Floyd Tillman

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Floyd Tillman
Born December 8, 1914(1914-12-08)
Ryan, Oklahoma
Origin Flag of the United StatesFlag of Texas San Antonio, Texas, United States
Died December 22, 2003 (aged 89)
Bacliff, Texas
Genre(s) Country music, Western swing, Honky tonk
Occupation(s) musician, songwriter
Instrument(s) Guitar
Years active 1938-2004
Label(s) Decca, Musicor, RCA Victor, Columbia, Heart of Texas

Floyd Tillman (8 December 191422 August 2003) was a country musician who, in the 1930s-40s, helped create the western swing and honky tonk styles of music. Tillman was inducted into the Songwriters’ Hall of Fame in 1970 and the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1984.

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[edit] Early life

Tillman grew up in the cotton-mill town of Post, Texas as a sharecropper's son. One of his early jobs was with Western Union as a telegraph operator. In the early 30s He played mandolin at local dances and eventually took up the guitar.

[edit] Musical career

Floyd moved to San Antonio played lead guitar with Adolph Hofner, a western swing bandleader and soon developed into a songwriter and singer.

He then took a job with Houston pop bandleader Mack Clark in 1938, with western swing groups fronted by Leon “Pappy” Selph and Cliff Bruner. He also worked with Ted Daffan and singer-piano player Moon Mullican.

Tillman recorded as a featured vocalist with Selph’s Blue Ridge Playboys in 1938 and that same year Floyd scored his first major songwriting hit, "It Makes No Difference Now," giving him his own Decca recording contract. Jimmie Davis purchased the song from Floyd for $300, the rights to which he got back 28 years later.

Floyd's only number one song as a singer was "They Took The Stars Out of Heaven." It reached the top of the charts in 1942.

His 1944 hit, "Each Night At Nine," struck a chord with lonely servicemen during World War II. Axis Sally and Tokyo Rose played it heavily to encourage desertion.

A big hit for Floyd and also for Jimmy Wakely was 1948's "I Love You So Much It Hurts". His 1949 "Slippin' Around," one of the first country western "cheating" songs, was a hit for Tillman as well as Ernest Tubb, Texas Jim Robertson and the duo of Margaret Whiting and Jimmy Wakely. Tillman had another successful song with his own answer, "I'll Never Slip Around Again," as did the Whiting/Wakely duo.

Floyd slowed down on his performing in the early 1950's.

Floyd's final album recorded in 2002-2003 titled "The Influence" paired Floyd with some Country Music artists that were influenced by his style and performing. Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard, Leona Williams, Dolly Parton, Justin Trevino, Ray Price, Frankie Miller, Hank Thompson, Connie Smith, Lawton Williams, Mel Tillis, Darrell McCall, Johnny Bush and George Jones recorded some of Floyd Tillman's hit songs with him. The project, released in April of 2004, features liner notes by Dr. Bill Malone, Bill Mack, Hank Thompson and Willie Nelson. It was produced by Justin Trevino on Heart of Texas Records.

[edit] Selected works

Title Master no Artists Recorded Original issue
A Precious Memory 65158 Floyd Tillman 6 March 1939, Houston Decca 5696
Why Do I Love You Floyd Tillman 6 March 1939, Houston Decca 5696
I'm Always Dreaming of You 66327 Floyd Tillman 29 August 1939, Houston Decca 5801
Don't Be Blue 66328 Floyd Tillman 6 March 1939, Houston Decca 5741
Maybe I'll Get By Without You 66330 Floyd Tillman 6 March 1939, Houston Decca 5801
I Love You So Much It Hurts Vic Damone, Floyd Tillman and Connie Smith, Red Foley, Ernest Tubb, Ray Charles, Ray Price, Mickey Gilley, Andy Williams, Marie Osmond, Eddy Arnold, Floyd Tillman, Jimmy Wakely RCA Victor 20-7157 A-side
Slipping Around Margaret Whiting and Jimmy Wakely, Ernest Tubb, Floyd Tillman, Texas Jim Robertson, Marion Worth and George Morgan, Roy Drusky and Priscilla Mitchell, Mack Abernathy, Floyd Tillman and Dolly Parton, Ray Anthony RCA Victor 20-7157 B-side
I Gotta Have My Baby Back Floyd Tillman, Justin Tubb, Ray Price, Floyd Tillman and Ray Price, Rex Allen, Red Foley, Tennessee Ernie Ford, Glen Campbell
I Am Music (Song of Music) Skeets McDonald
It Makes No Difference Now
Co-writer: Jimmie Davis
Eddy Arnold, Bing Crosby, The Supremes, Gene Autry, Ray Charles, Jimmie Davis, Willie Nelson, Hank Snow, Ray Pennington, Buddy Emmons, Hank Thompson, Merle Haggard, Burl Ives Musicor 1355 A-side
The Stars Fell Out Of Heaven 93739 Floyd Tillman 30 April 1941, Dallas Decca 6090
This Cold War With You Floyd Tillman Ray Price, Merle Haggard, Willie Nelson and Ray Price, Rex Allen, Columbia 20615
Why Do You Treat Me This Way? Floyd Tillman 30 April 1941, Dallas Decca 6090
Each Night At Nine Floyd Tillman 20 April 1944, New York City Decca 6104
G.I. Blues Floyd Tillman
Some Other World Floyd Tillman Columbia 20026
Daisy May Ernest Tubb, Floyd Tillman 11 April 1940, Houston Decca 5845
Please Don't Pass Me By Floyd Tillman
I'll Never Slip Around Again Floyd Tillman, Margaret Whiting and Jimmy Wakely, Doris Day Columbia 20615

[edit] References & External links

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