O.C. POP MUSIC REVIEW : Pam Tillis: Highbrow but Down to Earth

There aren’t many singers who would shamelessly deliver a pun as silly as the title of the tune “Cleopatra, Queen of Denial” and then segue into two song titles with references to literary greats William Faulkner (“Maybe It Was Memphis?”) and Thomas Wolfe (“Homeward Looking Angel”).

During her 75-minute early set at the Crazy Horse on Monday, Pam Tillis interwove her striking intelligence with disarming humor, her jaw-dropping talent with casual charm, and sophistication with down-home country so adroitly that these paradoxes seemed more like kissing cousins than strange bedfellows.

Can you imagine any of country’s other leading singers using their vocal prowess as a source of laughs the way that Tillis did when she soared to the top of her range to sing jokingly the refrain of “Love Me Tender” in “What Would Elvis Do?” a humorous song she hasn’t recorded.

Later in the set Tillis introduced “Melancholy Child,” an autobiographical number about her troubled youth, by quipping, “I’m very proud of my Cherokee heritage. My Indian name is Running Mascara.”

Humor and talent come as something of a birthright to Tillis. She is the daughter of veteran country star Mel Tillis, who is almost as well known for the way he turned his stuttering into a source of comedy as he is for his long string of country hits.

Tillis alluded to her famous father only once during the show when she spoke briefly about growing up as the daughter of a country-music legend during her introduction to her traditional country hit, “Blue Rose Is.” She made gentle fun of her father’s stuttering and related that she used to nap in his guitar case while he was working on songs.

Tillis’ disarming sense of humor and casual approach were not only entertaining, they also kept her striking talent from outdistancing the Everywoman theme of most of her songs.

In spite of her superstar musical heritage, Tillis’ concert was choreographed to synchronize perfectly with the mood and lyrics of her songs. Tillis moved with such casual grace that she seemed more like an animated friend punctuating her conversation with gestures than an entertainer.

In this way, Tillis’ dancing and movements kept the show visually exciting without distracting from the focus of her songs.

Tillis’ six-piece band, the Mystic Biscuits, supported her with the same understated brilliance that characterized every other aspect of her show.

Lead guitarist Steve Mandile kept his spirited solos brief and to the point. He showed his versatility by switching to mandolin during “Melancholy Child.” Fiddle player Larry Franklin delivered some rousing breaks and then stepped into the spotlight for “Sugarfoot Rag,” the one instrumental in Tillis’ 10-song set.

Tillis drew material equally from her country debut album, “Put Yourself in My Place” and her follow-up “Homeward Looking Angel,” and introduced three new songs.

She paced her set well by opening with her two first hits, “Put Yourself in My Place” and “Don’t Tell Me What to Do” and then building to a climax by delivering her big hits “Shake the Sugar Tree,” “Let That Pony Run” and “Maybe It Was Memphis” toward the end of her set.

In her characteristic unassuming way, she barely walked off the stage before she turned right around to encore with “Homeward Looking Angel” for the wildly enthusiastic crowd.