FLOYD TILLMAN
Floyd Tillman became one of Country Music’s greatest composers and song stylists. Born in Ryan, Oklahoma Floyd was raised in Post, Texas where the Tillman family became cotton sharecroppers. Floyd developed his own style at an early age preferring to sing his own compositions. Although he would record 9 Top 10 Country Hits he had his only #1 in 1942 entitled “They Took The Stars Out Of Heaven”. His “Slippin’ Around”, #9 in 1949, is considered the very first cheating song helping to create what would become known as Honky Tonk music. That same year “Slippin’ Around” reached #1 by Ernest Tubb and #1 for 17 weeks by the duo Jimmy Wakely & Margaret Whiting along with crossing over into the Pop Charts at #1 selling over one million copies. Floyd’s follow-up single “I Love You So Much It Hurts Me” reached #5 with Jimmy Wakely covering it taking it to #1 for 9 weeks crossing over into the Pop Charts. Because of the rigors of the road Floyd retired from performing in the 50’s saying: “That kind of life can get you”. Good move as Floy Tillman lived to be almost 90 passing away in 2003. Floyd was inducted into The Songwriter’s Hall of Fame in 1971 and The Country Music Hall Of Fame IN 1984 with Willie Nelson doing the honors. Floyd Tillman wrote over 200 songs that included “Take Me Back To West Texas”.
