Nick Lucas

Lucas worked between 1897 and 1982 across jazz musician, actor, jazz guitarist and musician. The registers place that work in jazz. This article rests on 6 catalogued compositions, 1 published texts, 5 issued recordings, 1 digitised documents and 2 scholarly references drawn from named institutional registers. Every statement below returns to a source shown in the evidence panel; where the record is silent or divided, the article says so instead of resolving it.

• Name — Nick Lucas • Birth Name — Dominic Antonio Nicholas Lucanese • Born — 22 August 1897 • Birthplace — Newark, New Jersey, U.S. • Died — 28 July 1982 • Place of death — Colorado Springs, Colorado, U.S. • Genre — Jazz, traditional pop • Occupation — Musician, bandleader • Instrument — Guitar, vocals • Years Active — 1912–1981 • Label — Pathé, Brunswick, Durium, Cavalier, Accent • Past Member Of — Duke Ellington, Jimmie Noone, Wilber Sweatman, Spirits of Rhythm • Spouse — Catherine Ciffrodella (1917–1970) • Website — nicklucas.com

Lucas was born into an Italian-American family in Newark, New Jersey on August 22, 1897, his parents hailing from Ariano di Puglia, Campania. He had eight siblings, five of whom surpassed their formative years. His father, Otto, a landscaper and tree surgeon, was illiterate in English, although he was able to speak it; owing to his poor health, the family had relocated to the country—particularly Silver Lake—around 1900. A year subsequent, he tasked his son, Frank, a renowned accordionist, to teach the young Nick, then known as Dominic, a musical instrument. Since he was "too small to comfortably handle a guitar or banjo," the mandolin was deemed to be a suitable alternative for the young boy. By 1905, Dominic had developed a routine comprising both his academics and musical pursuits, the latter used as a means of assisting his family with respect to income. Consequently, he was unable to receive adequate sleep and thus was prone to sleeping through his classes. In 1913, upon graduating from grammar school, he was presented with a choice from his father concerning whether he would opt for continuing his education or apprenticing; he chose the latter. Given his youth and musical aptitude, his coworkers would find it questionable as to why he was laboring among them. Upon the commencement of his relationship with his future wife, Catherine Ciffrodella, he decided that it would be best for him to resign and capitalize upon his talent and passion. He henceforth had begun performing at local cafes, during which he adopted his reputed stage name: Nick Lucas.

In 1912, at the age of fifteen, Lucas delivered his inaugural record performance, in particular for Thomas Edison's phonograph company. He retrospectively described the inventor as a "very nice man who was genuinely interested in the proper recording of string instruments." In 1922, at the age of 25, he gained renown with his hit renditions of "Pickin' the Guitar" and "Teasin' the Frets" for Pathé. In 1923, Gibson Guitars proposed to build him a concert guitar with a deeper body. Known as the "Nick Lucas Special," it became a popular model with guitarists such as Bob Dylan. It was this guitar's outline that was later used as the basis for the Gibson Les Paul solid body electric guitar. Also in 1923, he began recording for Brunswick and remained one of their exclusive artists until 1932. In 1929, Lucas co-starred in the Warner Bros. two-color Technicolor musical, Gold Diggers of Broadway, in which he introduced the two hit songs "Painting the Clouds with Sunshine" and "Tiptoe Through the Tulips", which survives in a fully synchronized and preserved Vitaphone disc. The same year, Lucas was featured in the studio's all-star revue, The Show of Shows. Lucas turned down Warner Bros. seven-year contract offer, which went instead to fellow crooner Dick Powell. In April 1930, Warner bought Brunswick and gave him his own orchestra, billed on his records as "The Crooning Troubadours". This arrangement lasted until December 1931, when Warner licensed Brunswick to the American Record Corporation (ARC). The new owners were not as extravagant as Warner Bros. had previously been and Lucas lost his orchestra and eventually left Brunswick in 1932. He made two recordings for Durium in 1932 for their Hit of the Week series. These would prove to be his last major recordings. Lucas spent the rest of his career performing on radio, in night clubs and dance halls. He made a number of recordings for small or independent labels, including Cavalier, where he was billed as the "Cavalier Troubadour." In 1944, he reprised some of his old hits in soundies movie musicals and filmed another group of songs for Snader Telescriptions in 1951, including his hit of "Walkin' My Baby Back Home". He signed with Accent in 1955 and remained with the label for 25 years. Lucas once made an extended eight-month tour of Australia when he was on the road. In the mid-1970s he came to the attention of a new generation, being heard on the soundtracks of a handful of period films, after he was chosen to record the vocal refrains for The Great Gatsby. As of 2026, Nick Lucas has had one of the longest singing careers ever, spanning 69 years.

Nick Lucas enjoyed a long marriage of 53 years to Catherine Ciffrodella, whom he married on August 22, 1917. They had one daughter, Emily Lucas Bissell (1918–2013) and three grandchildren.

Lucas became friends with Tiny Tim, who considered him an inspiration and who borrowed "Tiptoe Through the Tulips" as his own theme song. Most people believe that Tiny Tim was the original singer of "Tiptoe Through the Tulips". Lucas sang the song to him when he married Miss Vicki on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson on December 17, 1969. Nick Lucas was interviewed all throughout the 1970s and the early 1980s. In 1974, his renditions of the songs, "I'm Gonna Charleston Back to Charleston", "When You and I Were Seventeen" and "Five Foot Two, Eyes of Blue" were featured on the soundtrack of The Great Gatsby (1974), selected by the film's musical director Nelson Riddle. In 1975, Nick Lucas performed a sold-out show at Mayfair Music Hall in Santa Monica, California. In 1977, he celebrated his 80th birthday. This footage is available on YouTube. In 1980, Lucas rode in the Rose Bowl Parade on his float 'Tiptoe Through the Tulips'. In 1981, Lucas collaborated with Riddle one last time to sing 4 minutes of his best-selling hits. This was one of his last public appearances. On July 28, 1982, less than a month before his 85th birthday, Nick Lucas died in Colorado Springs, Colorado, from complications of double pneumonia. He was interred with his wife Catherine in the "Shrine of Remembrance" in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

• Sweetheart Time — 1926 • Show Girl — 1929 • Blackouts Of 1949 — 1949

• The Lawrence Welk Show — ABC, 1962-1965

• Artist — Nick Lucas • Studio — 7 • Compilation — 17 • Single — 266

Studio Albums • Title — Year — Label • Tiptoe Thru The Tulips With Nick Lucas — 1953 — Cavalier • Tiptoe Thru The Tulips With Nick Lucas - Extended Version — 1957 — Cavalier • Painting The Clouds With Sunshine — 1957 — Decca • "The Nick Lucas" Souvenir Album — 1968 — Accent • Rose Colored Glasses — 1969 — Accent • An Evening With Nick Lucas — 1982 — Take Two • The Singing Troubadour — 1983 — ASV/Living Era Compilation Albums • Title — Year — Label • Tiptoe Thru The Tulips — 2000 — ASV/Living Era • Painting The Clouds With Sunshine — 2001 — Soundies • The Crooning Troubadour — 2002 — Crystal Stream Audio • Souvenir Album — 2006 — Melody Man • First and Last Accents — 2007 — Melody Man • Singing Troubadour — 2010 — Hallmark • Nick Lucas #1 — 2011 — M. C. Productions • Nick Lucas #2 — 2011 — M. C. Productions • Nick Lucas–1920's Jazz Vocals and Guitar Encore 1; 1925-1926 — 2014 — Vintage Recordings • Nick Lucas–1920's Jazz Vocals and Guitar Encore 2; 1926-1927 — 2015 — Vintage Recordings • Nick Lucas–1920's Jazz Vocals and Guitar Encore 3; 1928-1932 — 2015 — Vintage Recordings • The Singing Troubadour — 2015 — Vintage Music • Looking Over A Four-Leaf Clover — 2016 — Emerald Echoes • Golden Song Spotlight — 2018 — Melody Man • Presenting Nick Lucas — 2022 — Universal Digital Enterprises • Picking The Guitar — 2024 — Transatlantica • At His Best — 2025 — E. N. Digital

1922-1949 • Year — Title — US — Label — Certifications • 1922 — Picking The Guitar — — — Pathe • 1922 — Teasing the Frets — — — Pathe • 1924 — Dreamer of Dreams — — — Brunswick • 1924 — My Best Girl — 4 — Brunswick • 1924 — Because They All Love You — — — Brunswick • 1924 — Somebody Like You — — — Brunswick • 1925 — If I Can't Have You — — — Brunswick • 1925 — I've Named My Pillow After You — — — Brunswick • 1925 — When I Think Of You — — — Brunswick • 1925 — The Only, Only One — — — Brunswick • 1925 — Isn't She The Sweetest Thing — — — Brunswick • 1925 — By the Light Of The Stars — — — Brunswick • 1925 — I Might Have Known — — — Brunswick • 1925 — I'm Tired Of Everything But You — — — Brunswick • 1925 — I Found Somebody to Love — — — Brunswick • 1925 — Brown Eyes, Why Are You Blue — 2 — Brunswick • 1925 — Sleepy Time Gal — 3 — Brunswick • 1925 — Smile, A Little Bit, Smile — — — Brunswick • 1925 — Who's Who Are You — — — Brunswick • 1925 — Forever and Ever with You — — — Brunswick • 1926 — A Cup of Coffee, A Sandwich, and You — — — Brunswick • 1926 — Always — 4 — Brunswick • 1926 — Adorable — — — Brunswick • 1926 — No Foolin' — — — Brunswick • 1926 — Bye Bye Blackbird — 4 — Brunswick • 1926 — My Bundle Of Love — — — Brunswick • 1926 — I'm Glad I Found A Girl Like You — — — Brunswick • 1926 — Let Me Live and Love You Just For Tonight — — — Brunswick • 1926 — How Many Times — — — Brunswick • 1926 — Sleepy Head — — — Brunswick • 1926 — Looking at the World Thru Rose Colored Glasses — — — Brunswick • 1926 — When You're Lonely — — — Brunswick • 1926 — Precious — — — Brunswick • 1926 — Hello Bluebird — — — Brunswick • 1926 — I'd Love to Call You My Sweetheart — — — Brunswick • 1926 — Because I Love You — — — Brunswick • 1926 — I've Got The Girl — — — Brunswick • 1927 — Put Your Arms Where They Belong — — — Brunswick • 1927 — In A Little Spanish Town — — — Brunswick • 1927 — I'm Looking Over A Four-Leaf Clover — — — Brunswick • 1927 — High, High, High Up In The Hills — — — Brunswick • 1927 — I'm Looking For A Girl Named Mary — — — Brunswick • 1927 — Underneath The Weeping Willow — — — Brunswick • 1927 — Moonbeam! Kiss Her For Me — — — Brunswick • 1927 — So Blue — 13 — Brunswick • 1927 — Side By Side — 2 — Brunswick • 1927 — Why Should I Say That I'm Sorry — — — Brunswick • 1927 — Rosy Cheeks — — — Brunswick • 1927 — Underneath The Stars with You — — — Brunswick • 1927 — Sing Me A Baby Song — — — Brunswick • 1927 — Broken Hearted — 10 — Brunswick • 1927 — Sweet Someone — — — Brunswick • 1927 — I Can't Believe That You're In Love With Me — — — Brunswick • 1927 — Among My Souvenirs — — — Brunswick • 1927 — My Blue Heaven — 7 — Brunswick • 1927 — The Song Is Ended — — — Brunswick • 1927 — Kiss and Make Up — — — Brunswick • 1927 — Keep Sweeping The Cobwebs Off The Moon — — — Brunswick • 1927 — Together — 12 — Brunswick • 1927 — Without You Sweetheart — — — Brunswick • 1928 — My Ohio Home — — — Brunswick • 1928 — Sunshine — — — Brunswick • 1928 — I'm Waiting For Ships That Never Come In — — — Brunswick • 1928 — I Still Love You — — — Brunswick • 1928 — It Must Be Love — — — Brunswick • 1928 — I Can't Do Without You — — — Brunswick • 1928 — Just Like A Melody From Out Of The Sky — — — Brunswick • 1928 — When You Said Goodnight — — — Brunswick • 1928 — You're A Real Sweetheart — — — Brunswick • 1928 — For Old Times Sake — — — Brunswick • 1928 — Someday, Somewhere — — — Brunswick • 1928 — Chiquita — — — Brunswick • 1928 — My Tonia — — — Brunswick • 1928 — The Song I Love — — — Brunswick • 1928 — When The World Is At Rest — — — Brunswick • 1928 — I'll Never Ask For More — — — Brunswick • 1929 — I'll Get By — 12 — Brunswick • 1929 — You're Not Asking Me(I'm Telling You) — — — Brunswick • 1929 — Some Rainy Day — — — Brunswick • 1929 — How About Me — — — Brunswick • 1929 — Old Timer — — — Brunswick • 1929 — Heart O' Mine — — — Brunswick • 1929 — I've Got A Feeling I'm Falling — — — Brunswick • 1929 — Coquette — — — Brunswick • 1929 — My Song of the Nile (from Drag) — — — Brunswick • 1929 — Painting The Clouds With Sunshine — 2 — Vitaphone — Over 1 Millon Copies Sold • 1929 — Tiptoe Thru The Tulips — 1 — Vitaphone — Over 1 Millon Copies Sold Stayed At No. 1 for 10 Weeks • 1929 — In A Kitchenette (from Gold Diggers of Broadway) — — — Vitaphone • 1929 — Go To Bed (from Gold Diggers of Broadway) — — — Vitaphone • 1929 — What Will I Do Without You (from Gold Diggers of Broadway) — — — Vitaphone • 1929 — Just Another Kiss — — — Brunswick • 1929 — Your Mother and Mine — — — Brunswick • 1929 — Singin' In The Rain — — — Brunswick • 1929 — When My Dreams Come True — — — Brunswick • 1929 — Li-Po-Li (from The Show of Shows) — — — Vitaphone • 1929 — Lady Luck (from The Show of Shows) — — — Vitaphone • 1929 — The Only Song I Know (from The Show of Shows) — — — Vitaphone • 1930 — Dancing with Tears in My Eyes — — — Brunswick • 1930 — Telling It To The Daisies — 15 — Brunswick • 1930 — Singing a Song to the Stars — — — Brunswick • 1930 — My Heart Belongs to the Girl Who Belongs to Somebody Else — — — Brunswick • 1930 — Just a Little Closer — — — Brunswick • 1930 — Don't Tell Her What's Happened to Me — — — Brunswick • 1930 — The Kiss Waltz — — — Brunswick • 1930 — Go Home and Tell Your Mother — — — Brunswick • 1930 — Siboney — — — Brunswick • 1930 — Wasting My Love on You — — — Brunswick • 1930 — Maybe It's Love — — — Brunswick • 1930 — You're Driving Me Crazy — 7 — Brunswick • 1930 — I Miss a Little Miss(Who Misses Me in Southern Tennessee) — — — Brunswick • 1930 — Lady Play Your Mandolin — 5 — Brunswick • 1930 — Say Hello to the Folks Back Home — — — Brunswick • 1931 — You Didn't Have to Tell Me(I Knew It All the Time) — — — Brunswick • 1931 — Hello! Beautiful — — — Brunswick • 1931 — When You Were the Blossom of Buttercup Lane and I Was Your Little Blue Boy — — — Brunswick • 1931 — Walkin' My Baby Back Home — 8 — Brunswick • 1931 — Falling In Love Again — — — Brunswick • 1931 — Running Between The Raindrops — — — Brunswick • 1931 — Wabash Moon — — — Brunswick • 1931 — Can't You Read Between the Lines — — — Brunswick • 1931 — Boy! Oh! Boy! Oh! Boy! I've Got It Bad — — — Brunswick • 1931 — Now You're In My Arms — — — Brunswick • 1931 — I Surrender, Dear — — — Brunswick • 1931 — That's My Desire — — — Brunswick • 1931 — When the Moon Comes Over The Mountain — 7 — Brunswick • 1931 — Goodnight, Sweetheart — — — Brunswick • 1932 — An Evening in Caroline — — — Hit of The Week • 1932 — All of Me/Goodnight Ladies — — — Hit of The Week • 1932 — Picking the Guitar — — — Brunswick • 1932 — Teasing the Frets — — — Brunswick • 1932 — I'm Sure of Everything But You — — — Brunswick • 1932 — More Beautiful Than Ever — — — Brunswick • 1932 — Till Tomorrow — — — Brunswick • 1932 — I Called to Say Goodnight — — — Brunswick • 1934 — Love Thy Neighbor — — — Brunswick • 1934 — A Thousand Good Nights — — — Brunswick • 1934 — Carry Me Back to the Lone Prairie — — — Brunswick • 1934 — Goin' Home — — — Brunswick • 1934 — Moon Glow — — — Brunswick • 1934 — For All We Know — — — Brunswick • 1936 — Cling To Me — — — Universal • 1936 — There's Always A Happy Ending — — — Universal • 1936 — Play It, Mr. Charlie — — — Universal • 1936 — I'll Stand By — — — Universal • 1936 — Mutiny In The Park — — — Universal • 1936 — I Want to Go Where You Go — — — Universal • 1936 — My Blue Heaven — — — Universal • 1936 — It Looks Like Rain In Cherry Blossom Lane — — — C. P. MacGregor • 1936 — You'll Never Get To Heaven — — — C. P. MacGregor • 1936 — Till The Clock Strikes Three — — — C. P. MacGregor • 1936 — The Moon Got In My Eyes — — — C. P. MacGregor • 1936 — A Sailboat In the Moonlight — — — C. P. MacGregor • 1936 — The Dream In My Heart — — — C. P. MacGregor • 1936 — We Can't Go On This Way — — — C. P. MacGregor • 1936 — Strangers In The Dark — — — C. P. MacGregor • 1936 — Tiptoe Thru The Tulips — — — C. P. MacGregor • 1936 — Side by Side — — — C. P. MacGregor • 1936 — Little Old Fashioned Music Box — — — C. P. MacGregor • 1936 — The Miller's Daughter Marianne — — — C. P. MacGregor • 1936 — Tomorrow Is Another Day — — — C. P. MacGregor • 1936 — Gone With The Wind — — — C. P. MacGregor • 1936 — My Cabin of Dreams — — — C. P. MacGregor • 1936 — When I Look at You — — — C. P. MacGregor • 1936 — Pickin' The Guitar — — — C. P. MacGregor • 1936 — Vieni, Vieni — — — C. P. MacGregor • 1936 — You Can't Stop Me from Dreaming — — — C. P. MacGregor • 1936 — In A Little Carolina Town — — — C. P. MacGregor • 1936 — Please Pardon Us We're in Love — — — C. P. MacGregor • 1939 — An Apple for the Teacher — — — Columbia • 1939 — A Man and His Dream — — — Columbia • 1939 — Go Fly a Kite — — — Columbia • 1939 — Good Morning — — — Columbia • 1939 — Over the Rainbow — — — Columbia • 1939 — The Man With A Mandolin — — — Columbia • 1941 — Maria Elana — — — NBC • 1944 — Tiptoe Thru The Tulips — — — Soundies • 1944 — Side By Side — — — Soundies • 1944 — Goodnight, Wherever You Are — — — Soundies • 1944 — An Hour Never Passes — — — Soundies • 1944 — Tiptoe Thru The Tulips — — — Audio-Scriptions • 1944 — Side by Side — — — Audio-Scriptions • 1944 — Tiptoe Thru The Tulips — — — Premier/Mercury • 1944 — Always — — — Premier/Mercury • 1945 — My Blue Heaven — — — Sellers • 1945 — It's Been A Long, Long Time — — — Sellers • 1946 — Sleepy Time Gal — — — C. P. MacGregor • 1946 — I'm Looking Over a Four Leaf Clover — — — C. P. MacGregor • 1946 — In A Little Spanish Town — — — C. P. MacGregor • 1946 — Three Little Words — — — C. P. MacGregor • 1946 — Oh, How I Miss You Tonight — — — C. P. MacGregor • 1946 — Always — — — C. P. MacGregor • 1946 — It Looks Like Rain In Cherry Blossom Lane — — — C. P. MacGregor • 1946 — I'll Get By — — — C. P. MacGregor • 1946 — The Song Is Ended — — — C. P. MacGregor • 1946 — Mexicali Rose — — — C. P. MacGregor • 1946 — Painting The Clouds With Sunshine — — — C. P. MacGregor • 1946 — Tangerine — — — C. P. MacGregor • 1946 — The Gay Ranchero — — — C. P. MacGregor • 1946 — Minnie The Mermaid — — — C. P. MacGregor • 1946 — Just Like A Melody From Out of the Sky — — — C. P. MacGregor • 1946 — You Are Everything I Love — — — C. P. MacGregor • 1946 — Among My Souvenirs — — — C. P. MacGregor • 1946 — Charley My Boy — — — C. P. MacGregor • 1946 — Broken Hearted — — — C. P. MacGregor • 1946 — Coax Me a Little Bit — — — Diamond • 1946 — If I Had My Way — — — Diamond • 1946 — What You Gonna Do? — — — Diamond • 1946 — Painting The Clouds With Sunshine — — — Diamond • 1946 — Seems Like Old Times — — — Diamond • 1946 — Give My Heart a Break — — — Diamond • 1946 — My Blue Heaven — — — Diamond • 1946 — Everyone Is Looking For the Rainbow — — — Diamond • 1947 — Tiptoe Through the Tulips — — — Audiodisc • 1947 — Open Up That Door — — — Audiodisc • 1948 — Tiptoe Through the Tulips — — — Huckster/Capitol • 1948 — Side by Side — — — Huckster/Capitol • 1948 — Bye Bye Blackbird — — — Huckster/Capitol • 1948 — Broken Hearted — — — Huckster/Capitol • 1948 — Brown Eyes, Why Are You Blue — — — Huckster/Capitol • 1948 — I Miss You Most of All(The Chair's in the Parlor) — — — Huckster/Capitol • 1948 — Don't Gamble With Romance — — — Capitol • 1948 — Tea Time on the Thames — — — Capitol • 1949 — Bye Bye Blackbird — — — Capitol • 1949 — Don't Call Me Sweetheart Anymore — — — Capitol 1951-1981 • Year — Title — Label • 1951 — Bela Bimba — Snader • 1951 — Mexicali Rose — Snader • 1951 — Walking My Baby Back Home — Snader • 1951 — I Love The Sunshine of Your Smile — Snader • 1951 — Get Out Those Old Records — Snader • 1951 — Marie, Oh Marie — Snader • 1951 — Looking At The World Thru Rose Colored Glasses — Snader • 1954 — Looking At The World Thru Rose Colored Glasses — Crown • 1955 — Did You Ever See a Dream Walking? — Crown • 1955 — Bella Nonna(Little Grandmother) — Accent • 1955 — Paper Roses — Accent • 1955 — Kind and Considerate — Accent • 1955 — Soldier's Guitar — Accent • 1955 — Pasta Cheech — Accent • 1955 — Not Guilty — Accent • 1964 — Hello Dolly — Accent • 1964 — Tiptoe Through The Tulips — Accent • 1964 — While We Danced at the Mardi Gras — Accent • 1964 — Can't We Talk It Over? — Accent • 1966 — Darling, I Love You — Accent • 1966 — It's Been A Good Life — Accent • 1967 — Worryin' — Accent • 1967 — Brown Eyes, Why Are You Blue — Accent • 1967 — I'm Blue for You — Accent • 1967 — Our San Diego — Accent • 1974 — When You and I Were Seventeen — Paramount • 1974 — Five Foot Two, Eyes of Blue — Paramount • 1974 — I'm Gonna Charleston Back to Charleston — Paramount • 1974 — Tiptoe Thru The Tulips — Accent • 1974 — Silver Sails — Accent • 1974 — I Wished on the Moon — Paramount • 1975 — I'll See You In My Dreams — MGM • 1975 — We'll Make Hay While the Sun Shines — MGM • 1975 — My Blue Heaven — MGM • 1975 — Happy Days Are Here Again — MGM • 1975 — Ja Da — MGM • 1975 — Wang Wang Blues — MGM • 1976 — To Be Loved by You — Paramount • 1976 — They're Playing Our Song(Won Ton Rag) — Paramount • 1980 — Are You Lonesome Tonight — Accent • 1980 — How Did You Have the Heart to Break My Heart? — Accent • 1981 — The Magic Waltz — Accent

Lucas worked as jazz musician, actor, jazz guitarist and musician. Lucas was active from 1910. The fields Lucas worked in include jazz. Lucas played the guitar. Lucas worked in English.