(CSC) 1. It has been awhile since our last chat! What’s the latest with you, and how have you been?

(Pam Tillis)

How have I been, that’s a loaded question (Laughs). I’m going to have to come out with a book soon about it. Last year was a very interesting year, had some real intense challenges and came through it. I feel like sometimes when you go through those kind of trials, you come through it on the other side with a renewed passion for life and for the gifts that you’ve been given. My music, my family, everything just came into a lot sharper focus. I feel like I lost a little bit of time, but I hit the ground running January 1. I have a lot of exciting things on the horizon. One of the things I really decided to make a serious commitment to is the songwriting. This is not as high profile, so it may not seem as if I’m doing much, but I’m very busy right now. It feels great to be writing again. There’s a whole bunch of new artists that it’ll be fun to have songs recorded by, so I’m pretty fired up. I’m the most inspired that I’ve been in a long time.

(CSC) 2. This coming spring you’re embarking on a tour of the U.K. and Ireland. What excites you most about this tour, and what sort of a set list can fans expect from the shows?

(Pam Tillis)

I am Scotch-Irish descent and part Cherokee. I’ve never been to Ireland. I’ve been to England a little bit, but I feel like it’s kind of a pilgrimage, like going home in a way. This is my first trip to Ireland. Everybody I know that’s been there they rave about it. They go on and on about it. They say “it’s the most beautiful country, people are great. You’ll love it!” I can’t wait. One of the things, when you go to another country, it’s always a little scary because you don’t know what they know of your music, which records they were most exposed to, that kind of thing. I find that Europe in general tends to like some of the more traditional type of country. My music goes in several different directions. But, we can lean hard country if that’s what they want! (Laughs) We pulled from some of those kind of things, from some of the older albums. We’re excited. It’s going to be great!

(CSC) 3. You’ve played to European audiences several times before, how would you say the country music fans overseas differ to the ones here at home?

(Pam Tillis)

I think music is more of a unifier than something that differentiates us. I think they love a good song, just like American audiences. They love to have a good time. They have the same kind of workday pressures and struggles that everybody has. They want to get out and blow off steam. If anything, I would say they sometimes like a little bit of the retro sound or traditional sound, a little bit more than American audiences. I don’t know if that’s true of American audiences. I believe they just don’t get as exposed to the traditional kind of country. I think radio is geared a little more modern. So, maybe there isn’t that much difference after all.

(CSC) 4. Your latest album, “Rhinestoned” has done very well for you! What did you appreciate most about being able to have the ultimate “creative touch” with it?

(Pam Tillis)

In Europe it did a lot better. Over here it was more of an Americana release, so we didn’t get the mainstream radio appreciation, or love. But, we didn’t really chase that either. I guess I’ve been off on an artistic tangent for a while, just kind of doing what I wanted to. Sometimes I’ve had trouble “coloring inside the lines” so to speak. I was lucky that for so many years I felt like I was kind of in sync with mainstream radio. I had a lot of hits and I appreciate radio. I’m certainly not turning my back on them, maybe one day I’ll come back, if they would have me back. I’m definitely cheering a lot of the younger artists on and letting them have their day in the sun. It’s all good!

(CSC) 5. With such a refreshing collection of fantastic cuts from “Rhinestoned,” what can we expect next from you musically?

(Pam Tillis)

I don’t know. I’m on a search. I’m on a journey. I believe the songwriting takes you there. I don’t like to put the concept first. I let the songs take me there. Then slowly, as you get a batch of songs, a picture kind of emerges. It comes into another focus when you go into the studio and you start getting the sounds coming together. It’s just a process; it’s hard to say what it’s going to be. The main thing is I want it to be exciting and interesting. I don’t want to do anything just for the sake of doing it. It has to matter to me. I feel like the world has enough mediocre music. (laughs) It has got to be fantastic or I’m not doing it (laughs).

(CSC) 6. Growing up among country music royalty, what do you cherish about your father (Mel Tillis) personally and professionally?

(Pam Tillis)

That’s a good question. Personally, he’s my dad. I know that he loves me and is there for me. That’s all you expect from your dad. As a fellow entertainer, and also a little bit dad, he’s one of the smartest people I know. He’s brilliant. He comes off like such a clown, bad boy/clown. Hellion! (Laughs) They don’t know he’s extremely well-read. He’s a thinker. He has a photographic memory, just about, not exactly. But, it’s pretty scary. I think he’s one of the smartest guys, and I’ve met a lot of smart people in my life. That’s pretty cool and I’m proud of him for that. He’s writing a book, and it’s like anything he tries to do he does well. So, I would say that crosses over into the professional, too. That’s inspiring to me. He’s always inspired me to be the best that I could be. He’s also been a good role model. He’s always very kind to his audience, he signs autographs after every show. He’s always sweet to people, from the waitress, the elevator man, to the third engineer in the studio, to the guys schlepping the gear around at the shows. He’s nice to everybody. I’ve always tried to emulate that. I think that’s important.     

(CSC) 7. Coming from a musically talented family how do you and your family utilize your gift of music together?

(Pam Tillis)

I’ve really made it a point to involve my family with my music whenever it makes sense. I recorded a tribute album to my dad, “Tillis Sings Tillis,” the siblings all sang on it and even the grandkids sang on it. Dad had a theater in Branson (Missouri) for 13 years, but he sold it. I got asked to perform there in the spring one time for six weeks. I called my brother and sister and said “Hey, just because dad’s not here doesn’t mean you guys can’t come.” So I pulled them into my show. We write together a lot, my brother, my sister and I. We did a Christmas tour this year for the first time, if you can believe that! It was the first time Sonny and Carrie had been out on the road, and we really, genuinely enjoy each other’s company. We work really well together, which is funny, because as kids there was intense sibling rivalry. There are six of us, and there were knock down, drag outs all the time. (Laughs) You would never think that we would all grow up and settle down, and really just love hanging out together, but we do.   

(CSC) 8. You’ve seen the music business constantly change through the years, is there anything at this point in your career that surprises you?

(Pam Tillis)

Well, yeah. Okay. Here’s what surprises the hell out of me. I cannot believe the amount of money that it takes to promote an artist’s first single, to get an artist established. I think it’s shocking and there’s something wrong about it. It’s like politics, money and politics. There’s something really not right about it. It’s hard to explain the music business sometimes to a lay audience. I find it alarming. Do you ever hear what they cost? I’ve heard between a half million to a million dollars to break a single. What’s bad about that is that there is a lot of talent, but if they don’t have the right back up behind them, they won’t see the light of day. It’s a shame. I see a lot of artists tossed aside if the first single or two doesn’t happen. It surprises me, the money involved. I feel like the careers are shorter now it seems like its more pop and rock and the turnover is bigger. Used to be if you got a couple of hits you could work forever. Nowadays it doesn’t seem so much like that. I’ve been very blessed, I’m still working. My first hit was 17 years ago, and I’ve been real lucky. I’ve had a good career. I don’t see that happening so much for the younger artists, and that hurts my feelings for them! 

(CSC) 9. Out of all the achievements in your career, which mean the most to you and why?

(Pam Tillis)

I’m very proud of being an Opry member. You know, I think surviving in the music business is an achievement. I’ve been singing and writing since I was 15 years old. To still be here and have somebody like you say they’re interested in what I’m doing, and to be aware of my music, I feel like that’s something that a lot of people would be happy to trade places with me. It’s been a fun ride. I’ve got to go to a lot of wonderful places, meet a lot of great people, see the world, be on television, and be in a movie, all kinds of fun things. Just making a good life in music to me has been an accomplishment. I feel very fortunate. It was really, really wonderful to win a CMA Vocalist of the Year award. That means a lot to me because I’m in really good company. That’s a peer-voted award and I worked a long time for that sucker! (Laughs) I was happy with that!

(CSC) 10. You have a very unique and stylish appeal, where do you find such fashionable outfits?

(Pam Tillis)

Gosh, I don’t know. I’ve always liked fashion and clothes. I’ve gotten compliments through the years. It’s funny, I’ll look back at some old outfits and I’ll go “What was I thinkin’?” I guess it was cool at the time. (Laughs) I’m like everybody else. If you’re kind of adventurous when it comes to fashion, you’re going to make some mistakes, and that’s okay. I just enjoy clothes. Some people hate to shop, but I always thought it was fun to dress up and be glamorous. But, I grew up with that. The stars I looked up to as a little girl they were so glamorous! Dottie West. Oh my God! She was like the living Barbie doll! And Loretta wears those fancy fairy outfits! I don’t care what you do, just be outrageous! I’m so tired of things being boring. I hate cookie cutter. Actually, this is pretty sedate for me. Dolly, she always looked like a million bucks, even if it was over the top. I’ve tried in my shows to do that. I like the dressed down look, but I’m a little bit over it. Like sometimes when I see the guys in just a tee shirt or a flannel shirt, I’m like “C’mon on guys. Try a little bit harder.” I loved Trace Adkins when he was on the last award show. He wore a suit and he just looked so nice. I think people like to see you looking sharp.

(CSC) 11. What direction would you like to see the future of country music head over the next few years?

(Pam Tillis)

In a perfect world, the playlist would be just a little bit broader, a little more inclusive. I just don’t like seeing country music done down. We need greater songwriting, like Merle Haggard. I hear a lot of stuff in folk and alternative that is very, very intelligent songwriting. Don’t get me wrong. There are some fantastic songs on country radio. But, there is also some stuff, if I may say, that’s pretty trite. I just feel like if we keep the song strong, that’s the kind of music that people hold onto for years and years. We need songs that mean something. That’s all I care about.

(CSC) 12. Your talent is boundless; you’ve done everything from country to jazz, rock, pop, and blues to acting in television and performing on Broadway…what’s next?!

(Pam Tillis)

Well, I really don’t know. I have a bunch of stuff that I need to get out. I have a children’s story written that my sister is illustrating, we’ve written a bunch of lullabies for a kid’s album that we have to get out. Like I said, I lost last year, I couldn’t work. I would like to do a country/jazzy album. I have so many projects I don’t have time for this! (Laughs) I’m working on a cookbook, with a different slant than Trish’s, which I hear great things about. I haven’t checked it out. I’m sure she’s a good cook. I’m working on a lot of things.