Born into poverty, the grandchild of sharecroppers, Tanya grew up poor in a family that had come out of the Oklahoma hills in the Great Depression. Her family imbued her early on with a love of country music - and of being "Tucker tough." Also early on, Tanya decided she wanted to become a country music singer. Her father, Beau, was determined that she and her sister La Costa, also a budding singer, would succeed. On an impulsive trip to Nashville, he buttonholed anyone.