POP MUSIC REVIEW : Pam Tillis’ Country Is Different Than Dad’s

ANAHEIM —  Because her dad has more than 75 country hits to his name, it’s understandable that singer Pam Tillis tried to make a name for herself in a different branch of music. But after years as a none-too-successful rocker--with a few poorly charting mid-’80s stabs at country--Tillis has now found a country success that’s clearly set apart from her famous father, Mel.

Appearing Sunday at the Cowboy Boogie Co.--which is developing a knack for booking rising stars--the 33-year-old singer-songwriter delivered a driving brand of country that was a far whoop and cry from her father’s traditional wares.

With striking Cherokee features from her mother’s side of the family, Tillis is small-framed, but she has a big, gutsy voice that shouts down her country-rock numbers and belts her ballads. Backed by a strong band, dubbed the Frisky Bisquets, Tillis performed a winning set of songs from her debut Arista album of this year, “Put Yourself in My Place.”

Some of her songs, such as “Ancient History” and “One of Those Things,” suggested her musical personality still has a ways to develop before it stands alone. Other numbers, though, displayed a mature lyric voice.

“Draggin’ My Chains” was performed as a resolute anthem for hitting the town again while getting over a broken relationship, with Tillis growling through the chorus, “I may not be free, but I’m dragging my chains.” Backing her, the band played with a Bakersfield drive, boosted by an aggressive solo from steel guitarist Gary Morse. “I’ve Seen Enough to Know” was an touching ode to forgiveness, on which the band’s string players played the riff in octaves, creating a sound like a huge 12-string guitar.

Other album songs included the rocking “Maybe It Was Memphis,’ ‘ “Blue Rose Is,” a ballad about loneliness, and her recent No. 1 country hit, “Don’t Tell Me What to Do,” which became an audience sing-along. Bob DiPiero--Tillis’ husband, her sometimes writing partner and the band’s acoustic guitarist--took the lead microphone for his “Cumberland Road.” Tillis also enthusiastically warbled through Hank Williams’ “Long Gone Lonesome Blues” and introduced a sassy new number, “Queen of the Nile,” a humorous look at a girl with an attitude.

Tillis didn’t shy from her heritage, giving a torchy, emotion-racked vocal to Mel’s 1977 hit “Burning Memories.” Her father’s stuttering has only further endeared him to the country music world, and, much as Mel does, Pam treated it as a subject for mirth, declaring, “Actually, I’m working on a nervous tic which I think is going to put me right on top.”