Statler Brothers

Today we will discuss the country music group, The Statler Brothers. They are a country music group consisting of Harold Reid, Phil Balsley, Jimmy Fortune, and Don Reid.  This group is an all singing group, which means that they do not play guitars while performing.  Don sings the lead, Harold, who is Don’s younger brother, sings bass, Phil sings baritone, and Jimmy sings tenor for the group.  The group formed in 1955 in Stauton, Virigina, who started out singing gospel music.  The group named themselves after a brand of facial tissue, which they donned the name in 1963.  Lew DeWitt started sing tenor with the group when it formed but died in the 1980’s due to ill health.  After he died, Jimmy Fortune replaced DeWitt.  The Statler Brothers started their career with a performance at Lynhurst Methodist Church in Stauton, Virgina.  In 1964, they toured with Johnny Cash as his opening act.  The songs that they performed were country with gospel roots.  The Brothers best know songs are "Flowers on the Wall" and "Bed of Rose’s".  From 1991 to 1998, the Statler Brothers hosted The Statler Brothers Show, weekly variety show, on a cable television channel The Nashville Network (TNN).  It was the Number 1 rated program on TNN.  Many of their songs have been used on feature film sound tracks.  The Brothers bought their old elementary school in Virgina and fixed it up and made a small auditorium and museum.  But after the Brothers retired, the school building was sold and converted back into a school.  The Statler Brothers retired in 2002 after completing their farewell tour.  After retirement Jimmy Fortune moved to Nashville to pursue a solo career. 

The Statler Brothers have released over 40 albums.  Their first album was Flowers on the Wall, released in 1966.   It went to number 10 on the U.S. Country charts.  Since then, the Brothers released 38 studio albums, 2 live albums, and 4 compilation albums.  The last albums that the Statler Brothers released was the Gospel Music of The Statler Brothers: Volume 1 and 2 in 2010.  The Brothers also released 69 singles to country music radio.  The first single that the Brothers released was "Flowers on the Wall" in 1965.  The song went to number 2 on the U.S. Country chart.  The Statler Brothers had 5 number one singles and many top ten singles.  The last song that the Brothers released was "You’ve Been Like a Mother to Me" in 1991.  The group has also won many awards.  For the ACM, The Statler Brothers won the Top Vocal Group Award 2 times.  For the CMA, The Statler Brothers won the Vocal Group of the Year Award 9 times, with it being won 6 years in a row.  The group has been inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum and the Gospel Hall of Fame.  I have loved listening to The Statler Brothers music for years and my dad loves to listen to them too.