Dennis Tufano | |
|---|---|
 Tufano in 2007 | |
| Background information | |
| Born | September 11, 1946 Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Genres | Sunshine pop |
| Occupation(s) | Singer, songwriter |
| Years active | 1960s–present |
| Formerly of | The Buckinghams |
Dennis Stanley Joseph Tufano (born September 11, 1946) is the original lead singer of the 1960s rock group The Buckinghams, and has been a solo performer since the early 1980s.
Dennis Tufano was born in Chicago, Illinois. He attended St. Sylvester grade school and Gordon Tech High School. He inherited his musical talents from his father, who was also a singer, and who played the violin, saxophone and harmonica. [1]
The Chicago band scene included clubs, high school dances, battle of the band contests and local hit parade shows. Many burgeoning bands competed for local radio airplay and a chance at stardom. Dennis Tufano was part of the Chicago rock and roll band invasion to hit the charts in the late 1960s. He was a member of The Pulsations (early to mid-1960s) with John Poulos (1947–1980).
In 1965, Tufano and Poulos were joined in The Pulsations by two members of The Centuries, bass player Nick Fortuna (born 1947) and guitarist Carl Giammarese (born 1947). Dennis Miccolis joined the group as keyboard player. "Jon Poulos [drums] and I knew each other from the neighborhood and we were the first in the band," said Tufano. [2] The Pulsations name was retained until the group auditioned for a spot on the "All Time Hits" variety show on local powerhouse television station, WGN-TV. The producers wanted them to have a more British-sounding name, and a security guard suggested The Buckinghams. The group won a 13-week contract. [3]
Between December 1966 and February 1968 the Buckinghams charted with five big hits on Billboard's Hot 100, starting with the chart-topping "Kind of a Drag" – which replaced the Monkees' "I'm a Believer" at number one – and followed by "Don't You Care" (no. 6), "Mercy, Mercy, Mercy" (no. 5), "Hey Baby (They're Playing Our Song)" (no. 12) and "Susan" (no. 11). [4] Plus "Laudy Miss Claudy" (no. 41, 1967) and "Back in Love Again" (no. 57, 1968).
In 2015, Tufano reunited with The Buckinghams as a benefit concert for Marty Grebb, who was a member of the group during the 1960s. The concert featured Tufano, Carl Giammarese and Nick Fortuna with Grebb.
Following his success in the Buckinghams, Tufano was part of the singer/songwriting duo Tufano and Giammarese, who recorded three albums with Lou Adler's custom label, Ode Records. The duo toured in support of the albums, including a rather rambunctious tour with Cheech & Chong. [5] John Poulos served as the group's manager.
Appearing as guest vocalist, Tufano went on to co-write with renowned composer and musician Tom Scott. Using a song composed by Scott and Jeff Barry, Tufano and Mindy Sterling performed the original title/theme song "Us" for the initial four episodes of the TV series Family Ties . [6] After 10 episodes, their version was replaced by one performed by Johnny Mathis and Deniece Williams, and the song was retitled "Without Us". As an actor, voiceover artist and sometimes stuntman, Tufano has appeared in theater productions in Los Angeles and has worked in film, television, radio and commercials.
Back on the road, Tufano joined Olivia Newton-John on one of her hugely successful tours, and was noted for his duets with her, including "Suddenly," and "You're the One that I Want." The duets were featured on Newton-John's HBO Special, which aired in January 1983.[ citation needed ]
Dennis Tufano also composed music and performed with Bernie Taupin, Elton John's lyricist, on Taupin's album He Who Rides the Tiger . Subsequently, for Taupin's group, the Farm Dogs, Tufano teamed again with the renowned lyricist to co-write, co-produce and perform on the Farm Dogs' album Last Stand in Open Country . [7]
Tufano was also one of the founding members of an improvisational voice-ensemble called the LA.MadDogs. [8] In 1992, this group of actors began performing in hundreds of movies and numerous television shows. They have produced and performed seven "live" radio dramas, three of which Tufano directed, for KMPC Radio Theater in Los Angeles.
Tufano produced, directed and shot a documentary in Chicago, Major Hall: Therapy Tuesday. He taped a performance for the PBS music series My Generation – The '60s, which first aired in March 2008, and was a part of the award-winning PBS-DVD series. An expanded version of the show aired on PBS in September 2008. [9]
Tufano performed a classic Chicago rock concert with The Cryan' Shames in the summer of 2008, [10] and appeared with Marty Grebb and Bruce Conte outside Manila in the Philippines in late fall 2008. [11] Tufano continues to perform with his critically renowned tribute to Bobby Darin As Long As I'm Singing the Music of Bobby Darin and he makes appearances with his classic rock show. He maintains a full concert schedule for most of each year, performing with various "oldies" artists and bands.
Dennis DeYoung is an American musician. He was a founding member of the rock band Styx and served as its primary lead vocalist and keyboardist from 1972 until 1999. DeYoung was the band's most prolific and successful writer, having been credited as the writer of more Styx songs than any other band member. DeYoung penned seven of the band's eight Billboard top 10 singles as well as a solo top 10 single.
"I'm a Loser" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles, originally released on Beatles for Sale in the United Kingdom, later released on Beatles '65 in the United States, both in 1964. Written by John Lennon, and credited to Lennon–McCartney, it was considered for release as a single until Lennon wrote "I Feel Fine".
The Buckinghams are an American pop band from Chicago. They formed in 1966 and went on to become one of the top-selling acts of 1967, charting their only five top 40 hits in the U.S. that year. The band dissolved in 1970, but re-formed in 1980 and as of 2022 they continue to tour throughout the United States.
David Raskin, who performed as Kal David, was an American blues guitarist, singer and songwriter, whose 50-year musical career in Illinois, New York, and California extended through various phases, including a highly regarded stint with Columbia Records in the early 1970s.
He Who Rides the Tiger is the 1980 second solo album by longtime Elton John lyricist, Bernie Taupin. It is his follow-up effort following his 1971 spoken word album Taupin. Taupin co-wrote all the songs in the album with the Buckinghams former guitarist Dennis Tufano and sang lead vocals in all of them. Although the album was recorded during a time when John and Taupin had interrupted their collaboration, John lent backing vocals on "Love ". The album was re-released on CD by American Beat Records on March 10, 2009.
WXTB, also known as 98 Rock, is a commercial active rock radio station owned by iHeartMedia and licensed to Clearwater, Florida, serving the Tampa Bay Area. The WXTB studios are located in South Tampa, while the station transmitter resides in Holiday. In addition to a standard analog transmission, WXTB broadcasts over two HD Radio channels, and is available online via iHeartRadio.
Sir Elton Hercules John is a British singer, pianist and composer. Acclaimed by critics and musicians, particularly for his work during the 1970s and for his lasting impact on the music industry, his music and showmanship have had a significant impact on popular music. His songwriting partnership with lyricist Bernie Taupin is one of the most successful in history.
Margie’s Candies is the name of two popular confectioneries on the north side of Chicago. Owned by the same family, each one is part candy store and part sit-down ice cream parlor. The older of the two establishments has been operating at the same location for more than nine decades and is widely considered a "Chicago legend".
Joel Larson is an American rock drummer and percussionist who is known as a founding member of The Merry-Go-Round and for being associated with The Turtles and The Grass Roots.
"Kind of a Drag" is a song written by Jim Holvay and recorded by the Buckinghams. It was the title track of their debut LP. The single reached #1 on the U.S. Hot 100 in February 1967, becoming the first #1 single within the new calendar year, remaining in the top position for two weeks, earning a gold disc.
The Cryan' Shames are an American garage rock band from Hinsdale, Illinois. Originally known as The Travelers, the band was formed by Tom Doody ("Toad"), Gerry Stone ("Stonehenge"), Dave Purple ("Grape") of The Prowlers, Denny Conroy from Possum River, and Jim Fairs from The Roosters, Jim Pilster, and Bill Hughes. The band's most successful song was their cover of The Searchers' "Sugar and Spice".
Carl Bonafede was born in the Little Italy Chicago community on October 16, 1940. He appeared as a young boy on local television on Morris B. Sach's Amateur Hour singing and playing the accordion. He appeared on an interview show, Ernie Simon's Curbstone Cut-up. He sang his hit record "Were Wolf" on disc-jockey Jim Lounsbury's TV show in Chicago. He went on to promote local bands with his weekly dances at local ballrooms including the Aragon Ballroom, Madura's Danceland and The Holiday Ballroom with owner and collaborator Dan Belloc of big band fame. He recorded and produced over 200 records with various recording artists. He fronted a local group, The Gem-tones, whose saxophone player, Harry Manfredini, became a movie musical score arranger for the "Friday the 13th" movies. He then turned to managing and promoting local teen bands. His most famous clients were The Buckinghams and the all-girl group The Daughters of Eve. He also managed Thee Prophets, from Wisconsin and Mickey & Larry and the Exciters from Boston. He managed The Delights, in Chicago. He worked for the Willard Alexander Booking Agency with agent Herb Gronauer, who now promotes celebrities in Palm Springs, California. He also worked for the CASK Attractions agency.
Ronald Clements Malo was an American engineer for Chicago's Chess Studios from 1959 until 1970. He was the engineer for the first sessions the Rolling Stones did in the US, in Chicago in June 1964, recording songs that wound up appearing on the albums 12 X 5, The Rolling Stones, Now! and December's Children . He was also the engineer at Chess when they returned in November 1964 to do more sessions there, and when they came back a third time in May 1965.
Aorta were an American psychedelic rock band from Chicago who recorded two albums in the late 1960s and early 1970s.
Martin Joseph Grebb was an American keyboardist, guitarist, and saxophonist. A member of The Buckinghams in the late 1960s, Grebb was also a record producer and an arranger, who worked with musicians including Peter Cetera, Bill Payne, Bonnie Raitt, Eric Clapton, Etta James, and Leon Russell.
Daughters of Eve were an American all-female garage rock band formed in Chicago, Illinois in 1965. The group was formed and managed by Carl Bonafede, who was managing The Buckinghams as they were gaining national success. The Daughters of Eve is considered the first female rock band from Chicago, and the group released four singles during their existence, all produced by Bonafede, before disbanding in 1968.
Peach is an American blues and jazz artist – singer, songwriter, and guitarist, and producer. She currently resides in Venice, California, United States.
John Poulos, also known by his nickname Jon Jon, was the original drummer for The Buckinghams, and one of its founding members in 1965.
James Steven "Jimmy Soul" Holvay is an American songwriter and musician best known for writing "Kind of a Drag", a number one hit for The Buckinghams. He is one of the founding members of The MOB, the first rock band to perform at a Presidential Inaugural Concert & Ball.
| Authority control databases: Artists |
|---|
