Tommy Tutone facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Tommy Tutone
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Jimmy James (L), Tommy Heath (R)
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| Background information | |
| Origin | California, U.S. |
| Genres | Rock, pop rock, power pop, new wave |
| Years active | 1978–1984, 1996–present |
| Labels | Columbia/CBS Records Spectra Records |
| Members | Tommy Heath Jimmy James Steve Fister Kerry Movassagh |
| Past members |
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Tommy Tutone is an American power pop band, known for its 1981 hit "867-5309/Jenny", which peaked at #4 on the Billboard Hot 100. Though some people consider the band to be a one-hit wonder, they did reach the Top 40 the year before with "Angel Say No".
Contents
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 Terry Nails played bass and provided supporting vocals. Heath and Keller were the only constant members of Tommy Tutone during the band's heyday, and the lineup featured a rotating membership of bassists and drummers. Bassist Jon Lyons (original name Jonathan Lyons Terlep), who performed on "867-5309", replaced founding member Terry Nails, but was soon himself replaced by Greg Sutton, Pete Costello, and more recently 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". From 2001 to 2010, the band consisted of Heath, James, Greg Georgeson (guitar), and Andy Gauthier (drums). By 2012, Tommy Heath had become a computer analyst and software engineer and moved to Portland, Oregon. In 2007, the band signed a recording contract with Spectra Records.
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. He still performs in New York City.
In 2019, the band released their first studio album since 1998, Beautiful Ending.
Discography
Studio albums
| Year | Album details | Peak chart positions |
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US |
CAN |
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| 1980 | Tommy Tutone
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68 | 82 | ||||||
| 1981 | Tommy Tutone 2
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20 | 44 | ||||||
| 1983 | National Emotion
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179 | — | ||||||
| 1996 | Nervous Love
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— | — | ||||||
| 1998 | Tutone.rtf
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— | — | ||||||
| 2019 | Beautiful Ending
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— | — | ||||||
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart | |||||||||
Singles
| Year | Single | Peak chart positions | Certifications (sales threshold) |
Album | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US |
US Main |
CAN |
AUS |
NZ |
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| 1980 | "Angel Say No" | 38 | — | — | — | — | Tommy Tutone | |||
| 1981 | "867-5309/Jenny" | 4 | 1 | 2 | 22 | 32 |
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Tommy Tutone 2 | ||
| 1982 | "Which Man Are You" | — | — | — | — | — | ||||
| 1983 | "Get Around Girl" | — | — | — | — | — | National Emotion | |||
| 2017 | "My Little Red Book" | — | — | — | — | — | Non-album singles | |||
| 2018 | "Time Won't Let Me" | — | — | — | — | — | ||||
| 2018 | "When You Walk In the Room " | — | — | — | — | — | ||||
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart | ||||||||||
See also
In Spanish: Tommy Tutone para niños
