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July 18, 2007
Shane Yellowbird Meets His Idol: Mel Tillis

On Shane Yellowbird's most recent trip to Nashville, he was invited to watch a Grand Ol' Opry show from backstage, where he met one of his heroes.

Backstage at the Opry, a mutual friend introduced Shane to Pam Tillis, who had been performing that night alongside her father, the legendary Mel Tillis. Shane confessed to Pam that her father was his childhood idol and hero. Like Mel, Shane has spoken with a stutter since he was a child. "Riding in the truck as a kid on the rodeo trail, they used to call me ‘Little Mel Tillis', since I'd always stutter." says Shane, "Except for when I knew the words to the songs on the radio, then I could sing them all the way through."

Pam later introduced Shane to her father, and Shane fondly recalls their conversation. "I walked up and said ‘I'm Shuh, shuh, shuh, Shane', and he said ‘I'm Muh, muh, muh, Mel.' and it went on like that from there." The two stuttered back and forth in conversation for some time backstage.

"I've never had a conversation so long where so few words were spoken." says Shane good-naturedly, "But it's a conversation I'll always remember, it really meant a lot to me."

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