The Jackson County Fair opens with the Roots n Boots Country Music Jam with John Anderson, Little Texas, and Pam Tillis.
Pam Tillis is, of course, the daughter of the legendary Mel Tillis. Pam told WKHM that it was Minnie Pearl who got the ball rolling on the Tillis Family dynasty, which includes Pam’s CMA Vocalist of the Year in 1994 and a Grammy in 1999.
“He (Mel Tillis) was a tall, shy, skinny kid from Florida and he came up to Nashville to be a singer and before his ship came in, he found himself in Minnie Pearl’s road band for a short time playing rhythm guitar.” Pam said. She said that “he hadn’t quite gotten his confidence together, he was very embarrassed by his speech impediment.” She continued to say that Minnie Pearl sat Mel Tillis down and gave him the best advice that anyone had ever given him, and it carried on to his daughter, and the Tillis story turned out “a lot better than it did” Pam said.
So, what was Pearl’s advice? “Don’t be afraid. the world won’t ever laugh at you, the world will always laugh with you. The world loves somebody who can laugh at themselves.”
The Roots n Boots Country Music Jam begins at 7pm on Sunday at the Jackson County Fair. Doors open at 6pm. Tickets are available at the door, or eTix; and include admission to the fair.
To see our sister station 95.9 The Power Cow’s feature on The Roots N Boots Country Jam, click here.
