Biographie
Known in the "Roaring Twenties" as "the crooning Troubadour," Nick Lucas was one of the pioneering stars of American popular music. He was a well-established and influential singer and guitarist, becoming one of the most beloved crooners on radio.
Born Dominic Nicholas Anthony Lucanese in Newark, New Jersey, in 1897, Nick learned to play the guitar, mandolin, and banjo at a young age. Alongside his brother Frank, he performed at Italian weddings and christenings, as well as on street corners and in saloons. Nick gained fame as a recording artist, celebrated for his heartfelt singing and exceptional, advanced guitar playing.
As one of the earliest solo jazz guitarists, Nick made the first solo jazz guitar recording for Pathe in 1922, featuring original pieces like "Picking the Guitar" and "Teasin' the Frets," which paved the way for future generations of guitarists. That same year, while performing with the Russo-Fiorito Orchestra at Chicago's Edgewater Beach Hotel, he introduced the song "Yes, We Have No Bananas," broadcast nationwide on WEBH radio.
Guitarist Eddie Lang often praised Nick's swift runs and elegant style.
In 1923, seeking a guitar that could both project well and complement his vocals, Nick collaborated with the Gibson Company to create a custom instrument known as the Nick Lucas Special. This guitar was the first custom-made signature model, produced continuously by Gibson from 1927 to 1940. Delta blues legend Charley Patton also played a Nick Lucas model.
Nick's 1926 European tour set records at London's Palladium and the Cafe de Paris, though he never returned to perform in Britain.
In the 1929 film Gold Diggers of Broadway, Nick introduced the songs "Painting the Clouds with Sunshine" and "Tiptoe thru the Tulips," the latter becoming his only number one hit and selling over two million records. Warner Bros. offered him a seven-year contract, which he declined, and it was subsequently given to Dick Powell. Nick later made a series of short films for Universal and Warner Bros.
Throughout the 1940s, Nick was frequently heard on radio shows, performing his hits, and he played 100 consecutive weeks at Hollywood's El Capitan Theater. In the 1950s, he performed in Las Vegas, Reno, and Lake Tahoe, and appeared on television programs such as The Ed Sullivan Show.
Nick appeared in the 1974 film The Great Gatsby, singing "I'm Gonna Charleston Back To Charleston," "When You And I Were Seventeen," and "Five Foot Two, Eyes Of Blue." The film won an Oscar for Best Music.
Nick Lucas passed away in Newark, New Jersey, on July 28, 1982. Over his career, he sold more than 84 million records, primarily during the 1920s, leaving a significant musical legacy that influenced countless musicians.
"..I began on simple chords like most everybody, and then I studied for a year on the Nick Lucas book." - Joe Pass
"My younger brother John and I used to listen to 'Picking The Guitar' and 'Teasin' The Frets.' We'd play them repeatedly and say, 'Can't that fellow play! Wow!!'" - Merle Travis
"I've been the luckiest guy in the world. If you disc jockeys had been around when Nick Lucas first hit his stride, he'd be the biggest name in show business." - Bing Crosby
"We fellows in western music know that Nick Lucas pioneered guitar music. He can perform two of the old favorites and wrap any American audience in a blanket of nostalgia." - Eddie Dean
