Singer Johnny Tillotson says he learned a lot from Jim Reeves
Posted by Larry Jordan on September 11, 2014, 12:54 am
A lot of you around the world are familiar with a singer named Johnny Tillotson, who scored a series of big hits like "Earth Angel," "Poetry In Motion," and wrote songs including one about his terminally ill father (which Elvis changed into a love song, called "It Keeps Right On A Hurtin'".)
He grew up in my adopted hometown of Jacksonville, Florida -- whose beaches I still walk as often as I can -- and befriended Mae Axton, a close friend of Jim Reeves. Mae was a school teacher in JAX but a songwriter who just happened to write a little tune you may have heard of called "Heartbreak Hotel."
Oddly, even though she and Reeves were close friends, Jim never recorded one of Mae's songs. When he died, Mae wrote a touching tribute to him in a magazine column. But I digress.
Johnny gave a big interview recently to a newspaper in Malaysia in which he recalled Mae getting him booked as the opening act when Jim Reeves came to town. He said he learned a lot from guys like that.
Read this interesting profile of Johnny -- who still travels extensively and has a worldwide fan base -- by clicking the link below.
Jacksonville does have an interesting music history. Pat Boone hails originally from JAX. In addition, The Allman Bros., Skynard, 38 Special, Molly Hatchet were all JAX based. Slim Whitman lived a little south of JAX in Middleburg.
Been living in JAX for the past year - transferred here for work. Not a bad area to live, although the humidity is pretty brutal at times.
Re: Singer Johnny Tillotson says he learned a lot from Jim Reeves
Ponte Vedra Beach, which is part of the larger metro area, is where I have a place. There are four contiguous little communities -- as you probably know: Atlantic, Neptune, Jacksonville and Ponte Vedra Beach. I still have an interest there. Maria Cole -- Nat King Cole's widow -- moved to Ponte Vedra and I never knew it until she died. (She moved in with her twin daughters). How I would have liked to have talked to her!
It's a little known fact that the JAX metro area is larger than New York and Los Angeles combined, in terms of square miles. You can have an "out of town" experience without leaving town, as there are various small communities that have been annexed by "Jacksonville proper" and they retain their own unique flavor and even architecture.
My place is 3 blocks from the ocean, in Ponte Vedra, near Sawgrass. The PGA Tour and the Players Championship (golf) are headquartered there.
As for the humidity, the "trade winds" -- ocean breezes -- are a cooling, mitigating factor, making living along the coast far more preferable than living in the central part of the state! I've often wondered why Disney located his theme park in Orlando, which is so hot in the summer!
The 40-foot sand dunes (among the highest in Florida), the well planned commercial development, beautiful homes and condos in "the Beaches" communities all make for a very nice area and when I am there walking the beaches I am inspired (no kidding) such that it helps me come up with ideas for Jim Reeves releases (and CDs on other artists). In fact, on the CD I produced called "Bing Crosby and Rosemary Clooney: The New Recordings" (available at www.good-music.biz), there is a tune that Rosie sings called "Ebb Tide." The original just had piano, but walking the beach one day it occurred to me I should mix in the sound of the surf and seagulls, which I did -- along with adding strings and oboe. You can hear this song on the site I mentioned!
One of my chief orchestrators and some of my musicians are located in Florida, which makes it handy, and even some of my background singers come down from Nashville to record for me while there (including on the latest 8 CD set, "The Great Jim Reeves.")
Jim also played one New Year's Eve concert there, according to an old deejay I ran into one day, who was the emcee that night. He told me Jim was NOT happy with the way the Blue Boys were performing so he turned around and, off mic, said to them, "okay you Blue Balls, either play it right or get off the stage and I'll find someone who can!"
If any of you would like to see my adopted "hometown," click the link below.
Yes the city is huge. It takes an hour to move from one side to the other. I have to admit that I am a big fan of Avondale. Speaking of legends - I have tickets for Paul McCartney who will be appearing in JAX in October. Rescheduled gig.
I am curious to know where Jim might of played in JAX ?
Re: Singer Johnny Tillotson says he learned a lot from Jim Reeves