Biography
Despite the intense spotlight on Mel Tillis' well-known speech impediment—an issue he even highlighted by titling his autobiography Stutterin' Boy—his refined and heartfelt singing voice plus the songwriting talents that originally brought him recognition tended to fade from view. Across his lengthy career in country music, however, Tillis stayed one of Nashville's most lasting figures. Born Lonnie Melvin Tillis in Tampa, Florida, on August 8, 1932, his stutter is thought to have stemmed from a childhood case of malaria at age three. He picked up guitar as a youngster, then studied violin and drums while in high school. At sixteen he made his first public appearance at a local talent contest; after finishing school he joined the military and, while posted in Okinawa, Japan, started a band called the Westerners that performed in area clubs.
Following his discharge in 1955, Tillis attended college and took various jobs before relocating to Nashville the next year. Limited success as a writer or performer prompted a return to Florida, yet in 1957 Webb Pierce reached number three with Tillis' song "I'm Tired," securing the young artist a publishing deal at Pierce's Cedarwood Music. After touring alongside Minnie Pearl and Judy Lynn, Tillis issued his debut single in 1957—a rendition of the standard "It Takes a Worried Man to Sing a Worried Song"—whose B-side, the original "Honky Tonk Song," promptly topped the charts for Pierce. Early experiments with rock & roll gave way to his first Top 40 entry, 1958's "The Violet and a Rose."
Although further singles such as 1959's "Finally" and the Bill Phillips duets "Sawmill" and "Georgia Town Blues" appeared on the charts, Tillis' chief accomplishments at the decade's turn remained his songwriting. He kept supplying Pierce with successes including the 1959 hits "I Ain't Never" and "No Love Have I," plus 1962's "Crazy Wild Desire" and 1963's "Sawmill." Other artists covering Tillis compositions included Bobby Bare with "Detroit City," Ray Price via "One More Time," "Burning Memories," and "Heart Over Mind," Stonewall Jackson on "Mary Don't You Weep," and Little Jimmy Dickens with "The Violet and a Rose," a number also recorded by Wanda Jackson. Tillis released his first album, Heart Over Mind, in 1962; a year later he paired with Pierce for the hit "How Come Your Dog Don't Bite Nobody But Me."
In 1965 Tillis achieved his initial Top 15 single, "Wine." Additional hits followed, among them 1966's "Stateside," "Life Turned Her That Way"—the title track of his 1967 LP—and his first Top Ten, 1968's "Who's Julie." His reputation as a songwriter expanded further through covers of "Ruby, Don't Take Your Love to Town" by both Johnny Darrell and Kenny Rogers & the First Edition, as well as Waylon Jennings' take on "Mental Revenge." By the close of the 1960s, Tillis and his new backing band the Statesiders reached full stride; after two 1969 Top Ten singles, "These Lonely Hands of Mine" and "She'll Be Hanging Around Somewhere," he posted consecutive Top Five entries in 1970 with "Heart Over Mind" and "Heaven Everyday." In 1971 he launched a productive duet partnership with Sherry Bryce that yielded "Take My Hand" and "Living and Learning," while also issuing the album Live at the Sam Houston Coliseum.
The 1972 release "I Ain't Never" marked his first number-one single, and the balance of the decade proved Tillis' most productive stretch as a recording artist, highlighted by Top Five smashes such as "Neon Rose," "Sawmill," "Midnight, Me and the Blues," "Stomp Them Grapes," and "Memory Maker." Between 1976 and 1980 he added five more chart-toppers: "Good Woman Blues," "Heart Healer," "I Believe in You," "Coca Cola Cowboy," and "Southern Rains." Screen appearances included the 1975 film W.W. and the Dancekings alongside Burt Reynolds and Jerry Reed, 1977's The Villain starring Kirk Douglas and Arnold Schwarzenegger, Clint Eastwood's Every Which Way But Loose in 1979, and the 1980 ensemble piece Smokey and the Bandit II. Albums from this era comprised 1976's Love Revival and 1980's M-M-Mel Live, together with multiple greatest-hits collections.
Tillis teamed with Nancy Sinatra for the 1981 duets album Mel and Nancy, yet most of his 1980s output failed to match earlier commercial heights. Although he kept appearing in films—co-starring in both Cannonball Run pictures—and landed occasional Top Ten singles such as 1981's "A Million Old Goodbyes" and 1983's "In the Middle of the Night," his peak years as a major star had passed. He nevertheless remained a sought-after songwriter for a younger generation of artists; Ricky Skaggs scored a number one with "Honey (Open That Door)" and Randy Travis did the same with "Diggin' Up Bones." Tillis maintained a busy touring schedule, and by the early 1990s his daughter Pam had emerged as one of country's leading performers. Beyond his recognized gifts as a vocalist and actor, Tillis possessed a natural flair for comedy, evidenced by the 2010 Show Dog Records release You Ain't Gonna Believe This. Mel Tillis died in November 2017 at the age of 85.
Following his discharge in 1955, Tillis attended college and took various jobs before relocating to Nashville the next year. Limited success as a writer or performer prompted a return to Florida, yet in 1957 Webb Pierce reached number three with Tillis' song "I'm Tired," securing the young artist a publishing deal at Pierce's Cedarwood Music. After touring alongside Minnie Pearl and Judy Lynn, Tillis issued his debut single in 1957—a rendition of the standard "It Takes a Worried Man to Sing a Worried Song"—whose B-side, the original "Honky Tonk Song," promptly topped the charts for Pierce. Early experiments with rock & roll gave way to his first Top 40 entry, 1958's "The Violet and a Rose."
Although further singles such as 1959's "Finally" and the Bill Phillips duets "Sawmill" and "Georgia Town Blues" appeared on the charts, Tillis' chief accomplishments at the decade's turn remained his songwriting. He kept supplying Pierce with successes including the 1959 hits "I Ain't Never" and "No Love Have I," plus 1962's "Crazy Wild Desire" and 1963's "Sawmill." Other artists covering Tillis compositions included Bobby Bare with "Detroit City," Ray Price via "One More Time," "Burning Memories," and "Heart Over Mind," Stonewall Jackson on "Mary Don't You Weep," and Little Jimmy Dickens with "The Violet and a Rose," a number also recorded by Wanda Jackson. Tillis released his first album, Heart Over Mind, in 1962; a year later he paired with Pierce for the hit "How Come Your Dog Don't Bite Nobody But Me."
In 1965 Tillis achieved his initial Top 15 single, "Wine." Additional hits followed, among them 1966's "Stateside," "Life Turned Her That Way"—the title track of his 1967 LP—and his first Top Ten, 1968's "Who's Julie." His reputation as a songwriter expanded further through covers of "Ruby, Don't Take Your Love to Town" by both Johnny Darrell and Kenny Rogers & the First Edition, as well as Waylon Jennings' take on "Mental Revenge." By the close of the 1960s, Tillis and his new backing band the Statesiders reached full stride; after two 1969 Top Ten singles, "These Lonely Hands of Mine" and "She'll Be Hanging Around Somewhere," he posted consecutive Top Five entries in 1970 with "Heart Over Mind" and "Heaven Everyday." In 1971 he launched a productive duet partnership with Sherry Bryce that yielded "Take My Hand" and "Living and Learning," while also issuing the album Live at the Sam Houston Coliseum.
The 1972 release "I Ain't Never" marked his first number-one single, and the balance of the decade proved Tillis' most productive stretch as a recording artist, highlighted by Top Five smashes such as "Neon Rose," "Sawmill," "Midnight, Me and the Blues," "Stomp Them Grapes," and "Memory Maker." Between 1976 and 1980 he added five more chart-toppers: "Good Woman Blues," "Heart Healer," "I Believe in You," "Coca Cola Cowboy," and "Southern Rains." Screen appearances included the 1975 film W.W. and the Dancekings alongside Burt Reynolds and Jerry Reed, 1977's The Villain starring Kirk Douglas and Arnold Schwarzenegger, Clint Eastwood's Every Which Way But Loose in 1979, and the 1980 ensemble piece Smokey and the Bandit II. Albums from this era comprised 1976's Love Revival and 1980's M-M-Mel Live, together with multiple greatest-hits collections.
Tillis teamed with Nancy Sinatra for the 1981 duets album Mel and Nancy, yet most of his 1980s output failed to match earlier commercial heights. Although he kept appearing in films—co-starring in both Cannonball Run pictures—and landed occasional Top Ten singles such as 1981's "A Million Old Goodbyes" and 1983's "In the Middle of the Night," his peak years as a major star had passed. He nevertheless remained a sought-after songwriter for a younger generation of artists; Ricky Skaggs scored a number one with "Honey (Open That Door)" and Randy Travis did the same with "Diggin' Up Bones." Tillis maintained a busy touring schedule, and by the early 1990s his daughter Pam had emerged as one of country's leading performers. Beyond his recognized gifts as a vocalist and actor, Tillis possessed a natural flair for comedy, evidenced by the 2010 Show Dog Records release You Ain't Gonna Believe This. Mel Tillis died in November 2017 at the age of 85.
Albums
Down town
2023
Mel Tillis Live From Church Street Station
2017
At His Best
2011
All His Great Hits
1995
Greatest Hits
1991
Best Of Mel Tillis
1990
California Road
1985
It's A Long Way To Daytona
1982
The Best Of Mel Tillis
1981
Southern Rain
1981
Your Body Is An Outlaw
1980
Night Train To Memphis
197?
Live
