The despondent title track, which was written by Mel Tillis, is about a paralyzed veteran of a “crazy Asian war” (either Korean or Vietnam) who grows inflamed and paranoid that his young wife is fixing to step out with suitors. “This was one of the most powerful songs I’d ever he...
Mel Tillis, “Life Turned Her That Way” Songwriting great Harlan Howard — the man who defined country music as “three chords and the truth” — masterfully straddles the line “sympathetic” and “kind of patronizing” in this sharp appraisal of how a history of heartbreak left a wo...
Songs remain sensitive to human experience, Mel Tillis says. (Originated from Knight-Ridder Newspapers)Rush, Diane Samms
While Bill Anderson has typically played the role of the heartbroken victim in his songs, this single found him taking up the mantle of the badly-behaved partner – using his silky whisper to intone familiar untruths instead of charming declarations of love. The track, written by storied count...
andpsychedelicmusic—had a few hits, including “Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Condition Was In),”“Ruby, Don’t Take Your Love to Town” (written byMel Tillis), “Reuben James,” and “Something’s Burning.” The band also hostedRollin’ on the River(1971–73), a varie...
Mel Tillis Justin Timberlake Mel Tormé Merle Travis Ernest Tubb Conway Twitty McCoy Tyner Ritchie Valens Jimmy Van Heusen Townes Van Zandt Luther Vandross Tom Waits Cindy Walker T-Bone Walker Fats Waller Harry Warren Doc Watson George David Weiss Kitty Wells Norman Jesse Whitfield Chris Whitley Mari...
Pam Tillis, ‘Maybe It Was Memphis’ 1991 Paul Natkin/WireImage Pam Tillis was one of the most luminous stars of the 1990s country boom, with her unique mix of twang, sass, and soul. It’s in her blood: Her dad, Mel Tillis, was a Nashville legend, with classic hits like “Midnight...
Kenny Rogers is best known for warm pop hits, but he's got some shockingly dark material in his catalog, too, like "Ruby, Don't Take Your Love to Town." This song was written by Mel Tillis, and it's been recorded by everyone from Waylon Jennings to George Jones to Roger Miller. ...
"Maybe It Was Memphis" - Pam Tillis (Michael Anderson - written in 1984, a hit in 1992) Maybe it was hormones. Rated #1 by CU in their feature "400 Greatest Singles of the Nineties". "Walking in Memphis" - Lonestar (Marc Cohn) "Saw the ghost of Elvis down on Union avenue". ...
Award-winning singer/songwriter Kenny Rogers has enjoyed enormous success on both the country and pop charts with hits like "Lucille," "The Gambler" and "Islands in the Stream."