Tanya Tucker Talks Home Cooking, Her New Album, and More

In this week's episode, Sid Evans talks to the legendary and outspoken Tanya Tucker about her love of cooking, winning her first Grammy at the age of 61, and the tragic true story behind her iconic breakthrough hit "Delta Dawn." Plus, Tanya's gift to Justin Bieber, and how her new live album due this fall will help benefit one of music's most important venues.

Episode 17: October 6, 2020

Tanya Tucker started her career at age 9, and just four years later, became a household name thanks to the now-classic tune "Delta Dawn." As the hits piled up over the years, Tanya's reputation as one of the outlaws of country music grew, placing her alongside greats like Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash, and Waylon Jennings. But it wasn't until earlier this year that she finally took home a Grammy —two in fact—honoring her latest studio album ​While I'm Livin​'. Produced by Waylon's son Shooter and influential singer/songwriter Brandi Carlile, that album and in particular the single "Bring My Flowers Now" have not only solidified Tanya's stature within the genre, but have also introduced her to a new generation of fans. Later this fall, she'll release ​Live from the Troubadour,​ a new in-concert album with a portion of the proceeds benefiting the iconic Los Angeles music venue, in a time where many independent clubs and concert halls are hurting due to the pandemic.

On the Cook In Her Family

"My mother was always the cook. Whatever I learned in cooking, I learned from her… I learned how to make banana pudding and chicken fried steak. I take her recipes and I kind of add a little bit of my own flair to them."

On Growing Up Around Music

"My sister and I were the only singers. My dad always told me, you know, Tanya, you got two problems. ​He said, one of them is that you're a girl. And the other one is, you're a 9-year-old girl. And that means you're going to have to put twice as much feeling in that song as a person who recorded it before because they're not going to believe you otherwise, they're not going to believe that's ​coming​, coming out of a nine year old.​"

On Her New Album

Editors' Note: Some of the proceeds from the album are benefiting the Troubadour, which is a historic venue in Los Angeles.

"These venues have supported us for all these years, but the Troubadour just happens to be a real iconic one because the Eagles and Elton John basically got started there. A lot of great talent has been inside those walls. That's the thing: they've ​kept us going​, kept me going when nothing was going. And I think it's payback time. I think it's time that we support them. I hate to see everybody's everyone going through hell right now….I just wanted to come out with an album that kind of ​extends myself so to speak with my fans…give them something to listen to but all at the same time, support these venues that have always supported us."

About Biscuits & Jam

In the South, talking about food is personal. It's a way of sharing your history, your family, your culture, and yourself. Each week Sid Evans, Editor in Chief of Southern Living, will sit down with celebrity musicians to hear stories of how they grew up, what inspired them, and how they've been shaped by Southern culture. Sid will take us back to some of their most cherished memories and traditions, the family meals they still think about, and their favorite places to eat on the road.

​Listen to the full interview on Apple podcasts, Spotify, and everywhere podcasts are available.

Get a transcript of the full interview with Tanya Tucker.

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