'Poetry in Motion' singer Johnny Tillotson sides, aged 86
3 April 2025, 10:00
“He was my best beloved, Champion of my realm, Knight of my heart."
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'Poetry in Motion' singer Johnny Tillotson has died at the age of 86.
The country and pop star died on Tuesday (April 1), his wife Nancy revealed on Facebook.
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"It is with a broken heart that I write to let you know that the sweetest, kindest man I ever met Johnny Tillotson , left earth for Heaven yesterday," Nancy wrote.
"He was my best beloved, Champion of my realm, Knight of my heart. Someone said, that sometimes right in the middle of an ordinary life you get a fairy tale. The day I met him I got mine.
"He was funny, generous and kind. A gentleman through and through. He loved and was grateful to his fans, as he once said, they made every dream I ever had come true. Once again on his behalf I say thank you for that."
Poetry in Motion (Remastered)
She added: "Johnny will be missed every single day for the rest of my life. He was simply the best. With all the love I have in my heart for a wonderful man gone too soon from this world."
Born in Jacksonville, Florida in 1939, Tillotson released his first single 'Dreamy Eyes' / 'Well I’m Your Man' when he was just 19.
He was best known for his 1960 single 'Poetry in Motion', which reached number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 and established him as a teen idol.
It is with a broken heart that I write to let you know that the sweetest, kindest man I ever met Johnny Tillotson , left...
Posted by Nancy Tillotson on Wednesday, April 2, 2025
His other songs included the Grammy nominated 'It Keeps Right on A-Hurtin'', which was widely covered by the likes of Elvis Presley and Wanda Jackson.
Tillotson also recorded 'Heartaches by the Number', 'Without You', 'Send Me the Pillow You Dream On', 'I Can't Help It (If I'm Still in Love with You)', 'Out of My Mind', 'You Can Never Stop Me Loving You' and 'You Can Never Stop Me Loving You'.
Johnny is survived by his wife Nancy, his brother Dan, his son John and stepdaughter Genevieve and his grandchildren Nia, Jackson, Georgia and Gwyneth
