Entertain Tucson

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Tucson, Arizona entertainment, music and arts calendars of events for things to do and places to go, including nightclubs, theater, and special events.

"Entertaining Tucson Across the Decades"

50 Years of Tucson Entertainment History

Step back into Tucson's rich music history. The 3-volume set of the "Entertaining Tucson Across the Decades" features 50 years of Tucson, Arizona music and entertainment history from the last half of the 20th Century, told through interviews and original photos published in several local Tucson newspapers over the decades.

Within these pages are the memories and the experiences of those people and places. These are the original articles and interviews published in several local Tucson newspapers which covered the Tucson entertainment scene during the 20th Century. Follow their stories through the years; the big breaks, break ups, record releases, hot performances and duds, personal insights and struggles.

Read sample chapters online, download a free sample PDF of the entire 3-volume set, and purchase the print and Kindle versions from Amazon.

Volume 1: 1950s-1985

Volume 2: 1986- 1989

Volume 3: 1990s

Download FREE PDF 100 page sample of the 3-volume set of "Entertaining Tucson Across the Decades." Hosted on archive.org
Purchase copies on Amazon.com.

Search Your Name or Band

See if you are mentioned in any of the volumes!

Read Selections from "Entertaining Tucson Across the Decades"

FREE Download Special Edition!!

Download "Entertaining Tucson Highlights," a free, 100 page, special edition digital PDF sample of selections from all three volumes of "Entertaining Tucson" including the full Table of Contents, Indexes and a samples of historical articles and photographs. The PDF is 29MB in size.
Read "Entertaining Tucson Across the Decades," on Google Books.
Read Vol. 4 (Index) on Google Books
Local Tucson Restaurant Coupons and Dining

How Many Musicians Can You ID?

All of these Tucson musicians, and more are featured in 4 full volumes!

Buy "Entertaining Tucson"

There are several ways to buy each or all three volumes of "Entertaining Tucson Across the Decades." Paperbacks and Kindle versions are available in print on Amazon or can be purchased in paperback at several stores in Tucson.

Buy Online: Amazon.com and Kindle sell all 4 volumes at a discount. To get an author signed book at a bigger discount, find the "Robert Zucker Collection" in Amazon's "New Books Link." The retail price is discounted when you purchase on Amazon.

Volume 1: 1950s through 1985 ($20)
Volume 2: 1986 through 1989 ($15)
Volume 3: 1990s ($15)
Entertaining Tucson Highlights: Volumes 1-4: Indexes ($10)

Buy Local: copies of "Entertaining Tucson Across the Decades" are available locally in Tucson on the shelf at:

Antigone Books (411 N. 4th Avenue)
Mostly Books (6208 E. Speedway)
Nexus Occult Books & Oddities (4865 E. Speedway, 520-334-0372)

Call the author, Robert E. Zucker, for more information, or to make wholesale purchases at 520-623-3733.

Original Entertainment Magazine
Video 1991

Tucson's music history and culture preserved

If you enjoyed listening to local Tucson musicians, or performed in Tucson, anytime between the 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s and 1990s through early 2000s, then you probably will be familiar with many of these people who performed and entertained.

Tucson's entertainment nightlife ranged from country, western, folk, rock and roll, reggae, Swing, Big Band, jazz, blues, new wave, disco, alternative and punk. Popular musicians like Giant Sandworms, Statesboro Blues Band, Nadine & the MoPhonics, Dean Armstrong and over one thousand others.

Tucson is well known for producing such great national artists as Linda Ronstadt, Rex Allen and Garry Shandling who are also featured.

"Entertaining Tucson" is a compilation of the Entertainment Magazine, Newsreal, Tucson Teen and other local tabloids published during the 1980s.

Read sample articles republished covering the years between the 1950s through the end of 1985. This book is in recognition to all of the Tucsonans who kept us entertained over those decades and to those reporters and photographers who contributed their work and time to keep Tucson informed.

"Entertaining Tucson Across the Decades" is a three volume compilation by Entertainment Magazine publisher Robert Zucker.

Samples Pages from "Entertaining Tucson Across the Decades"

Tucson Music 1950s

Tucson's musical memories of the '50s
1950s-1960s: Tucson radio's misty memories
The Polar Bar: Tucson's culture in fried chicken
Rex Allen interview
Tucson Movie Drive-In’s of the 1950s
Shopping Tucson Downtown in the 1950s
Sons of the Pioneers: Rooted in Tucson's history
More articles from Tucson music 1950s

Tucson Music1960s

Dean Armstrong: A Tucson legend
Dearly Beloved : The faces of the 60s
Linda Ronstadt: Tucson’s “Girl Singer”
Lewallen Brothers: A blast from Tucson’s Past
More articles from Tucson music 1960s

Tucson Music1970s

Turning on to KTKT
Tucson country music bands in the ‘70s
A new season with the Tucson Toros
1979: Disco Fever
KTKT-FM 96Rock hits the airwaves
Chuck Graham: Sorry Dave, Chuck was first
More articles from Tucson music 1970s.

Tucson Music 1980s

Tucson's 1982 Punk Rock Scene (January 1982)
Serf’s up for Green on Red (February 1983)
LeAnne McCabe: Taking it to the Top, Sundance West opens (March 1983)
Uptones return "home" (March 1983)
Crosswind: Local trio kicks up dust (September 1983)
Statesboro Blues Band: Happy with the blues (March 1984)
The Giant Sandworms Desert Sophistication (July 1983)
Nadine & the MoPhonics: Singing for success (April 1985)
Armen Dirtadian : A golfer in sheik’s clothing (August 1984)
June 1984 local Tucson musicians
More articles from Tucson music 1980s.

Tucson Music 1985

January 1985 local Tucson musicians and nightlife
February 1985 Tucson nightclub scene
March 1985 Tucson musicians and clubs
April 1985 Tucson entertainment scene
December 1985 : Speedways, HMS, Fiction, Press, Sprinter Bros. closed
Al Perry & The Cattle are now on vinyl (May 1985)

1986

Ed Alexander On The Air: Working For The Fun Of It

1987

Charles Bowden, On Top Of Frog Mountain.
Bluesman Sam Taylor Joins Statesboro Blues Band

1990s

Garry Shandling : keeping Johnny’s seat warm
Chuck Wagon & the Wheels : Keepin’ those wheels spinnin’

The Compilation Story

Contributors: Writers, Photographers

The Publishers:

Publishing Titles

Contact Author: Robert Zucker

Arizona Daily Star Book Reviews

"Entertaining Tucson Across the Decades, Vol. 2: 1986-1989 and Vol. 3: 1990s" by Robert E, Zucker-( BZB Publishing, Inc. $14.99 each) They've been out a while now, but these written histories of Tucson's local entertainment are worth a look, if for no better reason than to check out period hair and clothing styles. Author and publisher Robert E. Zucker grew up reporting on entertainment in Tucson: in the 1970s, he wrote for a publication by youth for youth. which soon morphed into Entertainment Magazine, The three volumes of "Entertaining Tucson Across the Decades" are a compilation of stories, profiles, interviews, advertisements, and photos from the magazine. Through the years. you see clubs come and go, musicians evolve. bands group and regroup, audience tastes change. Linda Ronstadt's there with Aaron Neville. Comedian Garry Shandling, too. KXCI and North Fourth Ave. also make appearances. By Christine Wald-Hopkins, Arizona Daily Star, 3-13-2016

“Entertaining Tucson Across the Decades, Vol. 1: 1950s-1985” by Robert E. Zucker (BZB Publishing, $17.99). A comprehensive look at all forms of commercial entertainment from the publisher of Entertainment Magazine. Excellent index makes this not only fun but valuable to researchers. By J.C. Martin, Arizona Daily Star, 12-6-2015

Statesboro Blues Band

Tucson Entertainers Updates

LP & Book: "The Whole Enchilada" Desert Rock from 1979-994"

This whopping three-LP multi-media set and pictorial paperback book is a who’s-who anthology of Tucson’s musical trailblazers. The painstakingly compiled collection is a veritable Tucson musical family tree, leading us from from the mid-1970s through the mid-1990s, from the swoony Bob Meighan Band and the honky tonk of the Dusty Chaps (both whom signed to major labels in the 1970’s) to international indie giants Green On Red (Serfers), Howe Gelb and Giant Sandworms, Naked Prey, Al Perry and The Cattle, Desert Rock breakouts The Sidewinders, Yard Trauma, Black Sun Ensemble and many more. Accompanying the three-record set is a 70-page companion book with rare photos, obscure histories and anecdotes, and dozens of biographical essays by many of the artists themselves and others by named writers, journalists, photographers and deejays, placing the reader centerstage at Desert Rock’s halcyon days. Copies of the paperback are available on Amazon and the 3-LP set is released in April 2022. Read more about "The Whole Enchilada- History of Tucson Rock."

Tucson Musicians Museum

The Tucson Musicians Museum opened its home and display in April 2015 at the Tucson Convention Center to celebrate, preserve and perpetuate Tucson’s unique musical heritage and culture. Visit http://www.tucsonmusiciansmuseum.org

In Memoriam

Garry Shandling dies

Comedian and actor Garry Shandling died on Thursday, March 24, 2106 at age 66 from a heart attack. Raised in Tucson, Arizona during the mid-1960s, Shandling attended Palo Verde High School and the University of Arizona. Read an interview of Garry Shandling in the mid-1980s when he was just starting out with "It's Garry Shandling's Show" on Showtime from 1986 to 1990. He starred in the "Larry Sanders Show" on HBO from 1992 to 1998.

Howie Salmon passes away

Musician and artist Howard (Howie) Salmon died August 7, 2014. Howie was the drummer for the Phantom Limbs in the early 1980s. Read Howie's article on the 1982 Punk Rock Scene.

Charles Bowden dies

Tucson author Charles Bowden passed away on August 31, 2014, at age 69, in his home in Las Cruces, New Mexico. Read a review and interview from 1987 on his book, On Top Of Frog Mountain.

EntertainTucson.com

Published by EntertainTucson.com and BZB Publishing, Inc. P.O. Box 91317, Tucson, Arizona 85752

Gina Torres-Vanasse, Intellectual Property Assessor

Email: [email protected]
Web: http://entertaintucson.com/

Printed in the United States of America by Kindle Publishing Direct (KDP), an Amazon.com company. Available for sale through Amazon.com and other outlets. Entertain Tucson receives a commission from advertising referrals.

Publisher and Author: Robert Zucker

Robert E. Zucker has published several Tucson, Arizona-based tabloid newspapers since the late 1970s through 1990s– Youth Alternatives, Youth Awareness Press, Tucson Teen, The Magazine and Entertainment Magazine. He also launched one of the first newspapers on the Internet in January 1995, EMOL.org, The Entertainment Magazine On Line. Robert Zucker is available for presentations to groups. Call 520-623-3733 or email [email protected].

Published Titles From BZB Publishing

"Entertaining Tucson Across the Decades, Vol. I: 1950s-1985,” by Robert E. Zucker (978-1-939050-06-9)
“Entertaining Tucson Across the Decades, Vol. II: 1986-1999,” by Robert E. Zucker (978-1-939090-07-6)
“Entertaining Tucson Across the Decades, Vol. III: 1990s,” by Robert E. Zucker (978-1-939050-09-0)
"Entertaining Tucson Highlights," by Robert Zucker (978-1-939050-13-7)
“Treasures of the Santa Catalina Mountains: Legends & History,” by Robert E. Zucker (978-1-93905-05-2)
“Traveling Show,” by Robert E. Zucker (978-1-939050-03-8)
“Searching for Arizona’s Buried Treasures,” by Ron Quinn (978-1-939050-40-3)
“Mysterious Disappearances and Other Strange Tales,” by Ron Quinn (978-1-939050-04-5)
"Canyon of Gold, Buffalo Bill Cody & the Legendary Iron Door Mine Treasure," by William "Flint" Carter.
"Tucson Gold Rush 1880," forthcoming books by Robert Zucker.
"Print to Pixels," by Robert E. Zucker (forthcoming)

Titles can be purchased at Amazon.com and other retail outlets. See more books available through BZB Publishing, download free sample PDFs and purchase through Amazon.com links.

All rights are reserved. These are the compiled works of contributed materials from writers and photographers previously published in the Tucson Teen, Magazine, Entertainment Magazine and Newsreal newspapers, and from Entertainment Magazine On Line (EMOL.org). No part of the material protected by this copyright may be reproduced or utilized in any means, electronic or mechanical, without written permission from the publisher.

Permission is granted to use quotes and cite references to the contents in this book with proper credit noted: “Entertaining Tucson Across the Decades,” © 2022 Entertainment Magazine.” Send proof of copyright to [email protected].

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