Tiny Tim: the tragic on-stage death that ended an outsider icon
When he was born, Tiny Tim, otherwise known as Herbert Khaury, was something of a recluse. He didn’t leave his room much unless he was going to school, and at school, he was described as mediocre. He dropped out because he kept failing his sophomore year and started pursuing mundane jobs to make a bit of money. In a life that seemed relatively dull and blasé, Tiny Tim, like so many others, found music.
His pursuit of music came when he found he could sing in a high voice that would eventually become recognisable worldwide. After realising he could sing, he started learning the ukulele from sections of an Arthur Godfrey method book. This period marked the first time he ever felt truly passionate about anything, a period which Tim would look back on and describe as a “religious experience”.
Tiny Tim managed to climb to fame rather rapidly. In 1968, he released his debut album, God Bless Tiny Tim, which featured the hit song ‘Tiptoe Through the Tulips’, a track that went to number 17 on the Billboard chart. His high singing voice was present throughout every second, which divided audiences but was undeniably infectious. His success continued into his second album, For All My Little Friends, which received a Grammy nomination.
As well as being a big name in music, Tiny Tim was a recognisable face on TV. His marriage to Miss Vicki was broadcast on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, which had over 40 million people watching and, at the time, was one of the most viewed television events ever. He also played to a near-record crowd at The Isle of Wight festival, when he stole the show singing ‘There’ll Always Be an England’ to 600,000 people using only his ukulele.
Tiny Tim was an outsider icon. Despite not being conventional, his unique approach to music and unforgettable singing voice was undeniably spellbinding, leading to his subsequent fame. After the first couple of albums, once people had grown accustomed to him, his records didn’t do as well, but there was still a demand, so he ended up starting his own record label, ‘Vic Tim Records’. The name is a comedic mergence of his and his wife’s name.
Like so many exciting musicians, Tiny Tim passed away before his time. On September 28th, 1996, he was playing at a ukulele festival in Montague, Massachusetts, where he suffered a heart attack on stage. He was taken to the hospital and held for approximately three weeks, and when he was discharged, he was told not to perform again because of his health, weight and dietary needs.
Against doctor’s orders, he performed again on November 30th, 1996, at a gala benefit in Minneapolis. He told his wife at the time, Miss Sue, that he wasn’t feeling well but didn’t want to disappoint the fans. Apparently, half of the crowd had left before Tiny Tim even took to the stage, but desperate to do a good job, he went on and started playing. During the last song, he suffered another heart attack. When he was taken back to his seat, he collapsed, fell unconscious and didn’t wake up. His death is a sad moment, and he was one of many musicians who passed away before his time; however, Tiny Tim will always be remembered as an outside icon who helped expand upon what music could be.
