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JOHNNY
TILLOTSON (ARTIST BIOGRAPHY)
Johnny Tillotson (born April 20, 1939,
Jacksonville, Florida; raised in Palatka) is an American singer and
songwriter. Tillotson enjoyed his greatest success in the early
1960s when he scored a series of Top Ten hits including "Poetry in
Motion" and the self-penned "It Keeps Right on a-Hurtin'." In total,
he placed 30 singles and albums in the Billboard charts between 1958
and 1984, most of them in the pop chart, though he also reached the
country, R&B, and easy listening charts. His string of hits allowed
him to establish a performing career both in the U.S. and around the
world, which kept him steadily working well into the 21st century.
Tillotson's father was a country music disc jockey
and Johnny himself was appearing on local radio from the age of nine.
His parents encouraged his talent by giving him first a ukulele and
then a guitar, and he was influencedby the singing cowboys (Gene
Autry, Roy Rogers) and country singer Hank Williams. He appeared
regularly on Tom Dowdy's television show, from which he was
recommended to Archie Bleyer, the owner of Cadence Records. When the
Toby Dowdy show went off the air, Johnny was given his own show,
while still attending the University of Florida.
During his teens, Johnny began writing songs and
in 1957, a local D.J. submitted a tape of Johnny's singing to the
National Pet Milk Talent Contest. Johnny was chosen as one of the 6
national winners from this tape, which gave him the opportunity to
perform on WSM radio in Nashville, Tennessee, where he was to
receive his biggest break. Miss Lee Rosenberg, a Nashville music
publisher, was so impressed with Johnny, she took his tape to Archie
Bleyer, the owner of Cadence Records. Bleyer recorded
Johnny singing his own composition, "Dreamy Eyes",
which went to the top of the local Florida charts in 1958. After
graduating with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Journalism and
Communications in 1959, Johnny moved to New York to pursue a full
time music career.
Although his roots were in country music, he was
encouraged to revive the R&B ballads "Never Let Me Go", "Pledging My
Love" and "Earth Angel". In 1960 he released the classic teen-ballad
"Poetry In Motion", which went to number 2 in the USA and number 1
in the UK. The b-side, "Princess, Princess", was popular in its own
right and the equal of many of his later hits. Tillotson's
follow-up, "Jimmy's Girl", was less successful but he went to number
3 in the USA with "It Keeps Right On A-Hurtin'", a self-penned
country ballad. The song has been recorded by over 100 performers
including Elvis Presley.
Tillotson's baby-face and slight frame made him an
ideal teen-idol for the early 60s, but his musical preference was
country music. He had further success by reviving the country songs
"Send Me The Pillow You Dream On" and "I Can't Help It (If I'm Still
In Love With You)". In the movie Just For Fun he sang "Judy, Judy,
Judy", which he wrote with Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman. His ballad "You
Can Never Stop Me Loving You" was a US Top 20 hit, but Kenny Lynch's
version was preferred by UK record-buyers.
A spell in the US Army prevented Tillotson from
capitalizing on his success, but when he signed with MGM Records he
was determined to become a country performer. "Talk Back Trembling
Lips" was a country and pop hit, but his subsequent records - "Worried
Guy", "I Rise, I Fall", "She Understands Me", "Heartaches By The
Number" - only reached the Top 40.
Tillotson moved to California in 1968, and during
the 70s recorded for the Ampex, Buddah Records and United Artists
Records labels. He also became a regular on the lounge circuit in
Las Vegas, hence a single of "Cabaret". Tillotson also remains
popular on US army bases in Europe and he has had several hits in
Japan following successful appearances there. The 30-track
compilation All His Early Hits - And More!!!!, which was released in
the UK by Ace Records in 1990, is the best introduction to his work
and includes an early version of "Poetry In Motion".
(info mainly from NME) |
