The Steel Guitar Forum

man... I was flickin 'round the channels and came across the CMT "Lost Highway" shows that were on last weekend...
I love the old clips of Hank and all, but the clip that floored me was Floyd Tilman! I always heard his vocals as "strained" and now I understand why- the contortions he put his face thru to sing are amazing!! "Slippin' Around" was almost painful to watch- can anyone tell me if this was standard operating procedure for Floyd, or was he hopped up on Bennies or somehow medically challenged?

I'm not being facetious- I'd like to know if there may have been a pathological reason for his performance or if it was "natural" for him...

Dave,

I have seen that which you speak of in Floyd. And I do not know why for sure that is. It may be one, or a combination of reasons that happens.

I do believe there are several likely possible scenarios that may be true. Note, I said "may" be.

One is, he may have decided to make a career out of singing songs where the range was too high for him.

Two, it is common knowledge that given stars have resorted to (I believe deliberately) unnatural facial expressions and body language, to try to "be different" to embellish their careers.

I will give you one example of each:

In the case of trying to sing songs whose range is beyond that of a given singer, there are many many many hometown singers who just love and try to emulate Ray Price. Ray was gifted with one of the most awesome natural ranges country music has ever known.

It was effortless for him to hit high AND low notes without expending hardly a muscle. Let alone look like he should have taken a laxative the night before, when he made his daily ritual after breakfast "rest room" visit.

I have seen a singer in Atlanta do this many times. In fact, even though I like to hear him sing, I must look away whenever he often tries to hit those high notes.

The other example is Reba McIntyre. Those "chewing cud like a cow", lip movements has garnered a jaundiced eye by my wife and I, on more than one occassion.

NO fake here
<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by C Dixon on 11 August 2004 at 11:11 AM.]</p></FONT>

Had the pleasure of doing a few gigs with Floyd Tilman. His style of singing was part "feeling" the song and part show. He was a great guy to work with, and was a great guitar player. Jody.

I think Floyd wrote some great songs that will be around for generations and had a unique voice. He got into it for sure but hey, so did Elvis. I love playing those songs.

Man!! I loved Floyd Tilman's tunes when I was a kid. How 'bout classics like:
"This Cold War With You".. A lot of folks credit this to Ray Price but Floyd wrote it and had the original.
"I Gotta Have My Baby Back"
and then there's the classic tune which a lot of steelers do, "I Love You So Much It Hurts Me". I loved the way he bent those notes with his voice.
He was one very unique stylist and songwriter and made a wonderful contribution to music........have a good 'un, JH

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Livin' in the Past and the Future with a 12 string Mooney Universal tuning.

<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Jerry Hayes on 12 August 2004 at 07:47 AM.]</p></FONT>

I understand his important contributions to the music; I just want to know more about his unique performance style.

Jody- was he particularly "animated" when you played with him?<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Dave Van Allen on 12 August 2004 at 08:23 AM.]</p></FONT>

Didn't he do: "I Love You So Much It Hurts Me"? Maybe it did!
Erv<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Erv Niehaus on 12 August 2004 at 01:58 PM.]</p></FONT>

Is that Reba like in McEntire?

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1985 Emmons push-pull,S-10 Marlen,Evans SE200,Hilton pedal

Hi David, It really depended on the song. On "Each Night At Nine, just the word bending and no "action'. On "Ilove You So Much It Hurts", he really got into the "animation'. I was really empressed by his guitar work. Played many more chords than the song called for. He once played guitar for a big swing orchestra in his younger days. A real nice guy. Jody.

I wonder how many of you knew old Floyd is still alive an still playing music, some where in east Texas, ?/ A good friend of mine goes up there and plays some with him , He is Bob Mathews, from Buna Texas. Bob played with Ray Price in the early years, He plays steel , still has his old Emmons . the best that was made

To R L Jones.....Mr Tillman recently passed away.