The frontman for the generation spanning ‘ 867-5309’ hit brings up-close acoustic show to Orangevale
More than four decades after one unforgettable phone number etched his voice into pop culture history, Tommy Tutone is dialing back into Orangevale. This Saturday night, he returns to The Boardwalk — but this time in a stripped-down, intimate “Story & Song” unplugged format that promises to reveal more than just the famous chorus fans know by heart.
Best known for the 1981 smash hit “867-5309/Jenny,” the name Tommy Tutone is often mistaken for the singer himself. In reality, Tommy Tutone is the name of the band, originally led by himself, Tommy Heath and Jim Keller. Before national fame, the group performed under the name Tommy and the Two-Tones — a nod to the nickname Heath carried long before MTV and Billboard charts ever entered the picture.
“But it was my nickname before it was the band,” Heath said during his earlier Folsom Times story. “In the small towns I used to live in, everyone had a nickname and the name of my college band was Tommy and the Two-Tones. We had these jean jackets with the names embroidered on them, and it stuck. Later on, when we signed to CBS, they thought that Tommy Tutone was a ‘hit name’ and it went on to remain confusing forever.”
That confusion became part of the mythology as the band rose during the golden era of melodic rock and MTV-driven radio anthems. Two years before “Jenny” dominated airwaves, the group found national traction with “Angel Say No,” which climbed to No. 38 on the Billboard charts and introduced their brand of power pop to a growing audience.
But it was “867-5309/Jenny” that changed everything.
Released in late 1981, the track surged to No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 and became one of the most recognizable hooks in rock history. The rise of MTV amplified its reach, turning the band into a national name almost overnight.
“MTV was a big part of it,” Heath said in that earlier interview. “I would be recognized on the street in Omaha, Nebraska. We were from San Francisco and didn’t get the time of day there. We’d get on a plane and fly to Texas and they’d literally have actual red carpets for me.”
The song’s cultural footprint extended far beyond the charts. Across the country, curious fans began dialing the now-famous phone number, forcing some phone companies to reassign it. The mystery of “Jenny” became part of rock folklore — a blend of fact and fiction that still sparks debate decades later.
“Jenny and I think she’s real,” Heath said. “Jim and Alex [the co-writers] say she’s not. She did give me that number, and I did write it on the bathroom wall instead of giving it to Jim. But they claim that never happened.”
The runaway success of the track proved both a gift and a complicated burden. For years, Heath navigated the “one-hit wonder” label while continuing to write, record and tour.
“There aren’t many books on two-hit wonders,” he said, noting he has come to embrace the phrase rather than resist it.
Still, his relationship with the song itself has remained affectionate rather than resentful.
“I love the song. In fact, I’m still learning from it today,” he said.
Over the years, Heath has recorded alternate versions of “Jenny,” including a swing remake, and has joked about recreating the charm of his original imperfect vocal take.
“When I do remakes, I can’t sing out of tune the way I did, so I recently had to use one of those ‘put yourself in tune’ things to put myself out of tune,” he said.
Now, Tutone’s return to The Boardwalk shifts the spotlight away from arena-style nostalgia and toward storytelling. The “Story & Song” performance will feature acoustic reinterpretations of his signature hit along with deeper cuts, fan favorites and newer material — all presented in a conversational atmosphere that allows audiences to hear not just the music, but the journey behind it.
“Come out to The Boardwalk on Saturday — we’re going to have an up-close and personal conversation,” Tutone said. “I’m going to sing all the different kinds of songs I like to sing, and I’ll tell you the stories behind them and how I got to be called Tommy Tutone.”
The unplugged format reflects Heath’s evolution as a performer. After decades of touring with a full band, he has embraced the simplicity of solo acoustic shows.
“I’ve also started playing solo guitar now,” he said. “I’ve become this old storyteller, and it seems like an area I could keep going on and playing, so that’s nice, too.”
He continues to perform 30 to 40 shows annually, carrying with him decades of material and perspective — from early Bay Area club dates to MTV fame, touring highs, reinvention and reflection.
The show begins at 8:30 p.m. Saturday. It is a 21-and-over event, and all ticket sales are final. Tickets and additional details are available atwww.rocktheboardwalk.com.
The Boardwalk, located at 9426 Greenback Lane in Orangevale, remains one of the region’s longstanding live music venues, known for hosting national touring artists, tribute acts and intimate performances that place audiences close to the stage.
For fans who have sung along for decades — and for younger listeners discovering “867-5309/Jenny” for the first time — Saturday offers more than a nostalgia trip. It offers a rare opportunity to hear the songs, the stories and the unlikely journey behind one of rock’s most enduring anthems, told by the man whose nickname became a band name, and whose band name became a piece of pop culture history.
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