OK, let's be clear here: Johnny Tillotson's name will never live up there in country music circle's with names like Williams, Owens, Wynette, Haggard, Lynn or Twitty. But go ahead, ask around to those folks who are, well...of a mature age. Ask them this:

'Hey, does the name Johnny Tillotson ring a bell?'

Now, chances are they'll say 'Of course!' and then start singing 'Poetry In Motion'. Or, if they're a classic country fan, it could be 'It Keeps Right On A-Hurtin'. You see, there are folks that have their favorite Johnny Tillotson pop/rock classics, and then there's those of us who love his country classics.

I guess you can say Johnny was a huge 'crossover' artist before it became fashionable!

By 1962 the Florida native was already a major musical star, and it was 'It Keeps Right On A-Hurtin' that vaulted him to the top of the country music chart, and by the way got Johnny his first of two Grammy nominations. And let's not forget this: The multi-talented Johnny Tillotson also wrote that great classic! How good was it? Well, Billy Joe Royal had a smash hit with it in the 1980's and it's been recorded by over 110 artists!

Johnny's 'It Keeps Right On A-Hurtin' album contained great versions of many country standards, including 'Hello Walls', 'I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry', 'I Fall To Pieces' and many more. Truly a great classic country album.

So the question for you folks that love Johnny's pop/rock classics and us folks who love the country songs Johnny did....whatever happened to Johnny Tillotson?

Well, Johnny is well into his 70's now, still performs sold out shows around the world  and in fact in 2011 was inducted into the Florida Artists Hall of Fame. And I'm thinkin' you would love to get your hands on Johnny's great music. I have good news on that front, too. You can visit Johnny's website here, get all the details of his incredible life and career and peruse his store there.

 

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