Family, friends and fans gathered Monday afternoon at the Mount Hermon Baptist Church in Clarksville to bid country music star Mel Tillis farewell. Tillis, 85, died Nov. 19.

Following a three-hour visitation, daughter Pam Tillis said, “This has been a long day…  Daddy never did a short show, and I don’t see why we should.”

In her eulogy, she said that the outpouring of love the Tillis family has received from her father’s fans around the world has been “nothing short of amazing,” and read a letter from one of his most famous admirers: Dolly Parton.

Daughter Carrie Tillis, songwriter Bobby Tomberlin and two of Mel Tillis’ “Stutterettes” backup singers sang gospel music during the ceremony. Tomberlin’s performance segued into “Detroit City,” and the entire room softly sang along to the chorus: “I want to go home, Oh Lord, I want to go home.”

After the funeral, Tillis was laid to rest during a private burial service. Another memorial will be held in Nashville in January; details will be finalized in the coming weeks.