You might call her a first lady even though she does not live

in the White House. As the first woman in the new millenium to

be inducted into the Grand Olde Opry, Pam Tillis is part yesterday's

country and tomorrows, too. The daughter of well known country

artist, Mel Tillis, Pam grew up around classic talents like Dolly

Parton, Porter Wagoner, Burl Ives and Kris Kristofferson. It's

no surprise that she grew up to be the cross-over music hit that

she is today.

Pam Tillis was one of the first spotlight shows at the Frederick

Brown, Jr. Amphitheater summer concerts series. This Saturday

she returns to the Fred to bring a bit of Nashville to Peachtree

City.

According to her website, Pam Tillis began her musical career

in earnest at the age of eight studying first classical piano

at Nashville's Blair Academy and later teaching herself a number

of instruments. Along the way, Pam entertained where she could

from school contests, to camp musicals in the mountains of North

Carolina, church choirs and, in the Tillis family garage productions,

where she was always the producer, director...and the star.

Pam pursued college for a while, but it soon became apparent

that her extracurricular singing activities would lead her to

a major decision. She decided to leave school, move to Sausalito,

California where she sang in jazz clubs with the band Freelight.

Pam was spotted by Jimmy Bowen and signed to Warner Brothers

Records. Since her first album, a 1979 pop record entitled "Above

and Beyond the Doll of Cutie," Tillis has melded her taste

for everything from jazz to pop and country. Even though her

first record did not sell well, Tim Dubois signed Pam Tillis

to Arista Records in 1989. She broke into the charts the next

year with her first number one hit, "Don't Tell Me

What To Do." The song was written by Howard Harlan, who

had previously written several hits for her father, Mel.

By 1994 Pam was being awarded the CMA's prestigious "Female

Vocalist of the Year", and CMT's "Video of The Year",

as well as a Grammy Award along the way. Five out of seven of

her albums have certified either gold or platinum, selling an

impressive five million copies. Tillis has since racked up six

#1 hits and 14 Top 5 hits and two platinum albums for Arista.

In September of 2002 Pam released "It's All Relative, Tillis

Sings Tillis," a collection that says as much about Pam

Tillis' own successes and status in country music as it does

about her famous father, Mel and his classic songs. In true Pam

fashion, she selected an eclectic range of talent to complete

the tribute including Dolly Parton, Emmylou Harris, Marty Stuart,

Rhonda Vincent, Trisha Yearwood, The Jordanaires, Delbert McClinton

and Asleep At The Wheel's Ray Benson. After sifting through her

father's vast catalogue, Pam finally settled on some 13

of Mel's most acclaimed hits like "Heart Over Mind," "I

Ain't Never" and "Detroit City," plus a few that

are not as familiar such as "Unmitigated Gall" and "Come

On And Sing."

Pam also marked another first for her class of peers during

the 90s, becoming one of the first female producers during that

time producing her gold album "All of this Love." She

has since gone on to co-produce with many of Nashville's finest

producers. She has also appeared on Broadway in "Smokey

Joe's Cafe" as well as appearing on television in "Diagnosis

Murder," "Touched By An Angel," "Hollywood

Squares," and "The Chris Isaac Show."

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