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Johnny Tillotson

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Johnny Tillotson (April 20, 1938 – April 1, 2025) was an American singer-songwriter.<ref name="Larkin">Template:Cite book</ref> He enjoyed his greatest success in the early 1960s, when he scored nine top-ten hits on the pop, country, and adult contemporary Billboard charts, including "Poetry in Motion", the self-penned "It Keeps Right On a-Hurtin'", "Talk Back Trembling Lips" and "Without You".

BiographyEdit

Tillotson was the son of Doris and Jack Tillotson, who owned a small service station on the corner of 6th and Pearl in Jacksonville, Florida, and acted as the station's mechanic. At the age of nine, Johnny was sent to Palatka, Florida,<ref name="AMG">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> to take care of his grandmother. He returned to Jacksonville each summer to be with his parents when his brother Dan would go to his grandmother. Johnny began to perform at local functions as a child, and by the time he was at Palatka Senior High School he had developed a reputation as a talented singer.<ref name="classicbands">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Tillotson became a semi-regular on WJXT's McDuff Hayride, hosted by Toby Dowdy, and soon landed his own show on WFGA-TV.<ref name="tv">[1] Template:Webarchive</ref> In 1957, while Tillotson was studying at the University of Florida, local disc jockey Bob Norris sent a tape of Johnny's singing to the Pet Milk talent contest, and he was chosen as one of six national finalists. This gave Johnny the opportunity to perform in Nashville, Tennessee, on WSM the Grand Ole Opry, which led Lee Rosenberg, a Nashville publisher, to take a tape to Archie Bleyer, owner of the independent Cadence Records.<ref name="interview">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Bleyer signed Tillotson to a three-year contract, and issued his first single, "Dreamy Eyes" / "Well I'm Your Man" in September 1958. Both songs were written by Tillotson, and both made the Billboard Hot 100, "Dreamy Eyes" peaking at No. 63. After graduating in 1959 with a bachelor's degree in journalism and communications, Tillotson moved to New York City to pursue his music career.<ref name="AMG"/><ref name="classicbands"/><ref name="bio">[2] Template:Webarchive</ref>

From late 1959, a succession of singles – "True True Happiness", "Why Do I Love You So" (recorded October 1959),<ref>Praguefrank</ref> and a double-sided single covering the R&B hits "Earth Angel" and "Pledging My Love" – all reached the bottom half of the Hot 100.<ref name="Larkin"/> His biggest success came with his sixth single, the up-tempo "Poetry in Motion",<ref name="Larkin"/> written by Paul Kaufman and Mike Anthony, and recorded in Nashville in August 1960<ref>Praguefrank</ref> with session musicians including saxophonist Boots Randolph and pianist Floyd Cramer. Released in September 1960, it went to No. 2 on the Hot 100 in the U.S., and No. 1 on the UK's Record Retailer chart in January 1961. It sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc by the RIAA.<ref name="The Book of Golden Discs">Template:Cite book</ref> On Bleyer's advice, Tillotson focused on his recording career, also appearing on television and being featured as a teen idol in magazines. His follow-up record, "Jimmy's Girl",<ref name="Larkin"/> reached No. 25 in the U.S. charts and No. 43 in the UK; after that, "Without You" returned him to the U.S. Top Ten but failed to make the UK Singles Chart.<ref name="AMG"/> He toured widely with Dick Clark's Cavalcade of Stars.<ref name="interview"/>

Early in 1962, Tillotson recorded a song he wrote, "It Keeps Right on A-Hurtin'",<ref name="Larkin"/> inspired by the terminal illness of his father. It became one of his biggest hits, reaching No. 3 on the U.S. pop chart,<ref name="Larkin"/> and was the first of his records to make the country music chart where it peaked at No. 4. It earned his first Grammy nomination for him, for Best Country & Western Recording, and was covered by over 100 performers including Elvis Presley and Billy Joe Royal, whose version was a country hit in 1988.<ref name="classicbands"/> Tillotson then recorded an album, It Keeps Right on A-Hurtin', on which he covered country standards including Hank Locklin's "Send Me the Pillow You Dream On" and Hank Williams' "I Can't Help It (If I'm Still in Love with You)," which also became hit singles.<ref name="Larkin"/> He continued to record country-flavored and pop songs in 1963, and "You Can Never Stop Me Loving You" and the follow-up, the Willie Nelson song "Funny How Time Slips Away", both made the Hot 100.<ref name="AMG"/>

With the demise of the Cadence label, he formed a production company and moved to MGM Records, starting with his version of the recent country charted No. 1 song by Ernest Ashworth, "Talk Back Trembling Lips", which reached No. 7 in January 1964 on BillboardTemplate:'s Hot 100.<ref name="Larkin"/> He earned his second Grammy nomination for "Heartaches by the Number", nominated for Best Vocal Performance of 1965, which reached No. 4 on the Easy Listening chart. He also sang the theme song for the 1965 Sally Field television comedy Gidget.<ref name="Fitzgerald">Fitzgerald, Michael R. "Clean Living Pays Off For Tillotson", Paxety Pages. June 10, 2005. Retrieved March 22, 2021.</ref> While his fortunes waned with changing musical tastes in the late 1960s, he continued to record before moving to California in 1968. Besides concert and recording he appeared in several films. He appeared in the 1963 British music film Just for Fun;<ref>Davis, Sharon (2012). Every Chart Topper Tells a Story: The Sixties. Random House. Retrieved March 22, 2021.</ref> the 1966 camp comedy The Fat Spy starring Jayne Mansfield;<ref>Schlossheimer, Michael (2018). Gunmen and Gangsters: Profiles of Nine Actors Who Portrayed Memorable Screen Tough Guys. McFarland & Company. Retrieved March 22, 2021.</ref> the Japanese movie Namida Kun Sayonara, named after his Japanese hit of the same name;<ref name="NST">"A love affair with Asia", New Straits Times. August 15, 2014. Retrieved March 22, 2021.</ref> and the 1976 made-for-TV film The Call of the Wild.<ref name="NST"/>

In the 1970s, he recorded for the Amos, Buddah, Columbia, and United Artists labels.<ref name="classicbands"/> He appeared in concert, appearing in theaters, at State Fairs and Festivals, and in major hotels in Las Vegas and elsewhere.<ref name="Larkin"/>

In 1984, he charted briefly on BillboardTemplate:'s Hot Country Singles chart with "Lay Back in the Arms of Someone" on Reward Records,<ref>"Hot Country Singles", Billboard. April 7, 1984.</ref> and it was during the 80s that his hits in South East Asia had him appear in Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Australia, and New Zealand on a regular basis with tours in Japan and Hong Kong. In 1990, he signed with Atlantic Records and released "Bim Bam Boom", which received significant airplay on Country music stations.<ref>"Country: National Airplay", Radio & Records. March 9, 1990. p. 66. Retrieved March 22, 2021.</ref>

On May 19, 1991, his 22-year-old daughter Kelli, who was a model and lived in Encinitas, California, died in a traffic accident in Parker, Arizona.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

In the 1990s, Tillotson recorded several Christmas songs with Freddy Cannon and Brian Hyland for the Children's Miracle Network, produced by Michael Lloyd. He also recorded with Tommy Roe and Brian Hyland, again for Michael Lloyd for Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer: The Movie (1998), "We Can Make It".<ref>Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer − Original Soundtrack, AllMusic. Retrieved March 22, 2021.</ref>

After a decade-long absence, in 2010 Tillotson released a single titled "Not Enough," a tribute to the military, police, fire, and all uniformed personnel of the United States.<ref name="NST"/>

On March 23, 2011, Tillotson was inducted into the Florida Artists Hall of Fame, which is the highest honor that the State of Florida bestows on an artist.<ref name="NST"/><ref>"Secretary of State Laurel M. Lee Announces 2019 Inductees into the Florida Artists Hall of Fame", Florida Department of State. April 9, 2019. Retrieved March 22, 2021.</ref> Their plaques are on permanent display in the Florida State Capitol.<ref>Fodor's 2012 Florida. Fodor's Travel Publications. October 15, 2011. p. 86. Retrieved March 22, 2012.</ref>

Tillotson died on April 1, 2025, from complications from Parkinson's disease, as was announced by fellow singer Fabian Forte on his Instagram. He was 86.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

RecognitionEdit

  • 2014 : Inducted into the America's Pop Music Hall of Fame<ref>Template:Usurped</ref>
  • 2014 : BrandLaureate International Legendary Award<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

|CitationClass=web }}</ref>

|CitationClass=web }}</ref>

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DiscographyEdit

AlbumsEdit

Year Album US
1959 This Is Johnny Tillotson —
1960 Johnny Tillotson (EP) —
1962 It Keeps Right On a-Hurtin' 8
1963 You Can Never Stop Me Loving You —
1964 Talk Back Trembling Lips 48
The Tillotson Touch —
She Understands Me 148
1965 That's My Style —
Johnny Tillotson Sings —
1966 No Love at All —
The Christmas Touch —
Johnny Tillotson Sings Tillotson —
1967 Here I Am —
1969 Tears on My Pillow —
1970 Johnny Tillotson —
1977 Johnny Tillotson —

CompilationsEdit

Year Album US AUS
<ref name=aus>Template:Cite book</ref>
1962 Johnny Tillotson's Best 120 —
1968 The Best of Johnny Tillotson — —
1972 The Very Best of Johnny Tillotson — —
1977 Greatest — —
1984 Scrapbook — —
1986 20 Greatest Hits — 96
1990 All the Early Hits – and More!!!! — —
1995 Poetry in Motion: Best of Johnny Tillotson — —
1998 Country Hits Collection — —
2001 25 All-Time Greatest Hits — —
2003 Sings Love Songs & Standards — —
2011 Outtakes — —
2013 Poetry in Motion — —
Johnny Tillotson's Best — —
2014 It Keeps Right On a-Hurtin' — —
Travelin' on Foreign Grounds — —
2015 It Keeps Right On a-Hurtin' — —

SinglesEdit

Year Single Peak chart positions Album
US Billboard<ref name="whitburn2010">Template:Cite book</ref> US Cashbox US Billboard R&B US Billboard Country US Billboard AC CAN
CHUM
RPM 		CAN Country UK<ref name="British Hit Singles & Albums">Template:Cite book</ref>
1958 "Dreamy Eyes" /
"Well I'm Your Man" (from Words and Music by Johnny Tillotson EP) 		63
87 		—
— 		—
— 		—
— 		—
— 		—
— 		—
— 		—
— 		Johnny Tillotson's Best
"I'm Never Gonna Kiss You" (with Genevieve) — — — — — — — — Non-album track
1959 "True True Happiness"
b/w "Love Is Blind" (Non-album track) 		54 49 — — — — — — Johnny Tillotson's Best
1960 "Why Do I Love You So"
b/w "Never Let Me Go" (Non-album track) 		42 31 — — — 25 — —
"Earth Angel" /
"Pledging My Love"* 		57
63* 		61
73 		—
— 		—
— 		—
— 		—
— 		—
— 		—
—
"Poetry in Motion"
b/w "Princess Princess" 		2 2 27 — — 6 — 1
1961 "Jimmy's Girl"
b/w "(Little Sparrow) His True Love Said Goodbye" 		25 24 — — — 29 — 43
"Without You"
b/w "Cutie Pie" 		7 12 — — — 15 — —
1962 "Dreamy Eyes" (re-issue)
b/w "Well I'm Your Man" (from Words and Music by Johnny Tillotson EP) 		35 46 — — — 14 — —
"It Keeps Right On a-Hurtin'"
b/w "She Gave Sweet Love to Me" (Non-album track) 		3 5 6 4 — 10 — 31 It Keeps Right On a-HurtinTemplate:'
"Send Me the Pillow You Dream On" / 17 14 — 11 5 37 — 21
"What'll I Do" 106 — — — — — — —
"I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry" / 89 94 — — — — — —
"I Can't Help It (If I'm Still in Love with You)" 24 29 — — 8 23 — 41
1963 "Out of My Mind"
b/w "Empty Feelin'" (from You Can Never Stop Me Loving You) 		24 23 — — 11 28 — 34 Non-album track
"You Can Never Stop Me Loving You"
b/w "Judy, Judy, Judy" 		18 18 — — 4 12 — — You Can Never Stop Me Loving You
"Talk Back Trembling Lips"
b/w "Another You" 		7 7 — — 6 — — — Talk Back Trembling Lips
"Funny How Time Slips Away"
b/w "A Very Good Year for Girls" 		50 62 — — 16 — — — It Keeps Right On a-HurtinTemplate:'
1964 "I'm a Worried Guy" / 37 38 — — — 39 — — Talk Back Trembling Lips
"Please Don't Go Away" 112 122 — — — — — —
"I Rise, I Fall"
b/w "I'm Watching My Watch" 		36
— 		44
125 		—
— 		—
— 		—
— 		—
— 		—
— 		—
— 		The Tillotson Touch
"Worry"
b/w "Sufferin' from a Heartache" 		45 45 — — 5 36 — —
"She Understands Me"
b/w "Tomorrow" 		31 29 — — 4 25 — — She Understands Me
1965 "Angel"
b/w "Little Boy" (from She Understands Me) 		51 53 — — — 33 — — Johnny Tillotson Sings
"Then I'll Count Again"
b/w "One's Yours, One's Mine" (from Johnny Tillotson Sings) 		86 67 — — — – — — That's My Style
"Heartaches by the Number"
b/w "Your Mem'ry Comes Along" 		35 32 — — 4 14 — —
"Our World"
b/w "(Wait Till You See) My Gidget" 		70 54 — — — 23 — — Johnny Tillotson Sings
1966 "Hello Enemy"
b/w "I Never Loved You Anyway" (from Johnny Tillotson Sings) 		128 104 — — — — — — Non-album track
"Me, Myself and I"
b/w "Country Boy" 		— — — — — — — — That's My Style
"No Love at All"
b/w "What Am I Gonna Do" (from Talk Back Trembling Lips) 		— — — — — — — — No Love at All
"Open Up Your Heart"
b/w "More Than Before" 		— — — — — — — — Non-album tracks
"Christmas Is the Best of All"
b/w "Christmas Country Style" 		— — — — — — — — The Christmas Touch
1967 "Tommy Jones"
b/w "Strange Things Happen" (from Johnny Tillotson Sings) 		— 91 — — — — — — Here I Am
"Don't Tell Me It's Raining"
b/w "Takin' It Easy" 		— — — — — — — —
"You're the Reason"
b/w "Countin' My Teardrops" (from That's My Style) 		— — — 48 — — 24 — The Best of Johnny Tillotson
1968 "I Can Spot a Cheater"
b/w "It Keeps Right On a-Hurtin'" (from The Best of Johnny Tillotson) 		— — — 63 — — — — Non-album tracks
"Why So Lonely"
b/w "I Haven't Begun to Love You Yet" 		— — — — — — — —
"Letter to Emily"
b/w "Your Memory Comes Along" 		— — — — — — — —
1969 "Tears on My Pillow"
b/w "Remember When" 		119 98 — — — 94 — — Tears on My Pillow
"Joy to the World"
b/w "What Am I Living For" 		— — — — — — — —
"Raining in My Heart"
b/w "Today I Started Loving You Again" 		— — — — — — — —
1970 "Susan"
b/w "Love Waits for Me" 		— — — — — — — — Singles only
"I Don't Believe in If Anymore"
b/w "Kansas City, Kansas" 		— — — — — — — —
1971 "Apple Bend"
b/w "Star Spangled Bus" (Non-album track) 		127 — — — — — — — Johnny Tillotson (1970)
"Welfare Hero"
b/w "The Flower Kissed the Shoes That Jesus Wore" 		— — — — — — — —
"Make Me Believe"
b/w "The Flower Kissed the Shoes That Jesus Wore" 		— — — — — — — —
1973 "Your Love's Been a Long Time Comin'"
b/w "Apple Bend" 		— — — — — — — —
"If You Wouldn't Be My Lady"
b/w "The Sunshine of My Life" 		— — — — — — 77 — Non-album tracks
"I Love How She Needs Me"
b/w "So Much of My Life" 		— — — — — — — —
1974 "Till I Can't Take It Anymore"
b/w "A Sunday Kind of Woman" 		— — — — — — — —
1975 "Big Ole Jean"
b/w "Mississippi Lady" 		— — — — — — — —
"Right Here in Your Arms"
b/w "Willow County Request Line" 		— — — — — — — —
1976 "Summertime Lovin'"
b/w "It Could Have Been Nashville" 		— — — — — — — — Johnny Tillotson (1977)
1977 "Toy Hearts"
b/w "Just an Ordinary Man" 		— — — 99 — — — —
1979 "Poetry in Motion" (re-issue)
b/w "Princess Princess" 		— — — — — — — 67 Johnny Tillotson's Best
1984 "Lay Back in the Arms of Someone"
b/w "What's Another Year" 		— — — 91 — — — — Non-album tracks
1990 "Bim Bam Boom"
b/w "I Was Born a Dreamer" 		— — — — — — — —
2010 "Not Enough" — — — — — — — —
"—" denotes items which were not released in that country or failed to chart.

Video releasesEdit

  • Best of Johnny Tillotson (2003) K-tel
  • Rock'n Roll Legends (2005) MVD Visual
  • Johnny Tillotson Sings His All-time Greatest Hits (2006) Varese Sarabande

ReferencesEdit

Template:Reflist

External linksEdit

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