Suprise birthday party for Floyd Tillmans 85th

Don Ricketson · Post by **Don Ricketson** » 17 Dec 1999 7:45 am

It was a fun night at the Llano Opry last night. Floyd was invited as the guest star. Little did he know that a few of his friends were going to show up. Lessee, their was Willie Nelson, Johnny Bush, Johhny Gimble, Al Dean, Frankie Miller and many others. They all performed with the house band and all done mostly Floyd Tillman songs. It was really a pleasure to be on stage with this kind of talent all in one night not to mention Justin Trevinos harmony singing and bass playing. We had a packed house and are really looking forward to New Years day (nite) Hank Thompson will be the guest star. Life is good.

Don Ricketson · Post by **Don Ricketson** » 17 Dec 1999 8:00 am

Oh, I forgot to mention. Govenor Bush proclaimed Dec.16th Floyd Tillman day in Texas. Although his birthday was really on Dec. 8th. Oh well, whatever.

Bill cole · Post by **Bill cole** » 17 Dec 1999 8:10 am

Kinda sounds like a Bush a day late and a Dollar short[This message was edited by Bill cole on 12-17-99][This message was edited by Bill cole on 12-17-99]

Howard Kalish · Post by **Howard Kalish** » 17 Dec 1999 9:08 am

Don - That sounds like a wonderful party with an all-star cast. Ol' Floyd can still enthrall an audience. What an inspiration. I was just listening to some of his earliest material from his Houston days with Bob Dunn tearing it up on steel and Cliff Bruner on fiddle.
Believe it or not, I just got back the pictures from a roll of film I found in my jacket pocket. It had some shots of Ladybird from that party we played back in April.
Take care and hope to pick with you again soon.

Howard K

Louie Hallford · Post by **Louie Hallford** » 17 Dec 1999 3:10 pm

I can't believe this.. I was in LLano the 15th and 16th and had a flexible schedule and could have caught the Opry had I known.I called my well informed friend Herb Steiner early in the week and got the lowdown on where several steelers were playing this week but missed this one.

Don what is the Opry schedule there.Is it always mid week? I work in that area about one week each month,would love to come see you guys.

Several years ago Tillman came to a little opry in Bonham Texas. One of my friends sang one of Tillman's songs but did not know it until Tillman came up after the show,introduced himself and told my friend that he wrote the song "Change Your Name from Brown to Jones and Mine from Brown to Blue"

As luck would have it I missed that show too even though I often play at it.

Steve England · Post by **Steve England** » 17 Dec 1999 11:08 pm

Dang it!!! I was offered a ride to the show and everything and said no thanks, had prior arrangements. Saw Floyd last time he played there. Louie, yu can find the schedules for the Llano and Mason Oprys at Hillbillyhits.com They ahve some good stuff on there. In recent months they,ve had Curtis Potter, Wanda Jackson, Big Bill Lister. Sorry I missed last night

Bob Tuttle · Post by **Bob Tuttle** » 18 Dec 1999 2:18 pm

Hi Don,
I had the pleasure of working with Floyd Tillman on a number of occasions while I was in the house band at Gilley's in the mid to late 70's.

He booked in there every month or two for a while, and he always put on a great show. I'm sorry I missed his birthday bash. It's good to know he's still active in the business.

Let me know what's going on down there in LLano. I have a sister who lives there and come down there occasionally.

Bob