TNT is the ninth studio album by American
country music singer
Tanya Tucker. It was released on November 6, 1978, by
MCA Records. Working with a new producer in
Jerry Goldstein, Tucker drifts away from her earlier
country style to do a much more
rock-based effort. She covers well-known rock songs originally performed by such artists as
Buddy Holly ("Not Fade Away"),
Elvis Presley ("Heartbreak Hotel"), and
Chuck Berry ("Brown Eyed Handsome Man"). Tucker also covers
John Prine's "Angel from Montgomery". The album was Tucker's second-highest ranked ever on the
Billboard Country charts at #2, and even reached #54 in the
Pop category. Released singles and their
Billboard positions were: "Texas (When I Die)" at #5, "Not Fade Away" at #70, and "I'm the Singer, You're the Song" at #18. While not necessarily embraced by the country music establishment, the album garnered critical and commercial success. It was certified
Gold by the
RIAA and earned her a Grammy nomination for
Best Rock Vocal Performance, Female.
Billboard published a review of the album in the November 18, 1978 issue, which said, "Tucker's newest release sheds a new light on her singing and image. Working within a pop framework, Tucker's vocals convey a wholesome richness, evident in her rendition of John Prine's "Angel from Montgomery" (in which he also gives background vocal help), "Not Fade Away" and others. The inside photo makes Tucker out to be a sexpot, a ploy that gives her broader appeal. Tucker is backed by a tight band which utilizes both country and rock orchestrations and strings for sweetening."[3]
The review in the November 11, 1978 issue of Cashbox said, "If country fans have raised an eyebrow at the changes Dolly Parton has made lately, they certainly aren't ready for the 'new'
Tanya Tucker. Beyond a shadow of a doubt, the cover graphics are the most blatantly sexual of any album jacket ever released by a country artist. And the music inside is tough LA rock. Tanya does throw in a small dose of country, but this is in no way a country album. At any rate, it is a fine album and should garner airplay and sales in all markets."[4]
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