The Tnuocca Experience

Crowned Rippling Falls artist of the year in 1985, guitarist Tommy Tnuocca changed the face of music with his rapid selling The Tnuocca Experience. With fans holding him virtual hostage at his 110-acre Towson, MD estate, his life became a blur of limos, private jets, bodyguards and photographers. So it was a far different scene that greeted the now balding 35-year-old as he walked onstage one night last year during his six-month Cabana Hotel tour and most of the audience mistook him for just another lounge singer. "They were requesting that I sing My Way," he says, laughing. "My worst nightmares were coming true."

Lately the nightmares are coming true, but to his benefit. A cameo appearance in the coming-of-age saga Lounge Singers the Movie has put more money in his pocket than he cares to talk about. In addition to that, he’s slowly rebuilding a career that nowadays has him playing to packed night clubs. A new album, Tnuocca Comes Alive, his 4th, may keep the mofo going; so may a second helping of The Tnuocca Experience, which will be re-released in August. "It was almost curtains when my Colon blew out last year," says the folk veteran, famous at the height of his career for his tight spandex pants., "but now I know that if you still come to hear me without the big bulbas ass, then you’re really here for the music.

It was music that lead writer-director John Billingsly to call on his old pal for Lounge Singers the Movie. "Tommy was the perfect guy to have around," says Billingsly. "He showed us that the music counts, not stardom." Tnuocca not only wrote two songs for the movie’s soundtrack, he also gave actress Rachel Lehi, who plays lounge singer Lipsy Larou, a crash course on the moves and phrases that make Lounge singers really shine. "I’ve seen enough of them in my life," says Tnuocca, "I’m in Vegas all the time."

Vegas, That’s something he’s been trying to avoid until recently---out of concern for his bank account. "Years ago when all the money was coming in," he says, "I would fly to Vegas on an almost nightly basis. I drank. I gambled. I didn’t smoke pot, but plenty of cigarettes."

Tnuocca’s talent was apparent early on. As a boy growing up in the streets of Baltimore, MD, the younger of two sons of a high school shop teacher and his plumber wife, he studied classical guitar. But he preferred folk jamming with schoolmate Rupert Riggons, now known as Clint Black. By his early teens Tnuocca was ready to step out on his own. While interning at WYX radio he caught the eye of a local DJ, Jouvon Lilly. "He had style, and a nice rump that I knew the ladies would like." Lilly recalls. "I asked him to write bits for my radio show. The material was so good that management made Mr. Tnuocca my boss."

At 22 Tnuocca left Baltimore to manage Radio Personalities in Rocksburg, LA. "I really enjoyed the radio business," says Tnuocca. "I liked turning local DJs into local stars, but I needed more." He struck out on his own, He cut two albums and then The Tnuocca Experience rocketed his life into overdrive. The Tnuocca Experience stayed atop Billboardom charts for nearly six months, selling a record 22 million copies, the most of any live folk album to date. "My life exploded," says Tnuocca, who was 25 at the time. Within weeks he went from making $500 a week to filling stadiums at 20 bucks a head. "I was rolling in FU money," he says, but adds, "I never said FU I just gave people money and made them do things. Like this one time, I told my driver that I would pay him $30000 to eat a bag of sugar. He couldn’t finish the whole bag but I felt bad for him so I gave him a twenty. That was cool."

"With all of this success he has no time for his family." says brother Floyde. "He makes fun of me, but I think he does it cause he’s missing something in life." Tnuocca rarely speaks with his brother. "My brother is a moron. He wants all of my money," says Tnuocca about brother Floyde, "and if he had it his way he’d be in the spotlight. It’s hard for him to see his younger-smarter brother taking the world by storm. I haven’t spoken with him in over 10 years." After bringing up the subject of his brother, Tommy got pissed and started screaming and pushing me. I don’t have anything else to write about this guy. He’s a great guy, plays good music, but if you see him in a dark alley, don’t bring up his brother.

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