In what is surely one of the sleaziest moves in music industry history, retired 1970s singer Tanya Tucker emerged from her country music crypt this week to release her first single since 2009 – a love song to her one-time fling, Glen Campbell – on the eve of his burial. Yeah, for real.
Campbell and Tucker infamously dated for a few coke- and violence-filled months in 1980 – a period that Miss Tucker is apparently still living in some 35+ years later. The timing of her song release is beyond suspect, as we all know it takes time to write, record, mix, master, create artwork, submit and have a track added to the iTunes store. It’s easy to picture Tanya sitting in front of her WebTV, refreshing AOL news, waiting for word of Glen’s death, ready to pull the trigger on what we can only hope and assume will be her last single ever.
Tanya claims that “a portion of the proceeds” from her single “will benefit the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America,” but when reached, the AFA said they never agreed to partner with her and knew nothing about it, had no part in the promotion or release of the single, and as of the writing of this article have not received any funds from Tucker’s camp. Tucker’s management, Sawyer & Garner (who only have one client … guess who!), recently sent out a very Nigerian Prince form letter to every major Alzheimer’s foundation in America, soliciting partnership roles. At time of publication, I have confirmed that she was turned down by: Us Against Alzheimer’s, BrightFocus Foundation, Geoffrey Beene Foundation Alzheimer’s Initiative and the Alzheimer’s Association, to name a few. Word travels fast in the Alz. community, and her transparent advances are seen as predatory and desperate by most.
As if all of that wasn’t enough to make your skin crawl, a closer look at the details reveals that her new song, “Forever Loving You,” which is supposedly about her and Campbell’s “incredible, precious memories together,” was actually written four years ago by disgraced Tennessee Senator Rusty Crowe (Not making this up. That’s really his name).
If the name Rusty Crowe doesn’t ring a bell, let us remind you that Crowe is the senator who sponsored one of the most corrupt and scandalous bills in recent Tennessee history, the Campbell/Falk Act: a sham bill that complicates and convolutes the rights of conservators to protect their loved ones. The bill was was immediately reversed and removed from the records after being passed, but Tennessee legislature was evidently too embarrassed to ever make a public apology to Glen’s family. And surprise, surprise, Tanya was there by Crowe’s side lobbying for the bill all along the way, as if she somehow understood the complexities of Glen’s situation, going as far as to ‘sing’ her ancient hit, “Delta Dawn” to the legislature while in session, while Glen’s wife of 35 years was never even contacted or consulted.
If there isn’t an ethics investigation currently underway on Crowe, one is surely coming. The senator who passed a bill to ‘protect’ Glen Campbell (who was not in need of protection) is now profiting from the sales of a song released on the eve of the man’s death. It just doesn’t get much creepier than that. Or does it? In recent months, Crowe has been seen hobnobbing around Nashville with Tucker, most recently at a Merle Haggard tribute concert.
Although Tanya has never been married, she does have three children from two different ex-boyfriends, neither of whom are Glen Campbell. Write a song about one of them next time instead, mother Tucker.
Must’ve really chapped your hide when she won not one but TWO GRAMMYS! 😢😢