Tillis's preformance on stage is as energetic and as captivating as her voice is torchy, forcefull and direct. Althought it is her voice that has captured the attention of millions of fans Tillis is one of thoes extraordinary singers whose tallent strech far beyond singing.

Even before the world was hearing her voice ring out on radio and video, Tillis had already achieved success with her strong songwriting ability-a craft she continues to home even while she is bussy touring. Dispite the hussle and bussle she finds time to collect her creative thoughts and put them down on paper. In addition to writing most of her own meterial, Tillis has also penned songs for a number of artist including Highway 101, Juice Newton, Ricky Van Shelton and the late Conway Twitty.

Tillis was introduced to country music by her farther renowned singer Mel Tillis. Pam tagged along with her farther to the recording studio as well as to the grand ole opry. At the opry, she meet such country queens as Dottie West and Tammy Wynette. These childhood experiences left a lasting impresion on Tillis, who is fond of saying "I've got one foot in old Nashville and one foot in new Nashville".

Her performance debut was with her farther when she was only eight years old. While still a teenager she begun her country music carrea as a sttterette, one of the back up vocalist in her farther's band. But as she has revealed in intervews, the singer found that sharing her farther's stage was " like being a little plant in the shade of a big tree. I couldn't grow."

Being overshadowed by her Mel Tillis aggarvated what she considers a natural shyness. Tillis's low sel-esteem only intensified following a terrible car accident at age 16. The accident broke many bones in her face, and her jaws wired for several weeks. Several grueling and stressfull operations followed over the course of the next few years.

Eventually Tillis focused on her dream once again and began singing at several writers showcases in Nashville. Tillis also worked as a receptionist at her farthers publishing company.

After high school graduation she registered at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville. But before classes begain, Tillis joined her first band, pointing her in a rock n roll direction. After playing up and down the Cumberland strip in Knoxville she decided that school wasn't for her. In a move that suprised even Tillis, the young singer teamed up with a jazz painoist and formed a fusion band. The group then relocated to Califonia. In the mid 1980's Warner Bros. Records offered her a recording contract. The album that resulted, Above And Beoynd The Dool of Cutie was an eclectic collection of Pop and rock songs. There was one lone country song on the album titled "It Aint Easy Bein' Easy." Looking back Tillis considers the tune a transitional work on an album by a singer "serching for herself."

Tillis eventualy returned to Nashville and to country music. There, she became a much sought after session singer. in 1990 she landed a songwriting deal with Tree International, one of country music's largest publishing companies. While working in the studio on a demo for "Someone Eles Trouble Now" (recorded by Highway 101), she was offered a contract with Arista Records Nashville division. There Tillis's true style emerged because Arista allowed her to sing the way she watned, no shadows no coattails just positivly Pam.

Pam's debut single "Dont Tell Me What To Do" soared to the top of the country charts in 1991. Then Put yoursellf in my place, her debut album was certified gold the next year. Other hit songs from the album included "One Of Those Things" and "Maybe It Was Memphis" her second album, Homeward Looking Angel produced such hits as "Shake The Sugar Tree" and "Cleopatra Queen Of Denial." Tillis's third album for Arista Sweetheart's Dance was released in 1993 and yielded the hit single "Spilled Perfume."

Tillis's marrige to songwriter/singer Bob DiPiero is a success story in itself. The two were at first in a business relationship only: Tillis and DiPiero had been cowrighting together. One night the two writers went out to dinner to celebrate DiPiero's number-one hit "That Rock Won't Roll" by the country group Restless Heart. The first dinner outing led to a second and so on. After a three and a half year courtship, DiPiero married Tillis on Valentines's Day in 1991.

The third member of the family is Ben. Tillis's son from her first marrage. Raising him may have slowed her rise to stardom but Pam declares she would not have traded it for anything.

Tillis is the first to admit that the road to fame was not easy, but there's something to be said for experiencing the ups and downs of real life. This is a recurring theme in her songs and is underscored by her powerfull delivery. Perhaps thats why so many country music fans say Pam Tillis is one of their favorites.