Posted on 11/19/2017 9:59:24 AM PST by jazusamo
Country music singer Mel Tillis, whose six-decade career included hits such as I Aint Never and Coca Cola Cowboy and who never let his stutter get in the way of him becoming a legend, died on Sunday, his publicist confirmed. He was 85.
Tillis passed away at Munroe Regional Medical Center in Ocala, Fla., his publicist Don Murry Grubbs said. The music legend is believed to have died from respiratory failure after he never recovered from intestinal issues he has been battling since 2016. He leaves behind his longtime partner, Kathy DeMonaco, his six children and six grandchildren.
Tillis recorded more than 60 albums and had 35 top ten singles in his decades-long career. His 1979 Coca-Cola Cowboy was one of his biggest hits, along with Southern Rains in 1980 and I Believe in You in 1978.
Tillis also appeared in television shows such as "Hee Haw" and "Hollywood Squares," as well as movies, including "Smokey and the Bandit 2." He also did commercial work for Wataburger, according to the Tennessean.
He was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame, the Tennessean reported. His daughter, Pam Tillis, who is also a country music singer, inducted him into the Grand Ole Opry in 2007. Her rep released a statement on her official Facebook fanpage saying the death "was sudden and unexpected."
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He was one of the greats.
i’ll remember him as wonderful talent and funny, too. RIP.
Yes he was. I don’t even like country music, but Mel Tillis was one of the few I could actually listen to.
I hate to hear this. I’ve loved Mel Tillis for years. RIP Mel and thanks for the wonderful memories in your music.
Cassidy, Tillis, who’s number 3?
-PJ
Malcom Young of ACDC
Ahh yes
Bump! :-)
Yep. One of the good guys. RIP
As everyone doubtless knows, Mel had such a stammer he could hardly speak. Yet, when he sang, the stammer vanished. He thought it had to do with the rhythm of music.
N..N..No, N.N.N.Not M.M.M.Mel....
He use to appear on Johnny Carson & would laugh at himself stuttering through the interview, but sang great.
Yep...Many years back I saw him interviewed a couple of different times and he talked about that.
He said he never had the problem when singing but it was sure evident when he spoke, he just joked about it.
LOL! That’s the guy.
Lets git er done, folks!
RIP.
There are several people that I know that stutter but when playing a guitar and singing, the stuttering stopped and they all sang very well.
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