OH his voice haunting. How many of my brothers in arms are trapped in a bed watching the shadows move along the walls while they wait to die. Please God give them peace that you can give.

The best version you've never heard !

I believe it’s a true story. Shame on ruby

My grandfather started a band in Okinawa and Mel joined it. They finally met back up in Branson years later, what a great generation.

Mel Tillis is the first musician i ever saw live.. I'm incredibly proud of that.

Just stunning from one of the very few ........great .........country singers and songwriters.

In my humble opinion, I think Ruby is one of the greatest songs in country music history, and it doesn't get mentioned like it should. Mel did such a wonderful job on it.

I have always admired Mel Tillis, great singer and songwriter, fine actor, and very comical guy, but I just want to say that this acoustic performance on Porter Wagoner show was absolutely stunning and just plain badass!

Mel was a great writer. He wrote RUBY, and as you see, sang it so well. RIP Mel. Where have all the greats in country music gone? Thank God we can still see them here on KZfaq.

Mel Tillis - great song. When he talked he stuttered but, when he sang he did not stutter! A line in the song about a "crazy Asian war" and the time of the song's release led to the assumption that the song was about a veteran of the Vietnam War, though this was never stated in the lyrics. However, Tillis stated that the song was about a veteran of World War II

When I deployed to Iraq in 2007, I had my daughter send me an iPod with all the songs of my junior high days....just in case. Spent many a Blackhawk flight with this great classic! As timeless as it was in 1969. Substitute SW Asia for SE Asia,,,,,,,,,,,We NEVER learn.

Porter’s show always had great sound. No exception here.

If that ain't poetry, tragic and true

I love this version of ruby by Mel tillis.

Today, he died... I came looking to see him do this song. RIP. 11/19/2017

Wow gained a new respect for ol' Mel, deep emotional tone

Mel Tillis and Kenny Rogers... "For God's sake, turn around...!!!"

Rest in Peace Mr Kenny Rogers, who sang Ruby, and Mr Mel Tillis (Songwriter).

The man wrote a iconic classic right here. Lonnie Melvin Tillis showing you how it is done.

This is an amazing version of an iconic country tune, and the lack of instrumentation (an intimate moment between the songwriter and the song) makes the message even stronger. I love it...!

he was a great guitar player too , had it all

absolutely one of the best songs ever written....rest in peace Mel.

MEL TILLIS Wrote This Great Song BUT It REALLY Came to Prominence When KENNY ROGERS Recorded it 3 Years After MEL Wrote it. Deep Song, True Story and KENNY OWNED IT. 🎵 🎶 👍.

I heard him tell the story of how he wrote this song…he was driving back from Tennessee and heard Johnny Cash on the radio playing singing “Dont take your guns to town” and he came up with “Ruby, dont take your love to town”…Ruby was the wife of a American GI who was injured in the war and later lived behind him and his mom when he was growing up in Florida and he used to hear them fighting constantly and some years later hearing that Johnny Cash song made him come up with the lyrics to this song lol kind of cool actually

I always knew that Mel tillis wrote it and I and I liked his version along with the 1st editions

Mell was good country singer and he will be missed

Was just listening to coke cola cowboy yesterday. First time ever seeing this clip. It really shows his talent. Awesome 😎

What a heart breaking, gut wrenching song. While I like the Kenny Rogers version, this one had deeper feeling and had the tears welling up.

Mel wrote some great tunes

Another sad loss to the Country Music industry. Today Mel Tillis passed. Rest in Peace.

The best thing to come out of Dover,Florida. RIP Mel Tillis

Fun to hear the writer of the song do his own composition. Inspiring to hear Kenny Rogers version too. Just a powerful heartbreak song. RIP to you both!

Check out the marks above the strings to the left of the sound hole and to the left of the scratch plate. That guitar has been played a lot.

A heart breaking song. RIP SGT Jeremy Smith. This was one of your favorites.

R.I.P. Mel Tillis. May your music live on for ever.

My favorite entertainer of all time!,

This is the best version of this song i have ever heard

Best song for a wedding.

One of his best.

I had never heard the Mel Tillis original, what have I been missing out on!

Came looking for the Roger Miller and found out this is the original. I say both are great.

Great version

Thanks, Mel

I am quickly developing immense appreciation for Mel Tillis, having realized that my gg-grandmother was a Tillis from the same county, probably one of his aunts or cousins. That sparked my interest in his work and personality. Have always loved traditional Country music. So thrilled now to learn that he wrote this great song, and truly enjoy hearing him sing it. Handsome with wonderful eyes, manners, and voice -- he really has won my heart!

I just saw the will The circle be unbroken documentary and learned this about Mel Tillis. It was one of the best programs I've ever seen in my whole life I'm so glad I stayed up till 11:00 at night to watch it I am so informed

I kinda thought a story was behind Mel writing this song it’s so unfortunate that a young fella went through this kind of tragedy maybe because of the war or something Rest in peace mel.

The best version. Love it!

What a great version!

One of the greatest country songs, sung in all simplicity ! Mel Tillis was one country music's greats ! I love it !

Amazing, brilliant song and performance

A true storyteller of lyrics.

That song had to be a true story because it's so real and oh so good.

RIP, Mr. Tillis....wonderful memories...

Mel does his song beautifully

Beautiful song. Nobody can cover a song like the original songwriter. They tell the story best.

This is simply great. It's got the same naked honesty and yeah, the sound of a man's heart breaking, as Danny Whitten's (Crazy Horse, original recording) of I Don't Wanna Talk About It. The covers are better known, but the writers did em best.

Mellifluous!

Salute to ALL soldiers that proudly serve in wars they never started because of others seeking glory.

R.I.P. Mel

Mel showing everyone who Ruby belonged to.

Wow what a voice!

It wasn't me that started that crazy Slavic war...

Brings Back Memories

Cake does "Ruby" justice, another good version of this song!

What a fantastic song!!! The best version in my opinion. Although Roger Millers version does come close. The guitar sounded great as well. I’d like to learn this song on the guitar. It has some different chords in it. Again a great song sung very well.

RIP Mel T.

Really great song..I grew up hearing Kenny Rogers version, but my mother had told me that Mel Tillis had written it. I never had heard Mel Tillis sing it until now -- he had such a nice voice!

RIP Mr. Tillis~

Xcellent.

I wouldn't give to be able to turn on the television Saturday afternoon and catch this ! That Ruby not the disabled Nam vet's ideal of a wife !

Always felt Mel does "Ruby" better than anyone! A faster version by Mel can be found on KZfaq 1980 - ACL Live - Mel Tillis Ruby Don't Take Your Love To Town - Orange Blossom Special (which Mel's Band the Statesiders does a super job of!)

Seen him on Match Game today he was singing this song, I had to stop by and hear it one more time.

true fan i still have your fiddle

I posted some where that I had watched Mel Tillis sing "Ruby" on The Tonight Show many yrs. ago. He gave some back ground story about the song. It was based on a WW2 vet .who had married a German girl. The Vietnam war was going on and that is why "crazy Asian war" was used. He then sang the song. Just him and his guitar. Sounded so good just like in this video. R.I.P. Mel Tillis.

This man’s voice!

Love these old country songs !

Great song by a great singer/songwriter. Thanks for posting.

Always MY HERO!!!!!!!!!!!!

mell came to palatka fl back in the late 60's and did a short show for a friend a the east palatka red barn a local weekend country music event. i was fortunate to meet and talk to him...he was a great intertainer and a true country gentleman..and the groupe i sang with did the opening...i might also mention he was almost at the peak of his popularity..and took time for such a small venue says volumes about his characture.

Magical

Rest In Peace

Deep and chilling...... If this doesn't make you an anti war voice I don't know what will....

Beautiful version!!

Decades ago…favorite

I love this Mel! You are one of a kind my friend!

Rest In Peace Mel

Holy shit. This is 100 times more powerful than Kenny's version. I had no idea it was a cover, I realised Rogers didn't write it, I'm not sure he wrote anything, but still didn't know this man wrote AND sang it first. Somehow SO much more evocative and believable with just a guitar and an amazing voice. This has changed my whole appreciation of a song I've known for 40 years. Mel Tillis was clearly an unsung talent. I'll say it again.... this shits all over every performance Kenny Rogers ever did.

Sing it mel awsome job

Great antiwar song sung by the songwriter. He was a unique talent. Glad I got to see him perform a few years ago in Annapolis MD at Ram's Head Inn. He was still full of energy. Got to meet him too - very nice gentleman. Safe journey, Mr. Tillis.

Just got the urge to sing this last week. Great song and easy to remember the words, since I heard it as a child. Sang it slow last week, but this week I'll do it as Mel does it here, with the bass run down added from later versions.

the great Mel Tillis!

Great song, but that coat Porter has on is epic quality.

thank you so much for posting this... my eldest daughter Ruby was named after the George Jones of this song.. the best version yet!!!!!

I like that he took the part from Johnny Cash's song which is "don't take your guns to town" and put it into the song as "Don't take your love to town".

The whataburger guy wrote and sang an instant classic

Thanks for posting. (Much better solo than with a full band..) I'm partial to Roger Miller's cover version I guess (and The First Edition, I grew up with...), but this is great as well -- and straight from the horse's mouth, so to speak. ~ ;-)

2024 wow just wow ❤

wow, so this is the original? The phrasing and harmonies are quite different from the more famous versions. My favorite cover so far: Gary Holton and Casino Steele.

so young here...

I heard the song two years later when Kenny Rogers sang