Luke Bryan Reigns At Spring Break Panama City

MEL TILLIS & FRIENDS HOST FISHING TOURNAMENT TO BENEFIT CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL 

Fifth Annual Event To Be Held April 16 In Crystal River, Fla

Nashville, Tenn (April 8, 2011)  - Country music legend Mel Tillis  heads to the "waterin' hole" to host the Fifth Annual Mel Tillis & Friends Fishing Tournament on April 16.  The tournament will be held at The Plantation Golf Resort & Spa in Crystal River, Fla.  Event participants will be treated to a cocktail party with live entertainment on Friday, April 15, followed by Saturday's fishing tournament, four-man scramble golf tournament, a celebrity auction and closing awards ceremony.  Net proceeds will go directly to Tampa's Shriner's Hospitals For Children.

"We want everyone to come out for the kids.  The children are the reason we do this," says Tillis.  "It's going to be a great time with all my favorite musicians and fishing buddies!"

Tillis debuted his first-ever comedy album, You Ain't Gonna Believe This... (Show Dog - Universal Music), in September 2010.  The album peaked at No. 3, making Tillis one of the few country musicians to successfully cross over into comedic territory.  Tillis has sat comfortably in the upper reaches of the comedy chart alongside some of the nation's funniest comedians, including Rodney Carrington, Dane Cook, Robin Williams, Aziz Ansari and "Weird Al" Yankovic.  

One could say that Mel Tillis has just about done it all during his 50+ years in the entertainment business.  Throughout his monstrous career, Tillis has recorded more than 60 albums, has had 35 Top 10 singles, was named the Country Music Association’s coveted Entertainer of the Year, is a member of the Grand Ole Opry and holds country music’s highest honor as a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame.  He has written more than 1,000 songs, 600 of which have been recorded by major artists including Kenny Rogers (“Ruby, Don’t You Take Your Love To Town”),George Strait (“Thoughts of a Fool”), and Ricky Skaggs (“Honey, Open That Door”).  Broadcast Music Inc. (BMI) named Tillis Songwriter of the Decade for two decades.

For more details on the Mel Tillis & Friends Fishing Tournament, visit www.FishingWithMel.com.

For additional information on Mel Tillis, visit www.meltillis.com.