Tucker was born Rivn (Rubin) Ticker in Brooklyn, New York, the son of Bessara- bian Jewish parents who immigrated to the US in 1911. Richard Tucker was unques- tionably America's greatest tenor. As with many of his contemporaries, the Second World War gave him the opportunity to establish himself in this country, and for the next quarter of a century, no one surpassed this native son in terms of voice, com- mitment, integrity, and devotion to the lyric art. His standing in his community, both civic and devotional, equaled his renown in the world of music, and his standards are the level by which all are now judged. Deeply religious, Richard Tucker brought the same compelling feeling to all of his efforts - be they his 724 performances with the Metropolitan Opera in New York and on tour; his extensive catalogue ofrecordings - classical, popular, religious; his never ending work on behalf of Israel, or his know- ledge of himself and his place as a model citizen, artist, and ideal for succeeding gen- erations of singers and Americans, both here and abroad. Shortly after his death, the Richard Tucker Music Foundation was established by his widow, sons, colleagues, and friends, "to perpetuate the memory of America's greatest tenor through projects in aid of gifted young singers". In the intervening decades, the Richard Tucker Foundation, whose annual televised concerts have been hosted by Luciano Pavarotti and others, has consistently awarded the largest vocal-music grants and scholarships.