"The Singing
Troubador"
American entertainer (
1897-
1982), born Dominic Nicholas Anthony Lucanes, known for introducing two things into the American pop music
lexicon: the
guitar (in the
1920s, the
banjo and the
piano were the instruments of choice in
popular music). In
1922, he became the first guitar star, with two original
instrumental hits: "Pickin' the Guitar" and "Teasin' the
Frets." The
Gibson Guitar company, suffering from a decline in the
mandolin orchestra (and whose banjos were not selling well), offered to custom build a guitar for Lucas in
1924. Lucas' success and endorsement was key to the growth of Gibson.
His second contribution: "Tiptoe Through the Tulips," which he played on his custom Gibson on Broadway. The song was a number one hit for 10 weeks.
Lucas would appear on television on The Ed Sullivan Show, and contribute songs to film versions of The Great Gatsby and Day of the Locust.