[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 193 (Tuesday, November 28, 2017)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1611]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]





                      PAYING TRIBUTE TO MEL TILLIS

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                            HON. STEVE COHEN

                              of tennessee

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, November 28, 2017

  Mr. COHEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to country music's 
stellar singer-songwriter Mel Tillis, the Country Music Association's 
entertainer of the year in 1976, who overcame a lifetime of stuttering 
through song. Lonnie Melvin Tillis died earlier this month at 85. He 
had six No. 1 country singles as a singer, including ``Good Woman 
Blues'' in 1976 and ``Southern Rains'' in 1981 and wrote such memorable 
tunes as ``I'm Tired'' for Webb Pierce, ``The Snakes Crawl at Night'' 
for Charley Pride and, with Danny Dill and Carl Perkins, the Patsy 
Cline hit ``So Wrong.'' Mel's songs explored the dark caverns of deep 
emotion typified by his somber ballad ``Ruby, Don't Take Your Love to 
Town,'' about a cheating wife, which was a big hit for Kenny Rogers in 
1969. Mel was also inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame 
in 1976 and to the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2007. I want to extend 
my condolences to his family, particularly my friend and Mel's singer-
songwriter daughter Pam Tillis, who recorded a tribute disk for her 
father in 2002: ``It's All Relative: Tillis Sings Tillis.'' Although he 
was born and died in Florida, Tennesseans and all Americans will 
remember and cherish forever his lovely baritone and haunting lyrics. 
America has lost a true original

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