A Missouri native trained at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music in Ohio, Pulliam started out on an operatic career. But, with lifelong struggles with weight, he found his size an obstacle to engagements. He told The New York Times he received emails from opera company directors saying, “Well, when you lose 50 pounds, get in touch with me again, and I’ll give you a live audition.”
Giving up singing in his early 20s, he worked as a debt collector and security guard. But, after being tapped to sing the National Anthem at several political events, he told The Times he noticed “a more mature, burnished quality” to his voice, and “it had grown substantially in size.”
Pulliam resumed vocal studies, and his heroic tenor, a voice type especially in demand for works by Wagner and Verdi, began to attract more attention. In 2022, he made debuts with the Cleveland Orchestra and Metropolitan Opera, and in January 2023, he made his first Carnegie Hall appearance, with the Oberlin Orchestra.
Since his sudden death, Facebook has been full of tributes to a man remembered as much for personal warmth and kindness as for a voice of rare power and expressivity.
His cousin, Brigette Elise Pulliam, wrote, “Limmie, who we all knew and affectionately called ‘Junior,’ was truly one of a kind. He was very talented, compassionate, family-oriented, and gifted beyond words. His love for music and his gift for opera were phenomenal, but even more than that, he had a heart for people …
“Whether it was through music, theater, or simply the way he showed up for the people he loved, he carried a light that will continue to live on through all of us.”
In a statement posted on Facebook, the Dallas Symphony Orchestra wrote that they and music director Fabio Luisi “are deeply saddened by the loss of beloved tenor, Limmie Pulliam. We were honored to share three moving performances with Limmie in Mahler’s Symphony No. 8 this past weekend. His extraordinary artistry and infectious spirit left a lasting impression on everyone who had the opportunity to experience his powerful and beautiful voice.
“We extend our heartfelt condolences to his family, friends and loved ones during this difficult time.”
CORRECTION, 3:45 p.m., May 20, 2026: An earlier version of this obituary misstated the day Limmie Pulliam died.