He was one of those rare artists who simply opened his mouth, and music poured out effortlessly. But now, that golden voice has been silenced.
Johnny Tillotson, the two-time Grammy-nominated singer behind the timeless hit Poetry in Motion, has passed away at 86.
Among the last
Johnny Tillotson was one of the greatest voices ever gifted to music — whether it was rock ‘n’ roll, pop, or country. A remarkably talented songwriter, he didn’t just have a beautiful voice; he was also known as a down-to-earth and genuinely kind man — something rare to find
Born in 1938 in Jacksonville, Florida, Tillotson skyrocketed to stardom with the up-tempo thit Poetry in Motion, which climbed to No. 2 on the Billboard charts in 1961.
The following year, he continued his success with Without You, landing a spot in the Top 10 at No. 7. He was among the last — and undoubtedly one of the most talented — teen idols of the 1960s.
He also stood out as one of the early pioneers of the countrypolitan sound, making a rare crossover from pop music to the U.S. country charts.
Beyond his own chart-topping hits, Tillotson proved to be a gifted songwriter, penning classics like It Keeps Right On A-Hurtin’ and You Can Never Stop Me Loving You. His music was so influential that legends like Dean Martin, Bobby Darin, and even Elvis Presley recorded covers of his songs.
While his final studio album was released in 1977, Tillotson remained active in the music scene, touring across Southeast Asia, Australia, and New Zealand. In the 1990s, he continued recording, exploring country and holiday music, and in 2010, he released his last single, Not Enough.
Just days before his passing, Tillotson released his final song, Everything I Touch Turns to Blue.
