This page uses content from the Mel Tillis biography page on the English version of Wikipedia and is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. This list of authors can be seen in the page history. Rotten Tomatoes disclaims any and all warranties as to the accuracy or reliability of the content.
Lonnie Melvin Tillis (born August 8, 1932 in Tampa, Florida) is a country music singer/songwriter, and actor.
Tillis has scored nearly six dozen country hits from the years 1958 to 1988. His biggest country hit, 1972's "I Ain't Never" had been a major hit for Webb Pierce in 1959. He was honored as the Country Music Association "Entertainer of the Year" in 1976. As a songwriter, Tillis' song, "Detroit city," was a number one hit on the U.S. country charts in 1963 for Bobby Bare, and has since been covered by a number of other artists. He also wrote Ruby, Don't Take Your Love To Town, which became a hit for Kenny Rogers.
In addition to his musical talents, Mel Tillis has acted in a number of motion pictures, including The Cannonball Run and Smokey and the Bandit II, as well as making guest appearances in a number of television series.
Tillis is known for a trademark stutter which disappears when he sings. A story about Tillis is that he would order grits in a restaurant because it was the only dish that he could pronounce clearly.
In 1972, he was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame. During the 1980s he was a singer and spokesman in Whataburger television advertisements. In 1998, he formed the band Old Dogs, together with his friends Jerry Reed, Bobby Bare and Waylon Jennings.
His daughter is the successful country music artist, Pam Tillis.
External links
de:Mel Tillis
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