Country Music Hall of Fame Member Became a Mainstream Film and TV Star
by Edward Morris 11/19/2017 Country Music Television

Country Music Hall of Fame member Mel Tillis died on Sunday (Nov. 19) at the Munroe Regional Medical Center in Ocala, Florida. He was 85. The suspected cause of death is respiratory failure, according to his publicist, Don Murry Grubbs.

Despite his many distinctions as a performer, songwriter, actor and music publisher, Tillis was most identified with his stuttering, a speech impediment from childhood that he transformed into a comic bonanza.

Lonnie Melvin Tillis was born Aug. 8, 1932, in Tampa. By his account, he began stuttering when he was 3 years old, following a bout with malaria. His early attraction to music led him to learn to play guitar and violin while still a teenager. He also played drums in his high school band. While serving in the Air Force from 1951 to 1955, he played in a country band called the Westerners.

In 1956, Tillis made his first pilgrimage to Nashville, hoping to secure a recording contract. When that effort failed, he returned briefly to Florida and turned his attention to songwriting. Here success came quicker. Webb Pierce scored a No. 3 single in 1957 with “I’m Tired,” a song Tillis co-wrote with Buck Peddy and Ray Price.

Around this same time, Tillis signed as songwriter to the Cedarwood Music publishing company, of which Pierce was part owner. In 1983, Tillis bought Cedarwood. He sold it in 1987, along with other publishing interests, to PolyGram.

Tillis success as a songwriter and his obvious talent as a vocalist soon won him a recording contract with Columbia Records. His first chart record for that label came in 1958 with “The Violet and a Rose,” a song he co-wrote. It peaked at No. 24.

As a recording artist, Tillis would chart a total of 77 singles over the next 31 years, 19 of which he wrote or co-wrote, 35 of which went Top 10 and six of which topped the chart. He recorded more than 60 albums.

Tillis named his band the Statesiders after his self-penned 1966 single, “Stateside.” Famed for the size, sharp looks and quality of his band, Tillis was a reliably superb stage performer and in 1976 was named the Country Music Association’s entertainer of the year.

That same year, Tillis was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame. His achievements as a songwriter fully matched those he made as a performer. “Honky Tonk Song,” which he wrote in 1952 before he broke into country music professionally, became a 1957 No. 1 single for Webb Pierce.

Many of his songs rose to the status of standards, among them “Ruby, Don’t Take Your Love to Town,” “Detroit City,” “Heart Over Mind,” “I Ain’t Never,” “Honey (Open That Door)” and “Mental Revenge.”

Robert Plant and Alison Krauss recorded his “Stick With Me Baby” for their Grammy-winning 2007 album, Raising Sand, and Little Richard covered “I Ain’t Never” for a 2008 charity CD spearheaded by radio personality Don Imus.

In the early 1960s, Tillis began appearing on television, initially on The Mike Douglas Show and as a regular on the syndicated Porter Wagoner Show. His stuttering was so pervasive and obvious when he wasn’t singing, he made it a part of his act and the focus of many interviews.

He made his TV acting debut in 1973 on Love, American Style and went on to appear on Nashville 99, The Dukes of Hazzard, The Tim Conway Show, Love Boat, The Tonight Show, The Dean Martin Show and Hollywood Squares. In 1978 he co-hosted a short-lived show on ABC-TV with the actress Susan Anton called Mel and Susan Together.

Tillis first foray into movies was the Burt Reynolds-starring W.W. and the Dixie Dancekings in 1975. He followed these with The Villain, Every Which Way but Loose, Smokey and the Bandit II, Cannonball Run, Cannonball Run II and Uphill All the Way. “Coca Cola Cowboy,” a single from the Every Which Way But Loose soundtrack, topped the country chart in 1979.

In 1984, Tillis, co-writing with novelist Walter Wager, released his autobiography, Stutterin’ Boy. He teamed with Waylon Jennings, Bobby Bare and Jerry Reed in 1998 to record the age-protesting album Old Dogs

The year 2007 was especially eventful for Tillis. First, he was inducted into the Grand Ole Opry by his daughter, singer Pam Tillis, who had been an Opry member since 2000. A few months later, he was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame.

He released a comedy album, You Ain’t Gonna Believe This, in 2010. President Barack Obama honored Tillis with the National Medal of Arts award in 2012.

Tillis underwent heart surgery in March 2014 and was later hospitalized in Nashville after being diagnosed with diverticulitis. He underwent colon surgery in Nashville in January 2016 and returned to his home in Ocala, Florida, for medical care and physical therapy.

He is survived by six children, three of whom followed him into show business — singer and recording artist Pam Tillis, songwriter Mel “Sonny” Tillis Jr. and actress Carrie April Tillis.

I remember watching him on varous shows as a kid. The guy stuttered, but when he sang you could never tell. RIP Mel

Anybody else?! RIP Mr. Tillis...

Grand Ole Opry: Thank you, Mel Tillis, for the songs, stories, and years of incredible entertainment. Our thoughts are with all of your loved ones.

The Oak Ridge Boys (1, 2): We lost Mel Tillis today on this earth… He has gone home… He was always good to us. He taught us a lot in our early days Great singer, great writer and oh so funny… the jokes never ended! So crazy that we are in Independence KS today Rest Easy Mel. Yes... Mel Tillis and The Boys once tore down Independence KS on a Halloween night oh so long ago... a great memory of Mel and his Statesiders who could NEVER be outdone in the practical joke department.. Rest Easy Melvyn

Joe Bonsall (Oak Ridge Boys): FOUR fellow @countrymusichof 'peers have gone home this year... Glen Campbell, Don Williams, Jo Walker Meader and now Mel Tillis... That's four plaques in the rotunda that need a dash adjustment... So far there is nothing after OUR dash

Reba McEntire: What a wonderful entertainer and a special friend. I sure will miss you. Rest in peace.

Charlie Daniels: Mel Tillis, you will be missed by so many of us you touched over the years. Rest in peace my friend.

Tony Orlando: Rest In Peace, my friend Mel Tillis. The Orlando family lost a great friend, and the world lost a great man.

Crystal Gayle: I’m saddened to hear of the passing of my friend, Mel Tillis. Sending my love and prayers to his family and friends. There will never be another Mel Tillis!

Bellamy Brothers: Rest In Peace: Mel Tillis

Randy Travis: Mel Tillis was a special friend, great artist, and constant inspiration to me—Heaven’s choir just got sweeter.

Blake Shelton (1, 2, 3, 4): What a truly devastating loss. I loved Mel. I will miss him terribly. My thoughts and prayers to all his family. He did his best to try and keep my head on straight. I looked up to Mel more than he could’ve possibly known. A talented songwriter. An incredible entertainer. And a funny funny guy. It has been a couple of years since I saw him last. I deeply regret that now. He once spent an entire day at his place in Tennessee showing me all the memorabilia he’d gathered over the years where he gave me a pair of his stage boots. He even took time to talk me through some hard times in my life on a couple of phone calls. Some of my most cherished memories are the times I spent with Mel Tillis. Many many great memories. From fishing, to just having a beer, to him crashing my concert!

Tim McGraw: Man, one of the coolest guys in country music ever and an extraordinary songwriter! So glad I got a chance to hang out with him a bit early in my career. Thinking about his family…

John Rich: Mel Tillis and I became laughin buddies many years ago! He was truly one of a kind, and it was a real privilege to call him my friend. This is my favorite pic of him hosting ‘Dirty Joke Night’ at my house a few years back.

Billy Ray Cyrus: Kindest man I've ever known. My thoughts and prayers are with his family. Gonna be some great country music in heaven this Sunday

Rascal Flatts: What an incredible loss for the country music world. Mel Tillis will be greatly missed.

Travis Tritt: Genuinely saddened over the passing of Mel Tillis. One of the nicest and funniest individuals I’ve ever met. Fishing with him was the greatest! My thoughts are with @PamTillis and the family today. RIP

Charles Esten: So sad to hear of the passing of the great songwriter and one-of-a-kind entertainer, Mel Tillis. My heart goes out to his family, especially our dear Nashville friend.

John Schneider (1, 2): We miss you, Me... Me... Mel. @ Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail at Silver Lakes

Wynonna Judd: I used to sit with Mel & laugh for hours at his stories. What a wonderfully funny character he was!

Steve Wariner: With utmost respect and gratitude we say thank you Mel Tillis, for your great music and wonderful legacy. RIP my friend.

Randy Owen (Alabama): Hall of Fame entertainer and songwriter — he was all in one, a great combination. He is one of our biggest heroes.

Meghan Linsey: So sad to hear of the passing of #MelTillis. Keeping @PamTillis and the rest of the family in our thoughts and prayers and sending love. ❤️🙏 He will be greatly missed.

^^That is my 2nd cousin with Mel. She was also married to Merle Haggard.

[Edited 11/22/17 17:25pm]