Sophie Tucker, born Sofia Kalish on January 13, 1886, in Tulchyn, Russian Empire (now Vinnytsia Oblast, Ukraine), was an American singer. She began her career singing at her parents' restaurant for tips and made her first theater appearance in 1907. Tucker's breakthrough came with the release of "Some of These Days" on Edison Records in 1911. Throughout the 1920s, she became a popular singer and introduced jazz to white vaudeville audiences. In 1926, her re-released hit song "Some of These Days", backed by Ted Lewis and his band, stayed at Number 1 for five weeks and sold over one million copies. Tucker's success spread to Europe, performing for King George V and Queen Mary in London. She made her movie debut in Honky Tonk (1929) and continued to perform through the 1930s. Tucker passed away on February 9, 1966.
