Johnny Tillotson

Probably the question most often asked of me during my radio years was “what type of music do you like?” I have never been able to pin down one particular type or and individual group or artist that I prefer. Now there are some I like better than others, but I find my personal music tastes run from big band, through the rock an roll era, and even into some disco. Yes, I do have to include some country and even classical music that will quench my musical appetite at a particular moment. When I did my artist interview series I found myself “A listing” those artists I personally felt had something extra in their music. Such an artist was Johnny Tillotson.

I had the please of interviewing him twice, once on “The Class Reunion,” and once on my morning show on KMOG. Johnny is one of the truly nice guys in music, and that comes across instantly and is backed up by the fact that nearly 50 years later he is one of the busiest performers in the business. Johnny was raised in Palatka, Fl, decided on a singing career when he was about nine years old, and had the support of his mother and grandmother in his efforts. BUT, they made him promise to get an education just in case this singing thing didn’t work out. In case you are wondering, Johnny holds a B.S. in Journalism and Communications. One of his favorite stories about his youth happened when he was 12 years old; it seems the local radio station had a live talent show every Saturday Morning, and Johnny would walk to the station and perform. He told me that if he thought he had a good performance that day he would go home the same way he went to the station, so he would get praise along the way.

His break came when he submitted a tape to the National Pet Milk Contest, and he was chosen as one of six national winners. That gave him the opportunity to perform on the “powerhouse” radio station in Nashville, WSM . A Nashville music publisher took Johnny’s tape to Archie Bleyer, band leader (Hernando’s Hide-a-Way) and owner of Cadence records and he recorded his composition of “Dreamy Eyes”. From there Johnny went on to have 18 records that made “the charts,” including such classics as Poetry In Motion, Without You, and It Keeps Right On A Hurtin‘. The last song has been recorded by over 108 artists and also gave Johnny his first Country Chart hit.

When I interviewed an artist I, of course would play some of their hit records, and we would talk off the air, about how the interview was going to that point and what we might want to talk about next. I remember that Johnny and I got talking about a particular song, but neither of us could remember the name of the song or the artist. The discussion continued off the air and eventually on the air as well. And wound up with both of us laughing about it and Johnny promising me to call me when he thought of the title, even if it was 3 AM. Fortunately, a few minutes after the interview, I got a call that he had remembered.

One final thought on Johnny, for my Christmas show one year, I sent an
e mail to all the artists who had appeared on the show and asked them to record a short greeting. Johnny responded right away and then called back to extend a personal greeting to me and my family. That simple act confirmed that he was as nice as he seemed. If you want more information on Johnny Tillotson, his website is www.johnnytillotson.com

Trivia: “What was the name of the only American group and the song title to make the Top Ten on the music charts in the first half of 1964?” The answer was The Dixie Cups with their song (Going to) The chapel Of Love. If you remember that period, of time the British Invasion was in full swing, and all the American artists could not get a top ten hit because of groups like the Beatles, Stones and others at the top of the charts.



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