Toni Tennille is a celebrity musician who has been singing for many years. Since she entered the music scene in the 70s, she has been releasing albums and singles which have done very well. Toni formed a band with her former husband and the duo’s band Captain&Tennille released gold-certified albums.
Born as Cathryn Antoinette Toni Tennille on May 8, 1940, the American Singer and songwriter continues to be a beacon of inspiration for many upcoming singers. She was active between 1971 and 2016, a period through which she released many albums and toured the world.
Early Life
Toni was born and raised in Montgomery, Alabama, alongside her three young sisters. Her father owned a furniture store while serving in the Alabama legislature from 1951 to 1954. Toni’s father sang with Bob Crosby’s Bob-Cats, while her mother hosted a television show in Montgomery.
Toni graduated from Sidney Lanier High School and joined Auburn University for two years. She studied piano and sang with a local band, the Auburn Knights, during her time in college. After the family furniture shop failed in 1959, the family relocated to Balboa, California, where Toni took her first job as a file clerk.
Career Beginnings
Toni’s music career began in 1969 when she was told by one of the directors of South Coast Repertory to write music for a new rock musical. The music became a success locally and made it to Broadway a few dates later after its debut.
By the time the music reached Broadway, Toni was not part of the musical group. Still, she was credited as the composer under her married name Shearer. In 1971, Toni met her future husband Daryl Dragon in San Franciso during the auditions for Mother Earth.
Dragon and Toni would go on to tour with Dragon’s band and later start performing as a duo. After a few acts at a California restaurant, the duo named themselves Captain & Tennille. The duo self-financed Tennile’s Song, The Way I Want to Touch You, which became popular on a Los Angeles radio station. As a result, she received numerous record deals from various companies including A&M Records.
In 1975, the duo released their debut album. The album produced a single Love Will Keep Us Together which topped on the Billboard Pop Chart for four weeks. After the single’s success, they released another single in the same year, which became the second hit. Love Will Keep Us Together became the best-selling single of 1975.
The duo went on to be so successful that they were invited by the first lady Betty Ford to perform in the White House. They were also given their television The Captain and Tennille where they performed musical and comedy sketches.
Net Worth
The former American musician’s net worth is $4.5 million. Toni accumulated much of her wealth through her singing career. She was a prominent name beginning in the seventies up to her time of retirement in 2016. Toni collaborated with her former husband Dragon to produce numerous hits which earned them millions of dollars.
