If Cali Tucker’s soulful voice, charisma and blonde hair somehow don’t catch your attention, her dazzling, jeweled, retro microphone will.
The Nashville-bred singer is a local gem with serious musical lineage: Her aunt is Tanya Tucker, and her mother is LaCosta Tucker, who reached No. 3 on the country charts with 1974’s “Get on My Love Train.” Cali currently performs six nights a week at two Station Casinos properties.
Tucker moved to Las Vegas in 2014 after competing on Season 6 of The Voice. She says there weren’t enough opportunities in Nashville for her blues/soul style, and that too many people tried to turn her into a country singer. Tucker is inspired by powerhouse vocalists like Adele and Lana del Rey and by electronic music; she even raps to end most of her performances.
Tucker has been immersed in the country world since age 4, touring with Tanya Tucker and even performing at Dollywood. She says it has been challenging to break away, but she’s staying true to herself. “I sing like I’m fighting for my life every time I hit that mic,” she says. “I’m not a quitter. I’m gonna keep going.”
She and fellow Voice contestant and friend Ryan Whyte Maloney first formed a duo and began performing around Las Vegas. Tucker now sings solo at Red Rock Resort’s T-Bones Chophouse on Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday and at Green Valley Ranch Resort’s Hank’s Fine Steaks & Martinis on Friday, Sunday and Monday.
Tucker will soon release Covergirl—an album of 11 covers she frequently performs—produced by Maloney. She also plans to complete an album of originals by the end of the year.
