Mel Tillis, Country Entertainer and Songwriter, Dead at 85

Mel Tillis, famed for his recording career and songwriting as he was for his lifelong stutter, died early Sunday morning in Ocala, Florida, following a lengthy illness. A representative confirmed the singer’s death, citing respiratory failure as the suspected cause. He was 85. As a songwriter, he was known for hits that included the Bobby Bare single “Detroit City,” Webb Pierce’s “I’m Tired” and the 1969 crossover tune for Kenny Rogers & the First Edition, “Ruby, Don’t Take Your Love to Town.”

Mel Tillis Dead at 85

Via tasteofcountry.com