American
American(s) may refer to:
* American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America"
** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America
** American ancestry, pe ...
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, ...
singer from
Nelson County, Virginia
Nelson County is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 14,775. Its county seat is Lovingston. Nelson County is part of the Charlottesville, VA Metropolitan Statistic ...
. Fortune 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 ...
for
The Statler Brothers
The Statler Brothers (sometimes simply referred to as The Statlers) were an American country music, gospel, and vocal group. The quartet was formed in 1955 performing locally, and from 1964 to 1972, they sang as opening act and backup singers fo ...
for 21 years, and wrote the song " Elizabeth" for the group. After The Statler Brothers retired, he continued to perform as a solo artist.
Biography
Fortune grew up in
Nelson County, Virginia
Nelson County is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 14,775. Its county seat is Lovingston. Nelson County is part of the Charlottesville, VA Metropolitan Statistic ...
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 ...
, heard Fortune sing at a local ski resort. When DeWitt was suffering from
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 ...
and needed a temporary replacement, he asked Fortune to come to audition for the band in Nashville. Fortune started performing with the Statler Brothers in 1982, originally as a temporary replacement for DeWitt, and joined the group permanently later in the year when DeWitt decided to quit the group due to his illness.
Fortune wrote several number one songs that were recorded by the
Statler Brothers
The Statler Brothers (sometimes simply referred to as The Statlers) were an American country music, gospel, and vocal group. The quartet was formed in 1955 performing locally, and from 1964 to 1972, they sang as opening act and backup singers fo ...
Too Much on My Heart
"Too Much on My Heart" is a song written by Jimmy Fortune, and recorded by American country music group The Statler Brothers. It was released in July 1985 as the second single from the album ''Pardners in Rhyme
''Pardners in Rhyme'' is the twent ...
More Than a Name on a Wall
"More Than a Name on a Wall" is a song written by Jimmy Fortune and John Rimel, and recorded by American country music group The Statler Brothers. It was released in April 1989 as the third single from their ''Greatest Hits'' compilation album. T ...
" was a top ten country hit. "Elizabeth" recently was a top bluegrass release for
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 ...
. He spent 21 years touring, singing, and performing with the Statler Brothers.
In 2002, after the Statlers disbanded, Fortune continued his career as a solo artist with an extensive performance schedule in the U.S. and Canada. He has continued as a songwriter and has recorded a number of projects in Nashville that he mostly produced himself. In 2015 he released ''Hits & Hymns'' produced by Ben Isaacs. The album reached Top Ten on ''Billboards
Top Country Albums
Top Country Albums is a chart published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine in the United States. The 50-position chart lists the most popular country music albums in the country, calculated weekly by Broadcast Data Systems based on physical sales a ...
chart, and the DVD release of a TV special, "Jimmy Fortune: Hits & Hymns," hosted by Bill Gaither, debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Music Video chart.