Who was/is Johnny Tillotson ? - CDs, Vinyl LPs, DVD and more

Johnny Tillotson

At the time of writing, it is now over 52 years since Johnny Tillotson made his first professional recordings for Cadence in August 1958. In that time he has achieved what many fail to do in music industry. He has lasted! After a lifetime in the firmament of popular music, he remains an attraction in the U.S.A. and abroad where his appearances in cabaret and one nighters are still enjoyed by fans many of whom, have stood by him through five decades of music, films, television and concerts

Born in Jacksonville, Florida on April 20th 1939, Johnny was actually raised in Palatka by his grandparents but he travelled back to be with parents each summer. His mother was Doris and his father was Jack, a country music disc jockey.

It appears that performing was in his blood from an early age and indeed by the age of nine, he was featured on the local radio show, Young Folks Revue. Encouraged by his grandparents, he set about turning himself into becoming a professional singer. He sang at local functions and had played so much locally by the time he entered Palatka Senior High School, his reputation had preceded him and he was quite well established and known in the state of Florida.

He guested on the television show, The Toby Dowdy Show, where he became a regular with a three year contract and when the show itself ceased transmission, the opportunity opened up for Johnny to have his own show on WDGA-TV. Juggling a television show and studies at the University of Florida was not easy but Johnny pulled it off and he successfully graduated with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Journalism and Communications in 1959 despite the distractions of his passion for music.

At the same time that all this was going on, Johnny has started writing songs and when, in 1957, a local disc jockey sent six of his songs to the National Pet Milk Talent contest, Johnny found himself in Nashville performing on WSM Radio.

In Nashville he was heard by Lee Rosenberg, a Nashville music publisher who was so impressed by what she heard that she took a tape of Johnny singing to Archie Bleyer at Cadence Records, already scoring highly in the pop charts with hit titles by The Chordettes, The Everly Brothers and Andy Williams as well as achieving a #17 hit in his own right with The Naughty Lady Of Shady Lane as 1954 turned into 1955.

The hits started immediately with Dreamy Eyes charting in November 1958 and peaking at #63 (reissued in 1961, it moved 28 positions higher to #35). Twenty-six chart entries followed in the U.S. with his biggest being Poetry In Motion which advanced to #2 in the States in late 1960 but was eclipsed by its success in the U.K. where it spent three weeks in the #1 position at the early part of 1961.

 

Undoubtedly Johnny's greatest success a songwriter was with It Keeps Right On A-Hurtin' which was a #3 pop and #4 country hit for him in 1962. Many covers and revivals followed with perhaps Elvis Presley's rendering on his 'From Elvis In Memphis' album in 1969 being the most prestigious.

During his association with Cadence Records (1958-1963), Johnny recorded 41 different titles in his own right. He recorded three songs on more than one occasion and he added his vocal to a session by French singer, Genevieve, on one song.

When the Cadence tapes were analysed, it was found that all but one performance existed in outtake form; the only track to survive purely as a master was Love Is Blind (Cadence 1365).

There was one song, Please Help Me I'm Falling that had never been released before and like something akin to the discovery of Tutankhamun's tomb, we found a session recorded in New York with King Curtis on sax playing on an earlier attempt at Poetry In Motion.

Within the master tapes boxes, the master take, as originally issued, tends to be missing from the spools.

Johnny Tillotson The Outtakes
Read more at: https://www.bear-family.de/tillotson-johnny-the-outtakes-2-cd.html
Copyright © Bear Family Records

 

Copyright © Bear Family Records®. Copying, also of extracts, or any other form of reproduction, including the adaptation into electronic data bases and copying onto any data mediums, in English or in any other language is permissible only and exclusively with the written consent of Bear Family Records® GmbH.

More information about Johnny Tillotson on Wikipedia.org

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Travelin' On Foreign Grounds (CD)
Johnny Tillotson: Travelin' On Foreign Grounds (CD) Art-Nr.: BCD17379

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1-CD Digipak (4-plated) with extensive booklet, 24 tracks. Total playing time approx.. 60 minutes. Rock 'n' Roll • Contains all of Tillotson’s MGM-era international recordings in Italian, Spanish, German, and Japanese! • 24 tracks in...
$14.21 $18.05
EP-Collection (CD)
Johnny Tillotson: EP-Collection (CD) Art-Nr.: CDSEE698

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(See For Miles Records) 30 tracks
$18.29 $22.58
The Outtakes (2-CD Deluxe Box Set)
Johnny Tillotson: The Outtakes (2-CD Deluxe Box Set) Art-Nr.: BCD16815

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2-CD Cap-Box with 60-page booklet, 58 tracks. Playing time approx. 2 hrs 47 mns. Two CDs provide a superb collection of alternative takes recorded by Johnny Tillotson at Cadence Records. The set offers Johnny Tillotson fans and...
$30.50 $33.89
It Keeps Right On A-Hurtin - You Can Never Stop Me Loving You (CD)
Johnny Tillotson: It Keeps Right On A-Hurtin - You Can Never Stop... Art-Nr.: CDCHD1177

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(ACE Records) 24 Tracks - Cadence 1962-1963 - This latest instalment in Ace’s series of 2-on-1 pairings of original Johnny Tillotson albums brings together the second and third of the three that he released on Cadence, the label that he...
$18.05
Poetry In Motion - Send Me The Pillow You Dream On (7inch, 45rpm, BC)
Johnny Tillotson: Poetry In Motion - Send Me The Pillow You Dream... Art-Nr.: 45COL4029

only 2x still available
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(Collectables) 2 tracks
$11.26
Sings & Here I Am
Johnny Tillotson: Sings & Here I Am Art-Nr.: CDCHD1162

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(2007/ACE) 24 tracks MGM 1965/67 with 12 page booklet
$14.66 $18.05
All His Early Hits And More! (CD)
Johnny Tillotson: All His Early Hits And More! (CD) Art-Nr.: CDCHD946

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​(ACE Records) 30 Tracks - Here we find the good folks of Ace continuing their survey of all that was great and groovy on black vinyl and transferring it to the small, shiny format. The vinyl album Poetry In Motion was a consistent...
$18.05
25 All Time Greatest Hits
Johnny Tillotson: 25 All Time Greatest Hits Art-Nr.: CDVSD66210

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(2001/VARESE) 25 tracks Johnny Tillotson has always been more than just a teen idol. That might not have been easy to discern as he sauntered carefree across the airwaves in late 1960 with 'Poetry in Motion,' or cried into his pillow two...
$20.31
Johnny Tillotson Scrapbook (LP)
Johnny Tillotson: Johnny Tillotson Scrapbook (LP) Art-Nr.: BFX15141

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(Bear Family Records) 20 tracks Cadence & MGM 1958 - 1965 (1 inussed), gatefold cover
$22.58
Poetry In Motion
Johnny Tillotson: Poetry In Motion Art-Nr.: CDJAS266

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​(2013/Jasmine) 29 tracks
$16.92
Poetry In Motion (CD)
Johnny Tillotson: Poetry In Motion (CD) Art-Nr.: CD345632

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(Digimode) 20 tracks
$35.61 $56.53
Send Me The Pillow You Dream On - Poetry In Motion (7inch, 45rpm)
Johnny Tillotson: Send Me The Pillow You Dream On - Poetry In... Art-Nr.: 45ER261

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(Eric Records) 2 tracks
$11.26
Jimmy's Girl - Why Do I Love You So (7inch, 45rpm)
Johnny Tillotson: Jimmy's Girl - Why Do I Love You So (7inch, 45rpm) Art-Nr.: 45URC1013

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(Underground Records) 2 tracks
$11.26