Photograph of Sophie Tucker by Maurice Seymour

Sophie Tucker (1884-1966)

When only an infant, Sophie Kalish came to the U.S. with her emigrating parents. The family first went to Boston, but soon moved to Hartford, Connecticut when Sophie was only three months old. Settling there, the Abuza family (as they were now named) established a successful diner and rooming house where Sophie first began singing to customers. In 1906 Sophie left her son (from her first failed marriage to Louis Tuck) in the care of her parents and moved to New York City, changing her name to Tucker. After working in cafes and other small venues, she got her first break in vaudeville during 1907. Her popularity grew steadily. She toured the United States and Europe, performing such songs as "A Good Man is Hard to Fine," "I'm Living Alone and I Like It," "I'm The Last of the Red-Hot Lovers" and her signature song "Some of These Days." Her most popular song was "My Yiddishe Mama'" a song that would eventually be banned by Hitler with all recordings of it ordered destroyed. Sophie Tucker died on February 6, 1966 in New York City. Her funeral was held at Emanuel Synagogue Cemetery in Wethersfield, Connecticut.