The original female outlaw of country music is returning to the hills of Brown County this month to perform her classics for her lifelong fans at the Brown County Music Center.

Tickets for the Sept. 19 Tanya Tucker show went on sale in July. This will be the first time Tucker will perform in Brown County since appearing at the former Little Nashville Opry nearly 11 years ago. She’ll play at the new, 2,000-seat Brown County Music Center, which had its grand-opening show with Vince Gill late last month.

Tucker celebrates her 61st birthday next month. She has been touring and recording music for more than 50 years after becoming famous at the age of 13 with her hit “Delta Dawn,” which hit No. 6 on the music charts, according to her website.

Other hits include “San Antonio Stroll,” “What’s Your Mama’s Name,” “Lay With Me In A Field Of Stone,” “Last Teardrop,” “Strong Enough To Bend,” “Love Me Like You Used To” and “Two Sparrows in a Hurricane.”

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During her busy tour schedule this year, Tucker took some time to answer questions from The Democrat ahead of her return to Brown County.

Tucker first performed at the Little Nashville Opry in 1981 with country musician Eddy Raven, according to newspaper archives. She returned in 1986 and 1993. Back then, fans used the classifed ads to sell tickets to her shows or find some to buy.

Tucker performed in Nashville again in 1994 and 1996. In 2002, 2003 and 2004, Tucker returned to the Little Nashville Opry stage, according to archives.

The Opry was destroyed by arson fire in September 2009. Tucker’s last show at the venue was in December 2008.

Tucker is performing all over the United States this summer and fall. One of the stops had to be Indiana, she said.

“I’ve been to your neck of the woods countless times through the years,” she said. “We have some lifelong fans there and they’ve supported me from the beginning.

“Brown County is so beautiful in the late summer and early fall. Every time I’m there, I try to get to those little shops in Nashville and do some shopping.”

The idea of performing in the new Brown County Music Center is “really exciting,” Tucker said.

“Entertainment and live music brings the community together, so it feels really good to be part of that,” she said.

Along with hitting up some shops in Nashville, Tucker said she is also looking forward to taking her dogs to Brown County State Park.fay

Tucker said she loves smaller venues because they allow her to connect with fans.

“There’s nothing like seeing faces in the crowd and connecting with fans. My job is for everyone to come in, relax, and forget about their worries when they step inside the door, so that’s what we’re going to do: Have a great time,” she said.

Even though she hit the limelight as a country star at the age of 13, Tucker said she has never stopped performing since she was 7.

“I’ve been doing this since my dad took me around to fairs and festivals when I was 7 years old, and I’ll turn 61 in October, so do the math,” she said.

“I’ve been doing this for five decades.”

The music center is going to host new and classic artists alike.

Tucker said she is not one to give advice to up-and-coming musicians who may also grace the BCMC stage one day, but she will share some information: “Play and sing everywhere you can. Social media has knocked down the door for all artists,” she said.

“Get on there, sing your butt off, and get out into the world and sing every gig you can.”

After five decades of performing and making music, Tucker has returned to the studio to make a new album produced by musicians Brandi Carlile and Shooter Jennings. Carlile also wrote most of the songs on the new “While I’m Livin’” album, which is out now.

This is Tucker’s 25th studio album. She wrote “Bring My Flowers Now” along with Carlile, Tim Hanseroth and Phil Hanseroth.

What keeps her performing after all of these years?

The fans. “Plain and simple. They’re the reason I have a job,” she said.

Tickets for Tucker’s show are available at browncountymusiccenter.com or by visiting the venue’s box office, off State Road 46 East at the end of Maple Leaf Boulevard.