Trilly Cole

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A multi-instrumentalist, singer, and comedian, often booked as just 'Trilly,' who notably performed at the Captain's Table for over 15 years in the late 60s, 70s, and early 80s.

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History[edit | edit source]

From Indiana, Turila Cole played many instruments including guitar, banjo and the mandolin, which featured heavily in her nightclub routine. She moved to Nashville to pursue her musical career. Her group "Trilly Cole and the Capers" toured the US extensively over an 8 year period from the late 60s into the 70s. The Manchester-born guitarist Russell Riddle had previously had a psych band called "The Uncalled For," who had a Billboard hit.

After performing at the Captains Table for 15 years, Trilly did a stint in Las Vegas before moving to Iowa and Indiana, where she continued to perform later in life.

The liner note for her second album "Just Trilly" written by Alan Moore, president of One-Way Productions: "Just like the title of this album says, - "Just Trilly." Sure, show biz is tinsel, glamour, and bright lights. But here is one lady who approaches this business with total honesty. Her act is sincere, genuine, down to earth, and noticeably lacking in the typica; "I'm the star, you're the ordinary" attitude. Trilly Cole is a dynamic entertainer, musician, and songstress, yet she is a picture of humility. She doesn't forget the people on stage or at intermission. And that, folk, more than any other talent on her long list of talents, impresses me the most."

On her more comedy focused album, "Doin' the Crawdad," a photo-spread by Alan called 'Little Filly trilly' showed her more flirtatious stage presence as she worked the crowd. A review for Hillbilly Fillies describes it so: "I guess playing a big goofball was part of her act, as seen on this album art... At least it looks like she was a good egg, and could take a joke. A variety of material here, including a lotta uptempo tunes and a bunch of patriotic stuff rounding off Side Two, including yet another version of the oft-covered "American Trilogy" medley, which I still don't understand how it's considered a Mickey Newberry composition when he just strung three old songs together. But I digress. Again. Anyway, the back cover features a bunch of pics of Trilly working the room at one of her shows, and I guess she had a mildly naughty, flirtatious thing going on with the guys in the crowd. It was a swingin' scene back then, I guess. No info about the backing band, though we do see them onstage in a couple of photos."

On her album "Trilly: Live in Printers Alley" Captain's Table owner Mickey Kreitner writes, "Trilly is delightfully different. She is new, refreshing, captivating, original, warm, and super exciting. Cole is truly a musical entertainment experience. Singing, dancing, and playing her guitar, banjo, mandolin, and fiddle, she absolutely electrifies and intrigues her audience. She has class, she has talents, she has excitement. Trilly Cole is one artist who knows the exact meaning of entertainment." This album was also engineered by Lee Hazen, who produced many of her albums.

The webpage Hillbilly Fillies reviewed her "Live in Printers Alley" thus: ""Applause to an entertainer is like warm hands to a cow on a cold morning..." This is snippet of the stage patter on this live album, recorded during Trilly Cole's long-running stint as the headliner at the Captain's Table nightclub in Nashville's Printer's Alley, where she worked for fifteen years. A talented multi-instrumentalist, Cole was a child prodigy from LaPorte, Indiana who learned the banjo when she was just six years old and set off on a professional career as a teen. She's best known for her Captain's Table gig, but she also toured and played Vegas, mixing country covers with flashy instrumental numbers from pop, ragtime and old-timey sources. Cole wasn't strictly a "country" artist, but she definitely played a lot of country stuff... several of her backing musicians also went on to work other professional gigs in Nashville. I'm not sure, but I think this was her first album. The set is fun and far-ranging, though it has to be said Ms. Cole wasn't a terribly commanding vocalist, and she often rushes through songs that should be a little bit slower... She was a skillful crowd-pleaser, though, and this record gives a great picture of how she worked the room. High points include her giving a shout-out to the local policemen's association, her disavowal of "women's liberators," a zippy rendition of "Foggy Mountain Breakdown," a terrible (but very 'Seventies!) version of Kiki Dee's "I Got The Music In Me" as well as a super-misguided and completely disjointed medley of Kris Kristofferson's "Lord Help Me Jesus" and George Harrison's "My Sweet Lord." And, of course, the cow joke. More cowbell!!"

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She died in 2020 in her native Indiana. Her obituary reads: "She was born May 21, 1951, in Hammond to Edward and Theresa (Adams) Cole and graduated from Hammond Tech High School. Music captured Trilly's heart at an early age, and by age 6 she began performing with her brother and sister at regional events. Through her teens, Trilly kept singing and playing banjo, guitar and mandolin. Her career thrived as a lead musician with "Trilly and the Capers" and "The Trilly Cole Band" with lengthy stints in Nashville, Las Vegas and throughout Iowa. Her effervescent personality and talent endeared her to her fans. After retiring from full time entertaining she returned to her beloved Kouts, working several years at Wal-Mart as well as playing her banjo at several nursing homes throughout the Calumet Region."

Members[edit | edit source]

Trilly Cole - mandolin, fiddle, guitar, and banjo

Russell Riddle - guitar (in Trilly Cole and the Capers)

Steve Samuels - keyboard. credited on the LP "Trilly in Nashville"

Jamie Hines - bass, vocals. credited on the LP "Trilly in Nashville"

Ray von Rotz - drums. credited on the LP "Trilly in Nashville"

Joe Wright - steel guitar, vocals. credited on the LP "Trilly in Nashville"

Releases[edit | edit source]

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7"[edit | edit source]

1973: "Love All Over Again/ I'm Sorry" on Caper Records, cat# 1002. Pressed at United (UR 233)

"Keep on Believing/ Got to be Something" on Sounds Like Nashville, cat# SLN - 8080

LPs[edit | edit source]

1975:

"Trilly, Live In Printer's Alley "‎ on Leson International Inc., cat# LSI-75-9-01

"Just Trilly" ‎on Leson International Inc., cat# LSI 75-9-02

"Trilly Cole" on Leson International Inc., cat# LSI 75 9 04

"Doin' The Crawdad" ‎on Leson International Inc, cat# LSI 75 9 03

1980: "Trilly In Nashville" on WACO Records , cat# WTC 8013

1981: "Keep On Believing" ‎on WACO Records

External references[edit | edit source]

https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/nwitimes/name/turila-walsh-obituary?id=9354394

https://www.tullahomanews.com/obituaries/obituaries-sept-14-2013/article_4a0bd3cf-e310-51e6-a045-ad209e6a2afa.html

http://www.slipcue.com/music/country/countrystyles/hillbilly_fillies/C_01.html

https://www.discogs.com/artist/4223227-Trilly-Cole