Gene Watson's Peers: Mel Tillis
Gene Watson's peers within the country music
industry believe in the sheer talent of this unassuming man from east Texas,
so much so that Gene is regarded by many of them as 'the singer's singer' -
and rightly so!
All of Gene's Peers who were contacted in 2005 were most
gracious with their time & words. It is here, within this special part of
gene-watson.com, that you have an opportunity to read
a quote from Mel Tillis, which he submitted to this site on
Wednesday 25 May 2005.
Sean Brady would like to take this opportunity to say 'thank you' to
Mel Tillis who has
made a special contribution to a unique part of this online 'celebration of
a Lone Star Hero'.
Mel Tillis
This quote was submitted on Wednesday 25 May 2005
'I have to say that Gene Watson, along with
Vern Gosdin,
is one of the best country music singers to come along since Hank Williams
Senior, and I ain't kidding'.
Thank you, Mel Tillis, for your
support of Gene Watson.
About Mel Tillis...
Mel Tillis was born Lonnie Melvin
Tillis in Tampa, Florida
on 8 August 1932; it is believed his stuttering was the result of a bout
with malaria at the age of three. As a child, he learned guitar & in
high school studied both the violin & the drums. At the age of
sixteen, Mel first performed publicly at a local talent show & after
graduation he entered the military. While stationed in Okinawa, Japan
he formed a group called the Westerners, which played local clubs.
After exiting the service in 1955, Mel Tillis went to college & held odd
jobs until moving to Nashville the following year. He found little
success as a writer or performer there & soon returned to Florida.
Then, in 1957, Webb Pierce reached No.3 with Tillis' composition 'I'm
tired', which earned the aspiring artist a song-writing contract with
Pierce's Cedarwood Music. After playing with the likes of Minnie Pearl
& Judy Lynn, Mel cut his first single, a cover of the standard 'It takes a
worried man to sing a worried song', in 1957; the b-side, the self-penned
'Honky tonk song', quickly became a chart-topper for Pierce. After a
few excursions into rock & roll territory, Mel Tillis earned his first Top
40 country hit with 'The violet and a rose' for Columbia Records in 1958.
While Tillis continued to chart singles like 'Finally' in 1959 a pair of
duets with Bill Phillips namely 'Sawmill' & 'Georgia town blues', his
greatest success at the turn of the decade remained as a songwriter.
Mel continued supplying Webb Pierce with hit after hit, including the 1959
smashes 'I ain't never' & 'No love have I', along with 'Crazy wild desire'
in 1962 & 'Sawmill' in 1963.
Artists also covering Mel Tillis' songs at this time were Bobby Bare ('Detroit
City'), Ray Price ('One more time', 'Burning memories' & 'Heart over mind'),
Stonewall Jackson ('Mary don't you weep'), Jack
Greene ('All the time') & Little Jimmy Dickens ('The violet and a rose'),
which was also recorded by Wanda Jackson.
In 1962, Mel Tillis saw the release of his first album, 'Heart Over Mind'
(Columbia Records, 1962); a
year later, he teamed up with Web Pierce for the hit 'How come your dog
don't bite nobody but me'.
In 1965, Mel Tillis recorded his first Top 15 hit, a song called 'Wine'.
A string of successes followed, including 'Stateside' in 1966, 'Life turned
her that way' (the title cut from his 1967 album) & his first Top Ten hit,
'Who's Julie' in 1968.
At the same time, Mel's his stature as a songwriter continued to grow thanks
to hit covers of his 'Ruby, don't take your love to town' (recorded by both
Johnny Darrell and Kenny Rogers & the First Edition) & 'Mental revenge'
(recorded by Waylon Jennings).
At the end of the 1960s, Mel Tillis & his esteemed new backing band the
Statesiders came into their own as performers; after two 1969 Top Ten hits,
'These lonely hands of mine' & 'She'll be hanging around somewhere', Mel
scored back-to-back Top Five hits in 1970 with 'Heart over mind' & 'Heaven
everyday'.
In 1971, Mel began a successful string of duets with Sherry
Bryce which included 'Take my hand' & 'Living & learning' & he also released
the album 'Live at the Sam Houston Coliseum'.
Mel Tillis enjoyed his first No.1 song in 1972 with 'I ain't never' (No.1
for 2 weeks in September/October 1972). Most of the 1970s turned out
to be a very fertile period for Mel Tillis as an artist, as evidenced by a
series of Top Five smashes including 'Neon rose', 'Sawmill', 'Midnight, me &
the blues', 'Stomp them grapes' & 'Memory maker'.
On 11 October 1976 (Gene Watson's 33rd birthday), Mel Tillis was awarded the
CMA (Country Music Association) 'Entertainer of the Year' Award.
Between 1976 & 1980, Mel Tillis scored five more number ones on the
Billboard country music singles chart:
'Good woman blues' (No.1 for 2 weeks in November/December 1976)
'Heart healer' (No.1 for 1 week in March 1977)
'I believe in you' (No.1 for 1 week in July 1978)
'Coca cola cowboy' (No.1 for 1 week in August 1979)
'Southern rains' (No.1 for 1 week in February 1981)
Mel Tillis also appeared in a number of films, including 'W.W. & the Dixie
Dance Kings' in 1975 (with Burt Reynolds, Jerry Reed &
Don Williams), 'The Villain' in
1977 (starring Kirk Douglas & Arnold Schwarzenegger),
Clint Eastwood's
'Every Which Way but Loose' in 1979 (which included Mel's No. 1 'Coca cola
cowboy' on the soundtrack) & 'Smokey & the Bandit II' in 1980.
Although Mel continued to work in films (co-starring in both 'Cannonball
Run' pictures) & notched the occasional Top Ten hit (such as 'A million old
goodbyes' in 1981 or 'In the middle of the night' in 1983), his days as a
superstar were over.
Still, Mel Tillis remained a popular songwriter, especially among younger
country music artists. His "Honey (open that door)' was a No.1 hit for
Ricky Skaggs (No.1 for 1 week in June 1984).
Mel Tillis also continued as a successful road act and, in the early 1990s,
his daughter Pam Tillis emerged to become one of country's biggest stars.
Faron Young recorded Mel Tillis' 'I'm a poor boy'
(co-written with Buck Peddy & Faron Young) & included the track on
'Sweethearts or Strangers' (Capitol Records, 1957)
Webb Pierce recorded Mel Tillis' 'Violet & a rose' (co-written with Bud Auge
& John Reinfield) & included the track on 'Webb' (Decca Records, 1958)
Webb Pierce recorded Mel Tillis' 'Tupelo county jail' (co-written with Webb
Pierce) & included the track on 'Webb' (Decca Records, 1958);
the track was a Top 10 hit on the Billboard country music singles chart in
1958
Don Gibson recorded Mel Tillis' 'As much' & included the track on 'That
Gibson Boy' (RCA Records, 1958)
Kitty Wells recorded Mel Tillis' 'All the time'
(co-written with Wayne P. Walker); the single reached No.18 on the Billboard
country music singles chart in 1959 & was subsequently included on 'Golden
Favourites' (Decca Records, 1961)
Webb Pierce recorded Mel Tillis' 'I ain't never' (co-written with Webb
Pierce) & included the track on 'Webb With A Beat' (Decca Records, 1960);
the track was a Top 10 hit on the Billboard country music singles chart in
1960
Webb Pierce recorded Mel Tillis' 'I'll never have to be alone' & included
the track on 'Webb With A Beat' (Decca Records, 1960)
Webb Pierce recorded Mel Tillis' 'No love have I' & included the track on
'Webb With A Beat' (Decca Records, 1960);
the track was a Top 10 hit on the Billboard country music singles chart in
1960
Webb Pierce recorded Mel Tillis' 'I'm tired' (co-written with Webb Pierce &
Buck Peddy) & included the track on 'Webb With A Beat' (Decca Records, 1960)
Ray Price recorded
Mel Tillis' 'Heart over mind'; the track reached No.5 on the Billboard country music singles chart in
1961 & was subsequently included on 'Essential: 1951 - 1962' (Columbia Records, 1991)
Jimmy Dean recorded Mel Tillis' 'Make the waterwheel roll' (co-written with
Marijohn Wilkin) & included the track on 'Big Bad John' (Columbia Records,
1961)
Skeeter Davis & Porter Wagoner recorded
Mel Tillis' 'Sorrow's tearing down the house' (co-written with
Kent Westberry) & included the track on 'Sing
Duets' (RCA Records, 1962)
Kitty Wells recorded Mel Tillis' 'Heart over mind' & included the track on
'Queen of Country Music' (Decca Records, 1962)
Kitty Wells recorded Mel Tillis' 'One more time' & included the track on
'Queen of Country Music' (Decca Records, 1962)
Little Jimmy Dickens recorded Mel Tillis' 'Violet & a rose' (co-written with
Bud Auge & John Reinfield) & included the track on 'Out Behind The Barn'
(Columbia Records, 1962)
Little Jimmy Dickens recorded Mel Tillis' 'Twenty cigarettes' (co-written
with Buck Peddy) & included the track on 'Out Behind The Barn' (Columbia
Records, 1962)
Ben Colder recorded Mel Tillis' 'Detroit City No.2' (co-written with Danny
Dill & Sheb Wooley) & included the track on 'Wine, Women & Song' (MGM
Records, 1962)
Jimmy C. Newman recorded Mel Tillis' 'Guess I fooled everybody (everybody
but me)' & included the track on 'Jimmy C. Newman' (Decca Records, 1962)
Jimmy C. Newman recorded Mel Tillis' 'Finally' (co-written with Wayne P.
Walker) & included the track on 'Jimmy C. Newman' (Decca Records, 1962)
Bobby Bare recorded Mel Tillis' 'Detroit City' (co-written with Danny Dill)
& included the track on 'Detroit City' (RCA Records, 1963); the track
reached No.6 on the Billboard country music singles chart in 1963
Webb Pierce recorded Mel Tillis' 'Sooner or later' (co-written with Webb
Pierce) & included the track on 'I've Got a New Heartache' (Decca Records,
1963)
Webb Pierce recorded Mel Tillis' 'One more time' & included the track on
'I've Got a New Heartache' (Decca Records, 1963)
Webb Pierce recorded Mel Tillis' 'If I could come back' (co-written with
Webb Pierce & Buck Peddy) & included the track on 'I've Got a New Heartache'
(Decca Records, 1963)
Webb Pierce recorded Mel Tillis' 'If I lost your love' (co-written with
Wayne P. Walker) & included the track on 'I've Got a New Heartache' (Decca
Records, 1963)
Webb Pierce recorded Mel Tillis' 'Georgia town blues' (co-written with Buck
Peddy) & included the track on 'I've Got a New Heartache' (Decca Records,
1963)
Kitty Wells recorded Mel Tillis' 'I can't help wondering' & included the
track on 'The Kitty Wells Story' (Decca Records, 1963)
Kitty Wells recorded Mel Tillis' 'All the time' (co-written with Wayne P.
Walker) & included the track on 'The Kitty Wells Story' (Decca Records,
1963)
Roy Drusky recorded Mel Tillis' 'Detroit City' (co-written with Danny Dill)
& included the track on 'Songs of the Cities' (Mercury Records, 1964)
Faron Young recorded Mel Tillis' 'Sawmill' (co-written with Horace Whatley)
& included the track on ''Story Songs For Country Folks' (Mercury Records,
1964)
Jean Shepard recorded Mel Tillis'
'Violet & a rose' (co-written with Bud Auge
& John Reinfield) & included the
track on 'Light-hearted & Blue' (Capitol Records, 1964)
David Houston: 'New Voice From Nashville' (Capitol Records, 1964)
Roy Drusky recorded Mel Tillis' 'Heart over mind' & included the track on
'All Time Country Hits' (Mercury Records, 1964)
Roy Drusky recorded Mel Tillis' 'Burning memories' (co-written with Wayne P.
Walker) & included the track on 'Yesterday's Gone' (Mercury Records, 1964)
Webb Pierce recorded Mel Tillis' 'Detroit city' (co-written with Danny Dill)
& included the track on 'Sands of Gold' (Decca Records, 1964)
Faron Young recorded Mel Tillis' 'Honky tonk song' (co-written with Buck
Peddy) & included the track on 'Country Dance Favourites' (Mercury Records,
1964)
George Jones recorded Mel Tillis' 'Holiday
for love' (co-written with Wayne P. Walker & Webb Pierce) & included the
track on 'I Get Lonely In A Hurry' (United Artists Records, 1964)
Little Jimmy Dickens recorded Mel Tillis' 'Sorrow's tearing down the house'
(co-written with Kent Westberry) & included
the track on 'Handle With Care' (Columbia Records, 1965)
Kitty Wells recorded Mel Tillis' 'Burning memories' (co-written with Wayne
P. Walker) & included the track on 'Burning Memories' (Decca Records, 1965)
Webb Pierce recorded Mel Tillis' 'That's where my money goes' (co-written
with Buck Peddy) & included the track on 'Memory No.1' (Decca Records, 1965)
Bill Anderson recorded Mel Tillis' 'Wine' &
included the track on 'Bright Lights & Country Music' (Decca Records, 1965)
Bobby Bare recorded Mel Tillis' 'So soon' (co-written with Wayne P. Walker)
& included the track on 'Constant Sorrow' (RCA Records, 1965)
Ray Price recorded Mel Tillis' 'Burning Memories' (co-written with Wayne P.
Walker) & included the track on (Columbia Records, 1965); the track reached
No.2 on the Billboard country music singles chart in 1965
Faron Young recorded Mel Tillis' 'Burning memories' (co-written with Wayne
P. Walker) & included the track on 'Pen & Paper' (Mercury Records, 1965)
Dave Dudley recorded Mel Tillis' 'Wreck of the old slow binder' (co-written
with Fred Burch) & included the track on 'Truck Drivin' Son of a Gun'
(Mercury Records, 1965)
Conway Twitty recorded Mel Tillis' 'Wine' & included the track on 'Conway
Twitty Sings' (Decca Records, 1966)
Waylon Jennings recorded Mel Tillis' 'You're gonna wonder about me' &
included the track on 'Leavin' Town' (RCA Records, 1966)
Charley Pride recorded Mel Tillis' 'Detroit city' (co-written with Danny
Dill) & included the track on 'Country' (RCA Records, 1966)
Charley Pride recorded Mel Tillis' 'Snakes crawl at night' (co-written with
Fred Burch) & included the track on 'Country' (RCA Records, 1966)
Charley Pride recorded Mel Tillis' 'Atlantic coastal line' (co-written with
Fred Burch) & included the track on 'Country' (RCA Records, 1966)
Waylon Jennings recorded Mel Tillis' 'Ruby, don't take your love to town' &
included the track on 'Love of the Common People' (RCA Records, 1967)
Charley Pride recorded Mel Tillis' 'I'll wander back to you' (co-written
with Fred Burch & Danny Dill) & included the track on 'The Country Way' (RCA
Records, 1967)
Faron Young recorded Mel Tillis' 'Unmitigated gall' & included the track on
'Unmitigated Gall' (Mercury Records, 1967)
Jack Greene recorded Mel Tillis' 'All the
time' (co-written with Wayne P. Walker) & included the track on 'All The
Time' (Decca Records, 1967); the single was No.1 on the Billboard country
music singles chart for five weeks in June & July 1967
Harlan Howard recorded Mel Tillis' 'I'm tired' (co-written with Webb Pierce
& Buck Peddy) & included the track on 'Mr. Songwriter' (RCA Records, 1967)
Roger Miller recorded Mel Tillis' 'Ruby, don't take your love to town' &
included the track on 'Walkin' in the Sunshine' (Smash Records, 1967)
Johnny Darrell recorded Mel Tillis' 'Ruby, don't take your love to town' &
included the track on 'Ruby, Don't Take Your Love To Town' (United Artists
Records, 1967)
Johnny Darrell recorded Mel Tillis' 'Mental revenge' & included the track on
'Ruby, Don't Take Your Love To Town' (United Artists Records, 1967)
Margie Singleton recorded Mel Tillis' 'All the time' (co-written with Wayne
P. Walker) & included the track on 'Sings Country Music With Soul' (Ashley
Records, 1967)
Margie Singleton recorded Mel Tillis' 'Goodbye Wheeling' & included the
track on 'Sings Country Music With Soul' (Ashley Records, 1967)
Kitty Wells recorded Mel Tillis' 'All the time' (co-written with Wayne P.
Walker) & included the track on 'Queen of Honky Tonk Street' (Decca Records,
1967)
Merle Haggard & The Strangers recorded Mel Tillis' 'I could have gone right'
& included the track on 'Mama Tried' (Capitol Records, 1968)
Ferlin Husky recorded Mel Tillis' 'Detroit
City' (co-written with Danny Dill) & included the track on 'Just For You'
(Capitol Records, 1968)
Johnny Darrell recorded Mel Tillis' 'Goodbye Wheeling' & included the track
on 'The Son of Hickory Holler's Tramp' (United Artists Records, 1968)
Eddy Arnold recorded Mel Tillis' 'All the time' (co-written with Wayne P.
Walker) & included the track on 'The Ever Lovin' World of Eddy Arnold' (RCA
Records, 1968)
Porter Wagoner & Dolly Parton recorded
Mel Tillis' 'Sorrow's tearing down the house'
(co-written with Kent Westbury) & included
the track on 'Just Between You & Me' (RCA Records, 1968)
Jim Ed Brown recorded Mel Tillis' 'Detroit City' (co-written with Danny
Dill) & included the track on 'Country's Best On Record' (RCA Records, 1968)
Charley Pride recorded Mel
Tillis' 'All the time' (co-written with Wayne P. Walker) & included the
track on 'Songs of Pride...Charley That Is'
(RCA Records, 1968)
Jean Shepard recorded Mel Tillis' 'Alright, I'll sign the
papers' & included the track on 'A Real Good Woman' (Capitol Records,
1968)
Jean Shepard recorded Mel Tillis' 'All the time'
(co-written with Wayne P. Walker) & included the track on 'A Real
Good Woman' (Capitol Records, 1968)
Charlie Louvin recorded Mel Tillis' 'Last foxhole'
(co-written with Fred Burch) & included the track on 'Will You Visit
Me On Sundays' (Capitol Records, 1968)
Cal Smith recorded Mel Tillis' 'Old faithful' & included the track on 'It
Takes Me All Night Long' (Kapp Records, 1968)
Little Jimmy Dickens recorded Mel Tillis' 'Can you build your house (on
another man's grave)' & included the track on 'Comes Calling' (Decca
Records, 1969)
Faron Young recorded Mel Tillis' 'Ruby, don't take your love to town' &
included the track on 'Wine Me Up' (Mercury Records, 1969)
Red Sovine recorded Mel Tillis' 'Old faithful' & included the track on
'Closing Time Til Dawn' (Starday Records, 1969)
Red Sovine recorded Mel Tillis' 'Normally Norma loves me' & included the
track on 'Closing Time Til Dawn' (Starday Records, 1969)
Bobby Bare recorded Mel Tillis' 'Ruby, don't take your love to town' &
included the track on 'Margie's At The Lincoln Park Inn' (RCA Records, 1969)
Bobby Bare recorded Mel Tillis' 'Cincinnati jail' & included the track on
'Margie's At The Lincoln Park Inn' (RCA Records, 1969)
Red Sovine recorded Mel Tillis' 'Ruby, don't take your love to town' &
included the track on 'Who Am I' (Starday Records, 1969)
Cal Smith recorded Mel Tillis' 'Ruby, don't take your love to town' &
included the track on 'Country Hit Parade' (Kapp Records, 1970)
Kitty Wells recorded Mel Tillis' 'Heart over mind' & included the track on
'Your Love Is The Way' (Decca Records, 1970)
Eddy Arnold recorded Mel Tillis' 'Ruby, don't take your
love to town' & included the track on 'Loving Her Was Easier' (RCA
Records, 1971)
Ferlin Husky recorded Mel
Tillis' 'Heart over mind' & included the track on 'One More Time'
(Capitol Records, 1971)
Jimmy Dean recorded Mel Tillis' 'Ruby, don't take your
love to town' & included the track on 'Everybody Knows' (RCA Records,
1971)
The Wilburn Brothers recorded Mel Tillis' 'Heart over
mind' & included the track on 'That She's Leaving Feeling' (Decca
Records, 1971)
Jerry Reed recorded Mel Tillis' 'Ruby, don't take your
love to town' & included the track on 'When You're Hot,
You're Hot' (RCA Records, 1971)
Mel Street recorded Mel Tillis' 'Heart over mind' &
included the track on 'The Town Where You Live' (Metrologic Records,
1973)
Dave Dudley recorded Mel Tillis' 'I keep looking back' &
included the track on 'Special Delivery' (United Artists Records,
1975)
Conway Twitty recorded Mel Tillis' 'Honky tonk
song' (co-written with Bucky Peddy) & included the track on 'Georgia Keeps
Pulling On My Ring' (MCA Records, 1978)
Suzy Bogguss recorded Mel Tillis' 'As if I didn't know'
(co-written with Hal Bynum) & included the track on 'Moment of Truth' (Liberty Records, 1990)
Dude Mowrey recorded Mel Tillis' 'Honky tonk song' (co-written with
Buck Peddy) & included the track on 'Honky Tonk' (Capitol Nashville Records,
1991)
George Strait recorded Mel Tillis' 'Thoughts
of a fool' (co-written with Wayne P. Walker)
& included the track on (the soundtrack album) 'Pure Country' (MCA Records,
1992)
Bill Anderson recorded Mel Tillis' 'Detroit City' (co-written with Danny
Dill) & included the track on 'I Wonder If God Likes Country Music' (Fat Boy
Records, 1995)
Ricky Van Shelton recorded Mel Tillis' 'Foolish pride' (co-written with
Ernie Rowell) & included the track on 'Fried
Green Tomatoes' (Audium Records, 2000)
Robert Plant & Alison Krauss recorded Mel Tillis' 'Stick with me baby' &
included the track on 'Raising Sand' (Rounder Records, 2007)
Jamey Johnson recorded Mel Tillis' 'Mental revenge' & included the track on
'The Guitar Song' (Mercury Nashville Records, 2010)
Visit Mel Tillis' Official Site
Visit Pam Tillis' Official Site
