Mel Tillis (August 8, 1932 – November 19, 2017) was an American country music singer and songwriter….and although he recorded songs since the late 1950’s….his biggest success occurred in the 1970’s….with a long list of Top 10 hits. Tillis eventually moved to Nashville, Tennessee, and began writing songs full-time….after which he wrote “I’m Tired”, a # 3 country hit for Webb Pierce in 1957…..and “Honky Tonk Song” and “Tupelo County Jail”…..while Ray Price and Brenda Lee also charted hits with Tillis’ material around this time. In the late 1950’s, after becoming a hit-making songwriter, he signed his own contract with Columbia Records….and In 1958, he had his first Top 40 hit, “The Violet and a Rose”….which was followed by the Top 25 hit “Sawmill”…..but his biggest hits include “Good Woman Blues”, “Coca-Cola Cowboy” and “I Ain’t Never”….as seen performed on the Austin City Limits stage in 1979 in Austin, Texas.
On February 13, 2012, President Barack Obama awarded Tillis the National Medal of Arts for his contributions to country music. He also won the Country Music Association Awards’ most coveted award, Entertainer of the Year. His daughter is 1990’s country hit maker Pam Tillis.
