- Born
- Died
- Birth nameLonnie Melvin Tillis
- Height6′ (1.83 m)
- Mel Tillis was born on August 8, 1932 in Tampa, Florida, USA. He was an actor and composer, known for The Cannonball Run (1981), Grosse Pointe Blank (1997) and Every Which Way But Loose (1978). He was married to Julia Ann Edwards and Doris Yvonne Duckworth. He died on November 19, 2017 in Ocala, Florida, USA.
- SpousesJulia Ann Edwards(March 21, 1979 - ?) (divorced, 1 child)Doris Yvonne Duckworth(January 12, 1957 - June 22, 1977) (divorced, 5 children)
- Children
- Stuttering, which disappears when he sings
- He wrote the song "Ruby, Don't Take Your Love to Town", a hit for Kenny Rogers in 1968. The song was based on a couple having marital problems, who lived near his family home in Florida. Tillis left the couple's true life ending out of the song wherein the husband murdered his wife and then killed himself.
- Father of Country singer Pam Tillis.
- He served in the Air Force for four years, during the period of the Korean War.
- While stationed in Okinawa, Japan, during the Korean War, he played local bars with a band he formed called the Westerners.
- His biggest country hit, 1972's "I Ain't Never," had been a major hit for Webb Pierce in 1959. Pierce's version stayed at No. 2 for nine weeks late that summer.
- [on the pre- rock'n'roll era] Back then there wasn't many albums. You sold singles.
Contribute to this page
Suggest an edit or add missing content
