The Statler Brothers (sometimes simply referred to as The Statlers) were an American
country music
Country (also called country and western) is a genre of popular music that originated in the Southern and Southwestern United States in the early 1920s. It primarily derives from blues, church music such as Southern gospel and spirituals, ...
,
gospel
Gospel originally meant the Christian message ("the gospel"), but in the 2nd century it came to be used also for the books in which the message was set out. In this sense a gospel can be defined as a loose-knit, episodic narrative of the words an ...
, and vocal group. The quartet was formed in 1955 performing locally, and from 1964 to 1972, they sang as opening act and backup singers for
Johnny Cash
John R. Cash (born J. R. Cash; February 26, 1932 – September 12, 2003) was an American country singer-songwriter. Much of Cash's music contained themes of sorrow, moral tribulation, and redemption, especially in the later stages of his ca ...
.
Originally performing
Southern gospel
Southern gospel music is a genre of Christian music. Its name comes from its origins in the southeastern United States. Its lyrics are written to express either personal or a communal faith regarding biblical teachings and Christian life, as ...
music at local churches, the group billed themselves as The Four Star Quartet, and later The Kingsmen.
In 1963, when the song "
Louie, Louie
"Louie Louie" is a rhythm and blues song written and composed by American musician Richard Berry in 1955, recorded in 1956, and released in 1957. It is best known for the 1963 hit version by the Kingsmen and has become a standard in pop and ...
" by the
garage rock
Garage rock (sometimes called garage punk or 60s punk) is a raw and energetic style of rock and roll that flourished in the mid-1960s, most notably in the United States and Canada, and has experienced a series of subsequent revivals. The sty ...
band also called
The Kingsmen
The Kingsmen are a 1960s rock band from Portland, Oregon, United States. They are best known for their 1963 recording of R&B singer Richard Berry's "Louie Louie", which held the No. 2 spot on the ''Billboard'' charts for six weeks and ha ...
became famous, the group elected to bill themselves as The Statler Brothers. Despite the name, only two members of the group (Don and Harold Reid) were actual brothers and no member had the surname of Statler. The group actually named themselves after a brand of
facial tissue
Facial tissue and paper handkerchief refers to a class of soft, absorbent, disposable papers that are suitable for use on the face. They are disposable alternatives for cloth handkerchiefs. The terms are commonly used to refer to the type of pap ...
they had noticed in a hotel room (they later quipped that they could just as easily have named themselves "the
Kleenex Brothers").
Don Reid sang
lead
Lead is a chemical element with the symbol Pb (from the Latin ) and atomic number 82. It is a heavy metal that is denser than most common materials. Lead is soft and malleable, and also has a relatively low melting point. When freshly cu ...
; Harold Reid, Don's older brother, sang
bass; Phil Balsley sang
baritone
A baritone is a type of classical male singing voice whose vocal range lies between the bass and the tenor voice-types. The term originates from the Greek (), meaning "heavy sounding". Composers typically write music for this voice in the r ...
; and
Lew DeWitt
Lewis “Lew” Calvin DeWitt Jr. (March 12, 1938 – August 15, 1990) was an American country music singer, guitarist, and composer. He was a founding member of The Statler Brothers and the group's original tenor.
Biography
For most of his care ...
sang
tenor
A tenor is a type of classical music, classical male singing human voice, voice whose vocal range lies between the countertenor and baritone voice types. It is the highest male chest voice type. The tenor's vocal range extends up to C5. The lo ...
and was the
guitarist
A guitarist (or a guitar player) is a person who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of guitar family instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselv ...
before being replaced due to ill health by
Jimmy Fortune
Jimmy Fortune (born March 11, 1955) is an American country music singer from Nelson County, Virginia. Fortune sang tenor for The Statler Brothers for 21 years, and wrote the song "Elizabeth" for the group. After The Statler Brothers retired, he c ...
in 1982.
The band's style was closely linked to their gospel roots. "We took gospel harmonies," said Harold Reid, "and put them over in country music."
Most of their albums contain at least one gospel song, and they produced several containing only gospel. They also recorded a tribute song to
The Blackwood Brothers
The Blackwood Brothers are an American southern gospel quartet. Pioneers of the Christian music industry, they are 8-time Grammy Award winners in addition to winning 7 Gospel Music Association Dove Awards. They are also members of the Memphis M ...
, who influenced their music. The song "We Got Paid by Cash" was written by the Statler Brothers as a tribute to Johnny Cash, who discovered and mentored them.
Career
Very early in the group's history, before the group named themselves The Statler Brothers, Joe McDorman was their lead singer.
The Statlers began their career at a performance at Lyndhurst Methodist Church near their hometown of Staunton, Virginia, under the name The Four Star Quartet.
In 1964, they started an eight-year run as Johnny Cash's opening act and backing vocalists.
This period of their career was memorialized in their song "We Got Paid by Cash". They were featured regularly on ''
The Johnny Cash Show
''The Johnny Cash Show'' is an American television music variety show hosted by Johnny Cash. The Screen Gems 58-episode series ran from June 7, 1969, to March 31, 1971, on ABC; it was taped at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, Tennessee. The ...
'', his
ABC
ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script known as the alphabet.
ABC or abc may also refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Broadcasting
* American Broadcasting Company, a commercial U.S. TV broadcaster
** Disney–ABC Television ...
hit that ran from 1969 to 1971. Due to their expanding career, the Statlers left Cash's entourage around the mid-1970s to concentrate on their own career, a departure that took place on good terms.
Two of the Statlers' best-known songs are "
Flowers on the Wall
"Flowers on the Wall" is a song made famous by American country music group The Statler Brothers. Written and composed by Lew DeWitt, the group's original tenor vocalist, the song peaked in popularity in January 1966, spending four weeks at number ...
", their first major hit that was composed and written by Lew DeWitt, and the socially conscious "
Bed of Rose's
"Bed of Rose's" is a song written by Harold Reid, and recorded by American country music group The Statler Brothers. It was released in October 1970 as the first single and title track from the album '' Bed of Rose's''. The song reached its popul ...
". In the 1980s, the Statlers were a mainstay on
The Nashville Network (TNN), where their videos were shown regularly. Also on TNN, between 1991 and 1998, they hosted ''
The Statler Brothers Show
''The Statler Brothers Show'' was an American television variety show hosted by country music group The Statler Brothers. The show ran for seven seasons from 1991 to 1998 on The Nashville Network (TNN) as part of the network's Saturday night line ...
'', a weekly
variety show
Variety show, also known as variety arts or variety entertainment, is entertainment made up of a variety of acts including musical theatre, musical performances, sketch comedy, magic (illusion), magic, acrobatics, juggling, and ventriloquism. It is ...
, which was the network's top-rated program for its entire 7-year run.
Throughout the Statlers' career, much of their appeal was related to their incorporation of comedy and parody into their musical act, due in large part to the humorous and comedic talent of group member Harold Reid; they were frequently nominated for awards for their comedy as well as their singing. They recorded two comedy albums under the
pseudonym
A pseudonym (; ) or alias () is a fictitious name that a person or group assumes for a particular purpose, which differs from their original or true name (orthonym). This also differs from a new name that entirely or legally replaces an individua ...
Lester "Roadhog" Moran and the Cadillac Cowboys, and one-half of one side of the album ''Country Music Then and Now'' was devoted to satirizing small-town radio stations' Saturday-morning shows.
The Statlers earned the number-one spot on the
''Billboard'' chart four times, for "
Do You Know You Are My Sunshine?" in 1978, "
Elizabeth
Elizabeth or Elisabeth may refer to:
People
* Elizabeth (given name), a female given name (including people with that name)
* Elizabeth (biblical figure), mother of John the Baptist
Ships
* HMS ''Elizabeth'', several ships
* ''Elisabeth'' (sch ...
" in 1984, and in 1985, "
My Only Love
''My Only Love'' is a Philippine television drama romance series broadcast by GMA Network. Based on a 1982 Philippine film of the same title, the series is the fifth instalment of '' Sine Novela''. Directed by Louie Ignacio, it stars Mark Herra ...
" and "
Too Much on My Heart".
Since forming, the Statlers have released over 40 albums.
In 1980, the Statler Brothers purchased and renovated their former elementary school, Beverly Manor, in Staunton, occupying the complex for several years. The complex consisted of offices for the group, a small museum and auditorium, and an adjacent building that served as office space for unrelated businesses. A garage was built to store the two tour buses that the group had used for many years. The group has since sold the complex, which Grace Christian Church in Staunton converted back into an academic campus.
In 1970, the group began performing at an annual
Independence Day
An independence day is an annual event commemorating the anniversary of a nation's independence or statehood, usually after ceasing to be a group or part of another nation or state, or more rarely after the end of a military occupation. Man ...
festival in Gypsy Hill Park in Staunton. The event, known as "Happy Birthday USA", lasted for 25 years, and included many country-music figures, including
Mel Tillis
Lonnie Melvin Tillis (August 8, 1932 – November 19, 2017) was an American country music singer and songwriter. Although he recorded songs since the late 1950s, his biggest success occurred in the 1970s as part of the outlaw country movement, ...
,
Charley Pride
Charley Frank Pride (March 18, 1934 – December 12, 2020) was an American singer, guitarist, and professional baseball player. His greatest musical success came in the early to mid-1970s, when he was the best-selling performer for RCA Reco ...
, and many others. The event drew as many as 100,000 fans each year. The group also honored their hometown with the song "Staunton, Virginia" on their 1973 album ''Do You Love Me Tonight''.
DeWitt retired from the Statler Brothers in 1982 due to ill health. After a 3-year hiatus, he returned to the music industry as a solo artist until shortly before his death on August 15, 1990, from complications of
Crohn's disease
Crohn's disease is a type of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that may affect any segment of the gastrointestinal tract. Symptoms often include abdominal pain, diarrhea (which may be bloody if inflammation is severe), fever, abdominal distension ...
, at age 52.
Harold Reid (born on August 21, 1939) died on April 24, 2020, after a long battle with kidney failure, at age 80.
Awards
Academy of Country Music
The Academy of Country Music (ACM) was founded in 1964 in Los Angeles, California as the Country & Western Music Academy. Among the founders were Eddie Miller, Tommy Wiggins, and Mickey and Chris Christensen. They wanted to promote country music ...
*
1972 Top Vocal Group
*
1977 Top Vocal Group
*
2016 Cliffie Stone Pioneer Award
Country Music Association
The Country Music Association (CMA) was founded in 1958 in Nashville, Tennessee. It originally consisted of 233 members and was the first trade organization formed to promote a music genre. The objectives of the organization are to guide and enha ...
*
1972 Vocal Group of the Year
*
1973 Vocal Group of the Year
*
1974 Vocal Group of the Year
*
1975 Vocal Group of the Year
*
1976 Vocal Group of the Year
*
1977 Vocal Group of the Year
*
1979 Vocal Group of the Year
*
1980 Vocal Group of the Year
*
1984 Vocal Group of the Year
Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum
The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville, Tennessee, is one of the world's largest museums and research centers dedicated to the preservation and interpretation of American vernacular music. Chartered in 1964, the museum has amass ...
*
Inducted in 2008
Gospel Hall of Fame
The Gospel Music Hall of Fame, created in 1972 by the Gospel Music Association, is a Hall of Fame dedicated exclusively to recognizing meaningful contributions by individuals and groups in all forms of gospel music.
Inductees
This is an incom ...
*
Inducted in 2007
Grammy Awards
The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pres ...
*
1965 Best New Country & Western Artist
*
1965 Best Contemporary (R&R) Performance – Group (Vocal or Instrumental) – "
Flowers on the Wall
"Flowers on the Wall" is a song made famous by American country music group The Statler Brothers. Written and composed by Lew DeWitt, the group's original tenor vocalist, the song peaked in popularity in January 1966, spending four weeks at number ...
"
*
1972 Best Country Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group – "The Class of '57"
American Music Awards
The American Music Awards (AMAs) is an annual American music awards show, generally held in the fall, created by Dick Clark in 1973 for ABC when the network's contract to air the Grammy Awards expired, and currently produced by Dick Clark Produc ...
* Favorite Country Band, Duo or Group 1979
* Favorite Country Band, Duo or Group 1980
* Favorite Country Band, Duo or Group 1981
Retirement
The group disbanded and retired after completing a farewell tour on October 26, 2002. Balsley and Don Reid continue to reside in Staunton, as did Harold Reid until his death in April 2020; Fortune, though, relocated to
Nashville
Nashville is the capital city of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the seat of Davidson County. With a population of 689,447 at the 2020 U.S. census, Nashville is the most populous city in the state, 21st most-populous city in the U.S., and the ...
, where he continues his music career as a solo artist, having released three albums under his own name. The Statlers remain one of the most awarded acts in the history of country music.
Don Reid has pursued a second career as an author. He has written six books of his own. Reid and his sons Donald II "Debo" and Langdon co-wrote ''You Know It's Christmas When . . .'' His brother Harold and he co-wrote a history of the Statler Brothers titled ''Random Memories'', released in February 2008. In 2020, Reid wrote a complete anthology of the Statlers' songs, simply titled ''The Music of the Statler Brothers.''
Grandstaff/Wilson Fairchild
Wil and Langdon Reid, the sons of Harold and Don, respectively, formed a duo in the 1990s, originally performing under the name Grandstaff. In 2007, Grandstaff recorded "The Statler Brothers Song", a tribute song to the Statlers.
In an interview on Nashville's
WSM (AM)
WSM (650 kHz) is a 50,000-watt clear channel AM radio station located in Nashville, Tennessee. It broadcasts a full-time country music format (with classic country and Americana leanings, the latter of which is branded as "Route 650") at 650&n ...
on March 25, 2010, Wil Reid said that they decided to change their name to Wilson Fairchild after many people got the name "Grandstaff" wrong during introductions. The name comes from "Wilson", Wil's middle name, and "Fairchild", Langdon's middle name.
Sisters Kim and Karmen Reid (daughters of Harold) also enjoyed a brief stint as a country duo in the early 1980s, which included a guest appearance on an episode of ''
Hee Haw
''Hee Haw'' is an American television variety show featuring country music and humor with the fictional rural "Kornfield Kounty" as the backdrop. It aired first-run on CBS from 1969 to 1971, in syndication from 1971 to 1993, and on TNN from 199 ...
''.
Influence
The Statler Brothers have been credited as the first country music act to transfer the genre's nostalgia from a rural to a suburban setting.
They have also been called "America's Poets" by
Kurt Vonnegut
Kurt Vonnegut Jr. (November 11, 1922 – April 11, 2007) was an American writer known for his satirical and darkly humorous novels. In a career spanning over 50 years, he published fourteen novels, three short-story collections, five plays, and ...
.
The
bluegrass duo
Dailey & Vincent
Dailey & Vincent is an American bluegrass music group composed of Jamie Dailey (guitar, bass, vocals), Darrin Vincent (mandolin, guitar, bass, vocals), Aaron McCune (guitar, bass vocals), Wesley Smith (vocals), Patrick McAvinue (fiddle), Shaun R ...
often performs with two other members of their band as a quartet in the style of the Statlers, often performing many of the Statlers' hits in their shows. Jimmy Fortune also sometimes tours with Dailey & Vincent.
Members and years active
*Joe McDorman – lead (1955–1960)
*
Lew DeWitt
Lewis “Lew” Calvin DeWitt Jr. (March 12, 1938 – August 15, 1990) was an American country music singer, guitarist, and composer. He was a founding member of The Statler Brothers and the group's original tenor.
Biography
For most of his care ...
– tenor (1955–1982) (died 1990)
*Phil Balsley – baritone (1955–2002)
*Harold Reid – bass (1955–2002) (died 2020)
*Don Reid – lead (1960–2002)
*
Jimmy Fortune
Jimmy Fortune (born March 11, 1955) is an American country music singer from Nelson County, Virginia. Fortune sang tenor for The Statler Brothers for 21 years, and wrote the song "Elizabeth" for the group. After The Statler Brothers retired, he c ...
– tenor (1982–2002)
Discography
References
External links
The Statler Brothers performing at the Grand ole Opry in 1972The Statler Brothers performing a gospel in the Johnny Cash Show during the 1960sOfficial Websiteat CMTJimmy Fortune's Homepage
{{DEFAULTSORT:Statler Brothers
Country music groups from Virginia
Country Music Hall of Fame inductees
Grammy Award winners
Musical groups from Virginia
Vocal quartets
Musical groups established in 1955
Musical groups disestablished in 2002
Columbia Records artists
Mercury Records artists
1955 establishments in Virginia
2002 disestablishments in Virginia