Dennis Tufano

Dennis Stanley Joseph Tufano (born September 11, 1946) is the original lead singer of the 1960s rock group The Buckinghams, and has been a solo performer since the early 1980s.

Dennis Tufano was born in Chicago, Illinois. He attended St. Sylvester grade school at 3027 W. Palmer Square, Chicago; and Gordon Tech High School at 3633 N. California Ave., Chicago. He inherited his musical talents from his father, who was also a singer, and who played the violin, saxophone and harmonica.

The Chicago band scene included clubs, high school dances, battle of the band contests and local hit parade shows. Many burgeoning bands competed for local radio airplay and a chance at stardom. Dennis Tufano was part of the Chicago rock and roll band invasion to hit the charts in the late 1960s. He was a member of The Pulsations (early-to-mid-1960s) with Jon Poulos (1947–1980).

In 1965, Tufano and Poulos were joined in The Pulsations by two members of The Centuries, bass player Nick Fortuna (born 1947) and guitarist Carl Giammarese (born 1947). Dennis Miccoli joined the group as keyboard player. “Jon Poulos [drums] and I knew each other from the neighborhood and we were the first in the band,” said Tufano. The Pulsations name was retained until the group auditioned for a spot on the "All Time Hits” variety show on local powerhouse television station, WGN-TV. The producers wanted them to have a more British-sounding name, and a security guard suggested "The Buckinghams". The group won a 13-week contract.

The Buckinghams had many hits, including the chart-topping “Kind of a Drag” in 1967, as well as “Don't You Care” “Hey Baby (They're Playing Our Song),” “Mercy, Mercy, Mercy,” and “Susan.”

Following his success in the Buckinghams, Tufano was part of the singer/songwriting duo Tufano and Giammarese, who recorded three albums with Lou Adler's custom label, Ode Records. The duo toured in support of the albums, including a rather rambunctious tour with Cheech & Chong.

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