Tommy Tutone
{{short description|American rock band}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2025}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Tommy Tutone
| image = File:Greenv1.jpg
| caption = Tommy Tutone in 2017
| background = group_or_band
| birth_name =
| alias =
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|YYYY|MM|DD}}
| death_date = {{Death date and age|YYYY|MM|DD|YYYY|MM|DD}}
| origin = California, U.S.
| instrument =
| genre = {{hlist|Power pop|pop rock|new wave}}
| occupation =
| years_active = 1978–1984, 1996–present
| label = Columbia/CBS Records
Spectra Records
| website = {{URL|tutone.com}}
| current_members = Tommy Heath
Jimmy James
Steve Fister
Kerry Movassagh
| past_members = {{plainlist|
- Jerry Angel
- Victor Carberry
- Pete Costello
- John Cowsill
- Mona Gnader
- Jim Keller
- Joe Lamond
- Jon Lyons
- Terry Nails
- Mickey Shine
- Greg Sutton
- Greg Georgeson
- Garfeild Redden
- Andy Gauthier
| manager =
- Chris Redburn
}}
}}
Tommy Tutone is an American power pop band, known for its 1981 song "867-5309/Jenny", which peaked at #4 on the Billboard Hot 100. The band's lead singer, rhythm guitarist, and occasional keyboardist is Tommy Heath. He is the only active original member currently touring as Tommy Tutone. Heath grew up in Philadelphia, Texas, and Montana before moving to San Francisco during the Summer of Love to become a hippie. There, he formed the band with Jim Keller and Terry Nails in 1978, naming it after his nickname. The band's first single, "Angel Say No", was released in 1980 and reached the top 40, and they opened for Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers on his US tour for Damn the Torpedoes.
The band's second album, Tommy Tutone 2, was released in 1981 and featured "867-5309/Jenny". The song became so popular that people in the United States still prank call the number and ask for Jenny today.{{citation needed|date=November 2024}} In 2006, VH1 named it the 36th-greatest song of the 1980s.
{{As of|2024|1}}, Heath is living in Portland, Oregon, and back touring as Tommy Tutone. A new studio album is set to release in fall 2024.
History
Tommy Heath and Jim Keller founded the band in 1978 along with bassist Terry Nails (Steve Jones, Ozzy Osbourne), with Heath acting as the lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist, also playing keyboards on occasion. Keller played lead guitar and Nails played bass and provided supporting vocals. Heath and Keller were the only constant members of Tommy Tutone, while the lineup featured a rotating membership of bassists and drummers.
Bassist Jon Lyons, who performed on "867-5309/Jenny", replaced founding member Terry Nails, but was soon himself replaced by Greg Sutton, Pete Costello, and in 1988 Jimmy James. Mona Gnader, the bassist in Sammy Hagar's The Waboritas band, played with the band as well. Original drummer Kenny Johnson (of Chris Isaak's band) was replaced by Mickey Shine (Clover and the first Elvis Costello album), then Victor Carberry for the band's second album, and later Jerry Angel. John Cowsill of The Cowsills played percussion (and sang) on "867-5309/Jenny".{{Cite web |title=The Cowsills: Discography - John Cowsill Related |url=http://www.cowsill.com/discography/music-john.html |access-date=2024-11-04 |website=www.cowsill.com}}
From 2001 to 2010, the band consisted of Heath, Jimmy James, guitarist Greg Georgeson, and drummer Andy Gauthier. In 2007, the band signed a recording contract with Spectra Records. By 2012, Tommy Heath had become a computer analyst and software engineer and moved to Portland, Oregon.{{cite magazine |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/pictures/where-are-they-now-1982s-biggest-pop-acts-20120808/tommy-tutone-0079633 |author=Staff |title=Where Are They Now? 1982's Biggest Pop Acts-Catch up with A Flock of Seagulls, Toni Basil, Tommy Tutone and more though |magazine=Rolling Stone |date=2012-08-08 |access-date=2017-03-15}}{{cite web |url=http://portlandtribune.com/ttt/91-features/201427-tommy-tutone-leader-finds-theres-life-well-after-jenny|author-last1=Wells|author-first1=Shannon O. |url-status=dead|archive-date=18 November 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131118200803/http://portlandtribune.com/ttt/91-features/201427-tommy-tutone-leader-finds-theres-life-well-after-jenny|title=Tommy Tutone leader finds there's life well after 'Jenny' |publisher=Portland Tribune - Pamplin Media Group |date=2013-11-15 |access-date=2017-03-15}}
In 2017, with the addition of Steve Fister (Steppenwolf, Lita Ford) on guitar, Jimmy James switched to drums and the band released the single "My Little Red Book".
Jim Keller went on to become the director of Philip Glass's publishing company, Dunvagen Music Publishers.{{cite web |url=http://www.willistonobserver.com/life-after-jenny/ |author=Baynes, Luke |title=Life after 'Jenny' |publisher=Williston Observer |date=2012-05-31 |access-date=2017-03-15}} He still performs in New York City.
In 2019, the band released their first studio album since 1998, Beautiful Ending.
In 2024, the band is reunited and touring. A new studio album will be released in the fall entitled New Wave Americana.
Discography
=Studio albums=
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;" |
| rowspan="2"| Year
! rowspan="2"| Album details ! colspan="2"| Peak chart |
|---|
| style="font-size:smaller;"
! width="40"| US ! width="40"| CAN |
| 1980
| align="left"| Tommy Tutone
| 68 | 82 |
| 1981
| align="left"| Tommy Tutone 2
| 20 | 44 |
| 1983
| align="left"| National Emotion
| 179 | — |
| 1996
| align="left"| Nervous Love
| — | — |
| 1998
| align="left"| Tutone.rtf
| — | — |
| 2019
| align="left"| Beautiful Ending
| — | — |
| colspan="10" style="font-size:8pt"| "—" denotes releases that did not chart |
=Singles=
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.tutone.com Official Tommy Tutone page]
- [https://www.instagram.com/therealtommytutone Official Tommy Tutone Instagram]
- [https://www.facebook.com/share/PTyZ4LkjTSBY1C3v/?mibextid=K35XfP Official Tutone Facebook page]
- [http://www.rockerzine.com/index.php/2014/05/tommy-tutone-more-than-a-number/ Interview 2014: Rocker Magazine "Tommy Tutone: More Than A Number" ]
{{Tommy Tutone}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Rock music groups from California
Category:American power pop groups
Category:American pop rock music groups
Category:Musical groups established in 1978
Category:Columbia Records artists