Tiny Tim (musician) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Tiny Tim
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Tiny Tim in 1971
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| Born |
Herbert Butros Khaury
April 12, 1932 Manhattan, New York City, U.S.
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| Died | November 30, 1996 (aged 64) Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S.
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| Resting place | Lakewood Cemetery, Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S. |
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| Spouse(s) |
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| Children | 1 |
| Musical career | |
| Genres | Americana |
| Occupation(s) | Singer, musician |
| Instruments | Ukulele, mandolin, guitar, violin, vocals |
| Years active | 1962–1996 |
| Labels | |
Herbert Butros Khaury (born April 12, 1932 – died November 30, 1996), known professionally as Tiny Tim, was an American singer and ukulele player. He was also a musical collector, meaning he loved to find and study old songs and recordings. He is most famous for his 1968 hit song "Tiptoe Through the Tulips", which he sang in a very high, unique voice called a falsetto.
Contents
Early Life and Musical Beginnings
Herbert Khaury was born in Manhattan, New York City, on April 12, 1932. His mother, Tillie, was from a Polish-Jewish family and worked with clothes. His father, Butros Khaury, was from Lebanon and worked with textiles.
Herbert showed a love for music from a young age. When he was five, his father gave him an old wind-up record player and a record. He would listen to it for hours. At six, he started teaching himself to play the guitar. As he grew older, he became very interested in old records, especially those from the early 1900s to the 1930s.
He spent a lot of time at the New York Public Library. There, he read about the history of music recording and the first singers. He would also copy sheet music to learn songs at home. This hobby of collecting and learning old music continued throughout his life. He went to George Washington High School in Manhattan.
Developing His Unique Style
When Herbert was 11, he began learning the violin. He enjoyed playing for his parents. Later, he learned the mandolin and the ukulele. The ukulele became his special instrument. After recovering from surgery in 1945, he spent a lot of time in his room, listening to music and reading. He wasn't a great student and eventually left high school. He took many simple jobs.
In an interview, he explained how he found his high singing voice. He was singing along to the radio and realized he could sing very high. He described it as a surprising discovery.
In the early 1950s, Herbert worked as a messenger at a movie studio in New York. He became even more interested in entertainment. He entered a talent show and sang "You Are My Sunshine" using his new high voice. He started performing at amateur nights in dance clubs. He used different stage names like Texarkana Tex and Vernon Castle. To stand out, he wore unusual clothes and grew his hair long. He also wore white makeup on his face.
In 1959, he started performing as "Larry Love, the Singing Canary." He performed at a unique museum in Times Square. A manager helped him get auditions in Greenwich Village. He played unpaid gigs, singing "Tiptoe Through the Tulips" in his high voice, which later became his most famous song.
Becoming Tiny Tim
In 1963, he got his first paid job at a club in Greenwich Village. He played six hours a night, six nights a week. For two years, he performed as "Dary Dover," and then "Sir Timothy Timms." His manager, George King, gave him the stage name "Tiny Tim." This was a funny name because Herbert was 6 feet 1 inch tall. This name stuck with him.
Tiny Tim appeared in some independent films. He sang "Be My Baby" and "I Got You Babe" in a movie called You Are What You Eat (1968). His performance of "I Got You Babe" led him to appear on a popular TV show called Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In. He brought his Martin ukulele and sang a mix of "A-Tisket, A-Tasket" and "On the Good Ship Lollipop". For his third appearance, he sang "Tiptoe Through the Tulips".
His first album, God Bless Tiny Tim, came out in 1968. It included an orchestral version of "Tiptoe Through the Tulips," which became a hit song. He released other albums, including For All My Little Friends (1969), a collection of children's songs that was nominated for a Grammy Award.
In 1969, Tiny Tim had a fun experience with his favorite hockey team, the Toronto Maple Leafs. He got to skate on the ice with them before a charity event. He had never skated before, but he enjoyed the thrill of being on the ice.
Tiny Tim was married three times and had one daughter. His first marriage was to Victoria Budinger, known as "Miss Vicki." They got married on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson on December 17, 1969. About 40 million people watched the wedding on TV! In 1971, they had a daughter named Tulip Victoria. They later divorced.
Later Career and Legacy
After his peak in the late 1960s, Tiny Tim's TV appearances became less frequent. However, he continued to perform concerts, including many in Las Vegas. In 1970, he performed for a huge crowd at the Isle of Wight Festival 1970 in the UK. People said he was amazing, even without electric instruments.
He released several albums in the 1990s, including Rock (1993) and Girl (1996). He also appeared in the 1997 comedy film Private Parts, which was filmed shortly before he passed away.
Instruments He Played
Tiny Tim played the ukulele with his left hand, but he kept the strings in the standard way. He played the guitar with his right hand. He used several types of ukuleles, including a vintage Martin and a Favilla. He learned to play using a method book that came with a plastic ukulele endorsed by another musician, Arthur Godfrey.
His Passing
On September 28, 1996, Tiny Tim had a heart attack at a ukulele festival in Massachusetts. He spent about three weeks in the hospital. Doctors told him not to perform again because of his health, weight, and diabetes. But he chose to keep performing.
On November 30, 1996, he was performing at a benefit show in Minneapolis. He told his wife, Susan Marie Gardner ("Miss Sue"), that he wasn't feeling well, but he didn't want to disappoint his fans. While singing his most famous song, "Tiptoe Through the Tulips," he had another heart attack on stage. His wife helped him, but he collapsed and never woke up. He was taken to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead. His remains are buried in a mausoleum at Lakewood Cemetery in Minneapolis.
Posthumous Releases and Honors
After his death, several of Tiny Tim's recordings were released. In 2000, an album called Tiny Tim Live at the Royal Albert Hall was released. This concert was recorded in 1968 but had never been put out before. Other collections of his rare recordings also came out, showing his love for old songs.
Several books have been written about Tiny Tim's life, including Eternal Troubadour: The Improbable Life of Tiny Tim (2016) by Justin Martell. A documentary film about him, Tiny Tim: King for a Day, was released in 2020.
Tiny Tim was honored with a star on the outside mural of the Minneapolis nightclub First Avenue. This honor recognizes performers who have played sold-out shows or made a big impact on the local culture.
Discography
Studio albums
- God Bless Tiny Tim (Reprise Records, 1968)
- Tiny Tim's 2nd Album (Reprise Records, 1968)
- For All My Little Friends (Reprise Records, 1969), Nominated for a Grammy Award.
- Tiny Tim Rock (Regular Records, 1993)
- I Love Me (Yucca Tree Records, 1993)
- Tiny Tim's Christmas Album 1994 (Rounder Records, 1994)
- Girl (with Brave Combo) (Rounder Records, 1996)
Compilation albums
- God Bless Tiny Tim: The Complete Reprise Studio Masters...And More (Rhino Handmade, 2006, 3-CD set)
- I've Never Seen a Straight Banana – Rare Moments Vol. 1 (Collectors Choice Music WWCCM 20582) (2009)
- Tiny Tim: Lost & Found (Rare & Unreleased 1963–1974) (Secret Seven Records, 2011, compilation)
- Tiny Tim's America (Ship to Shore Phonograph Company, 2016, previously unreleased)
Live albums
- Live in Chicago with the New Duncan Imperials (1995, Pravda Records)
- Tiny Tim Live! At the Royal Albert Hall (Rhino Handmade, 2000, recorded in 1968)
See also
In Spanish: Tiny Tim (cantante) para niños
