His mother did not understand Herbert's change in appearance and was intending to take her son, now in his twenties, to see a psychiatrist at Bellevue Hospital, until his father stepped in. To stand out from the crowd of performers he wore wild clothing and, after seeing an old poster of a long-haired Rudolph Valentino, grew his own hair out to shoulder length, and wore pasty white facial makeup. He started performing at dance club amateur nights under different names. He then entered a local talent show and sang "You Are My Sunshine" in his newly discovered falsetto. Tiny Tim performing at an event in Tennessee in the late 1980sīy the early 1950s, he had landed a job as a messenger at the New York office of MGM Studios, where he became ever more fascinated with the entertainment industry. I can go up high as well.'" In a 1969 interview he said he was listening to Rudy Vallee sing in a falsetto, and "had something of a revelation-I never knew that I had another top register," describing it as a religious experience. In a 1968 interview on The Tonight Show, he described the discovery of his ability to sing in an upper register: "I was listening to the radio and singing along as I was singing I said 'Gee, it's strange. After repeating his sophomore year of high school, he dropped out entirely, taking a series of menial jobs. During his recovery from having his appendix removed in 1945, he read the Bible, listened to music on the radio and sang along, and after that rarely left his room, except to go to school, where he was a mediocre student. John Wayne and Tiny Tim help celebrate the 100th episode of Laugh-In, 1971Īt eleven years of age, Khaury began learning to play the violin, and later picked up the mandolin, and what would be considered his signature instrument, the ukulele, and enjoyed performing at home for his parents. He would research sheet music, often making photographic copies to take home to learn, a hobby he continued for his entire life. He began spending most of his free time at the New York Public Library, reading about the history of the phonograph industry and its first recording artists. By his pre-teen years, he developed a passion for records, specifically those from the 1900s through the 1930s. At the age of six, he began teaching himself guitar. He would sit for hours listening to the record. At the age of five, his father gave him a vintage wind-up Gramophone and a 78-RPM record of "Beautiful Ohio" by Henry Burr. Herbert displayed musical talent at a very young age. Herbert's father, Butros Khaury, was a textile worker from Beirut, present-day Lebanon who was a Maronite Catholic priest. She had immigrated from Brest-Litovsk, present-day Poland as a teen in 1914. His mother Tillie (née Staff), a garment worker, was the daughter of a rabbi. Herbert was born in Manhattan, New York City, on April 12, 1932. He is best remembered for his cover hits "Tiptoe Through the Tulips" and "Livin' in the Sunlight, Lovin' in the Moonlight", which he sang in a high falsetto voice. Herbert Buckingham Khaury (Ap– November 30, 1996), known professionally as Tiny Tim, was an American singer and ukulele player, and a musical archivist. Labels: Reprise Records, Rhino Handmade, Rounder Records, Seeland Records, Collector's Choice Records, Ship To Shore PhonoCo. Instruments Ukulele, mandolin, guitar, violin, vocals Dearly loved and 700 people attended his funeral.īorn Herbert Buckingham Khaury ApNew York City, U.S.
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