As both a high school student and an adult, he underwent speech therapy. In high school while studying ancient Greece, he read about Demosthenes putting pebbles in his mouth to cure his stuttering and help him become a gifted orator the singer tried this “home remedy” with no success. He became the singing star of his school. The teacher had him sing to the class every day, and later started to bring him to other classrooms in the school where he would sing to students in other grades. In elementary school, he was unable to answer questions in class and participate in discussions, but his teacher was aware that he could sing without stuttering. It could be they thought I’s grow out of it.”
Maybe my folks didn’t want to hurt my feelings. Now I stuttered very badly, and I didn’t even know it. In his 1984 autobiography Stutterin’ Boy: The Autobiography of Mel Tillis, America’s Beloved Star of Country Music, he wrote the appearance of his stuttering,” Doctors say malaria always leaves you with something. Tillis came home and asked his mother if he stuttered and she said, “Yes you do and that is o.k.” He only became aware that he spoke differently when he went to school and other kids told him he stuttered. Born Augin Pahokee, Florida, Tillis has said over the years that his stuttering started at age 4 after falling ill to malaria. Tillis came from a family in which both his father and his brother struggled with stuttering at various points in their lives. And he was one of the first to openly talk about his stuttering and urge others to do so.” Jane Fraser, president of The Stuttering Foundation said, “Mel was a stalwart supporter and inspiration to many.
The Stuttering Foundation wishes to extend to the family of Mel Tillis their most sincere condolences and prayers at the news of the passing of the country music legend at age 85 on Sunday, November 19.įor decades Mel Tillis has been one of the most famous people who stutter in the world, but within the stuttering community he is famous as a friend who has lent his name and precious time to help other people who stutter.Ī longtime supporter of the Stuttering Foundation who served as both the 1998 spokesman and the honorary chairman, Tillis' active presence in the stuttering community will be sorely missed.
0 kommentar(er)
