Tanya Tucker to take stage at Sonoma-Marin Fair

It’s still hard to believe that Tanya Tucker recorded her first hit, “Delta Dawn,” in 1972 when she was 13.

Not just because she was so young but because this willowy girl brought so much depth, emotion and compassion to the tale of a 41-year-old, mentally ill woman vainly searching for a long-lost suitor. (The song was recorded the following year by Helen Reddy.)

Born in west Texas, Tucker, known for her twangy, affecting voice, would have a string of successful songs in the following years including “What’s Your Mama’s Name” and “Here’s Some Love.”

When she was 15, Tucker made the cover of Rolling Stone, a much bigger deal in the 1970s than today, with a caption reading: “Hi, I’m Tanya Tucker, I’m 15, You’re Gonna Hear From Me.”

The world already had heard from Tucker, and her star would continue to brighten, but after teenage success, her over-indulgence in alcohol and other drugs caught up to her. She later visited a Betty Ford Center to get clean and sober.

Tucker has won multiple Country Music Association awards, had 10 No. 1 country singles, and won a Grammy award (shared with other artists for a “Sesame Street” recording), according to the biography on her site. She was the focus of an exhibit at the Country Music Hall of Fame that ran from last November until May and included her pink Harley-Davidson,

Tucker, now 56, plays the Sonoma Marin Fair June 27 at 8 p.m. She was not available for an interview, but last fall she told Rolling Stone she hasn’t lost her drive after more than 40 years in the music business.

“It’s never gone away,” she said. “I think, ‘I’m running out of time, I’m running out of time.’ ... I enjoy kicking back. But if I kick back too much, I think I’m lazy. I had that from the beginning: ‘Hey, I’m nine years old. Let’s get to it!’ ”

According to an Entertainment Tonight profile last fall, Tucker had romantic involvements with Don Johnson, Andy Gibb, and most notably fellow country star Glen Campbell with whom she recorded several songs in 1980.

Speaking of Campbell, who’s suffering from Alzheimer’s disease, a choked-up Tucker said on ET: “He’ll always be the love of my life. I’ve called and asked if I could possibly go and say goodbye, just one more time,” she said, suggesting her request was denied.

“What am I gonna do, steal him back or something? I don’t like cryin’ ... but he’s worth it.”

Tucker hasn’t released a new studio album since 2009, but last November she told an online country music magazine called The Boot that one is in the works.

“I’ve really enjoyed being in the studio, more than I ever have. It used to be, it was a job - you know, come in, do my job and leave. But now, I’m the producer, so I get to be a part of everything,” she told The Boot. “It’s been 10 years since I’ve started this record, so I’ve got a lot (of material). I would much rather the people love it than me ... I just hope they like it because that’s all that matters. You gotta serve ... so I serve the public.”

Tucker, who’s sometimes seen as a predecessor to another teen sensation, Taylor Swift, says they have more in common than just talent.

“Swift ... ain’t no pushover,” Tucker told Rolling Stone. “She’s like Dolly [Parton]. She’ll cuss you out, and you’ll like it.”

And though her life hasn’t always been easy, Tucker said: “I think the best thing to do is to constantly be grateful. Be thankful even for the bad times.”

Asked in the Rolling Stone interview if there’s anything she would have done differently, Tucker said: “I would’ve listened a lot more to my dad, if I had it to do over, because I would have been a lot bigger star.”

Her father, Jesse “Beau” Tucker, was her guiding light until he died in 2006, and she is still trying to make music that would please him.

“If I can make him proud before I die,” Tucker said, “that’s all I need to do.”

Another country star, Rodney Atkins, appears at the Petaluma fair on Friday night, a day ahead of Tucker. His chart-toppers include “If You’re Going Through Hell” and “Watching You.”

Michael Shapiro writes about entertainment for The Press Democrat. Contact him through his site: www.michaelshapiro.net.