• . ° ......
All West Alabama
Jill Tutt sings
on purpose
Foundation to fight breast cancer
will benefit from her Nashville album
arkling eyes that never
ceased to twinkle all night with
an effervescent smile which
flooded the room, Jill Tutt was
selling compact discs, tee
shirts, hats, and anything to
promote her CD album "It's
Almost Christmas Day."
The great room of the Demopolis Country Club filled
with her friends, relatives, and invited guests to "do
something with a purpose."
That purpose is to raise money for the Shirley Dixon
Breast Cancer Foundation. Shirley was Jill's mother
until that dreaded disease took her across River Jordan to
the Promised Land.
From her first days at Sunday School in Providence
Baptist Church, Jill Dixon sang. She loved singing and
people loved to hear and see her sing.
She was a slight figure with big eyes, a sparkling
smile, and a lively presence.
That brought down the house when she appeared in
the Marengo Academy Follies when she was in the
Seventh Grade.
A bouncy and pretty song was hitting the top of the
charts that year by Donna Fargo.
When Jill Dixon sang it to the packed house, the
packed house responded with thundering applause to her
rendition of "I'm the Happiest Girl in the USA."
That was some years ago, and she still has the eyes,
the smile, the personality, and now she has eloquence
too could talk to the smallest child and get a laugh or
grin.
Siblings Dee Ann Roark, Lisa Skelton, and Kevin
Dixon were there for her night of expression of a pur-
pose. (Kevin was in the bar watching the Auburn foot-
ball game along with her father Arthur Dixon.)
As the guests sat at the tables and listened to her talk
about each song on her album, Jill Tutt reached into their
hearts. Her producer, she said, told her to laugh while
singing Jingle Bells for the album. In another song, she
was told to cry. She explained this was difficult.
She proved to be a trouper and managed a tear or two
which is inflected in her voice.
In another reflection of Jill Tul* was the presence of
Waverly Brace Saturday evening.
In December of 2013 Waverly discovered she had a
lump in her breast and she and her husband had no insur-
ance.
Along the way, she was directed to the Alabama
Breast and Cervical Cancer Treatment Center where
people without insurance are treated. Jill explained it is
called ABC Center.
Waverly was at the country club at Jill's request
because when the funds from her album, tee shirts, caps,
and other regalia are totalled, then 10 percent goes to the
Shirley Dixon Breast Cancer Foundation. That founda-
tion money will then go to Waverly to help pay her med-
ical bills.
This is Jill's idea of doing something with a purpose.
Instead of embarking on a career of music, Jill spent
her mother years raising her sons.
That was one purpose in life. This purpose of record-
ing traditional Christmas songs has taken a lot of her
time as her sons are mature and can take responsibilities
of their own. She also teaches English at Demopolis
High School
She has one favorite song on her album, "How Great
Thou Art," that moves her spiritually.
and sophistication but not so much that she could resist She did take time to travel to Nashville to record this
album
smiling and sticking out her tongueata"trtegirt-acmss :- at the Sou_d Sb.op .....................
the table (and threatened the photographer if he took her For those who did not come to the event at the country
picture).
The smooth sounding name of Dixon has long since
been changed to Tutt, a somewhat sharper sound for a
sweet last name.
That man, Webb Tutt, is the one she took for her hus-
band and they have three sons, David, William, and
Robert.
Saturday evening, Nov. 1, Webb Tutt was at the front
door greeting people coming to see and hear his wife. He
club in Demopolis, Jill has a web site where people can
support the Shirley Dixon Breast Cancer Foundation.
Also, Jill will perform at Linden's Chili fest. She will
have a tent and will sing some with Christmas on the
River. She will be at Lindsey's open house Thursday
Nov 6. Jill will be singing at local churches as well. She
will be at Lee's Kloset in Nov. 16 for open house.
Her website is www.jilltutt.com. You can find her at
JillTutt Productions. -- Goodloe Sutton
"I'm excited to have Waverly Bruce as the first recipient of the
Shirley Dixon Breast Cancer Foundation funds." Jill posed
with Wavedy at the country club Saturday evening, Nov. 1, in
g,
I burs Jay, November 6, 201!!
?:!!:
:: !
Demopolis as a packed crowd flocked to the tables wherettie
albums, shirts, caps, etc., were being sold.
Jill Tutt was gregarious and bubbly all night Saturday, Nov. 1, as people came to the Demopolis
countrw 4ub to buy her albums , regalia promoting the Shirley Dixon Breast Cancer Foundation.
Cover for Jill Tutt's compact disc !::
Recipes horn Jill Tuft
Spinach Casserole
1/2 slab of bacon cooked and torn in
pieces
1 stick of butter melted
1 red onion/cup up
Red pepper to taste
1 package of spinach/thawed and
drained (no water)
1/2 cup of sour cream
2 cups of heavy cream
1 small package of parmesan cheese
C I{
Mix and pour into pan and put onion
rings on top cook on 35(F until golden
brown/40 to 45 minutes.
Mom's cornbread dresshg
2 cups chopped onion
3 cups chopped celery
margarine
6 cups crumbled cornbread
3 cups stale or toasted white bread,
crumbled
1 teaspoon salt
3 eggs, well beaten
2 to 3 cups chicken broth or turkey
stock (homemade chicken broth is best)
2 tablespoon celery seed
Saute onion in butter until tender but not
brown. Repeat for celery. Heat stock; com-
bine all other ingredients. Add stock and
mix well. Place dressing in greased casse-
role dishes and bake at 350 ° for 40 minutes
or until nicely brown.
