concert halls, theatres, hotels and various venues across the country—for a span of 25 years. Recorded for Okeh in June 1941, his biggest hit, "I Don't Want to Set the World on Fire", achieved status as a Gold Record. Tucker wrote his own theme song, "I Love You (Oh, How I Love You)"; it was published on four record labels, including Brunswick, in 1935, and MGM in 1951.
Many listeners were familiar with the Tucker orchestra sound because they tuned into popular radio shows, such as Fibber McGee & Molly in 1936 and the George Jessel show in 1938, and several shows billed as Tommy Tucker Time. In 1941, Tucker led the orchestra for a New York City version of the Pot o' Gold radio program, which was simulcast on three stations. Tucker opened each performance—on radio or live—with his signature "tic-toc, tic-toc, it's Tommy Tucker time." And he usually ended each session with Time to Go.