Dennis Stanley Joseph Tufano, born September 11, 1946 in Chicago, Illinois, is an American singer. He studied at St. Sylvester and Gordon Tech and was also an original member of the Pulsations, which became the Buckinghams when WGN‑TV producers wanted them to have a British-style name and was suggested by a security guard. As the original lead vocalist, Tufano helped the Buckinghams score a chart‑topper with "Kind of a Drag" in 1966 and other hits such as "Don't You Care" and "Mercy, Mercy, Mercy". He also teamed with guitarist Carl Giammarese to form the duo Tufano and Giammarese, recording three albums on Lou Adler’s Ode Records and touring with Cheech & Chong. Tufano contributed the theme "Us" to the early episodes of Family Ties, performed duets with Olivia Newton‑John on her 1983 HBO Special, and collaborated with Bernie Taupin on He Who Rides the Tiger and the Farm Dogs’ Last Stand in Open Country. A founding member of the LA.MadDogs, he directed radio dramas for KMPC and produced the documentary Major Hall: Therapy Tuesday.
