Though The Statler Brothers
Quartet was formed in 1955 and has been well-known in country music
circles for sometime, it was not until recently that they broke through on
of the most formidable barriers in the music field. With their Columbia
Record “Flowers On The Wall” which was a smash hit, the Statler
Brothers. Did what few country artist are able to do. Their Achievement
has been in both pop and country areas. With this achievement they have
joined ranks of select groups of country performers Like Johnny Cash,
Roger Miller, Jimmy Dickens, Red Sovine and others who have contributed
much to the growing popularity of country music. They won the top award
over the Beatles as the most popular Quartet and have also won the Grammy
Award.
Composed of two Brothers,
Harold and Dan Reid, Friends Lew DeWitt and Phil Balsly, the Statler
Brothers have been friends since childhood. Much of their popularity in
country music was gained as a result of there touring with the Johnny Cash
Show, and their frist Columbia record release “ The Wreck Of The Old
97” gave their recording career an auspicious start. The start Statler
Brothers went on later to have
their own TV Show on the Nashville Network on Saturday night.
The Statlers Brothers
Number One Hits
-
Do You Know You Are My
Sunshine - 3/18/78
-
Elizabeth - 12/10/84
-
My Only Love - 12/08/84
-
Too Much On My Heart -
8/24/85
Top Ten Statler
Brothers Hits
-
Flowers On The
Wall - 9/25/65 #2
-
Bed Of Roses -
11/21/70 #9
-
Do You Remember
This - 3/11/72 #2
-
The Class Of 57 -
8/19/72 #6
-
I'll Go To My
Grave Loving You - 6/21/76 #3
-
Thank God I've Got
You - 1/02/ 76 - #10
-
Charlotte's Web -
7/12/80 #5
-
Hello Mary Lou -
4/08/80 #3
-
Count On Me
5/17/86 #5
-
Oh Baby Mine -
4/16/83 # #2
The Statler Brothers
10th Anniversary Album
Track List
- Don’t
forget Yourself
- The
Kids Last Fight
- How
Are Things In Clay Kentucky
- One
Less Day To Go
- Nobody
Wants To Be Country
- We
Got Paid By Cash ( Song About Their earlier Days With The Johnny
Cash Show )
- Old
Cheerleaders Cry
- Til
The End
- Nobody’s
Darlin But Mine
- Charlotte’s
Web
End
Of The Road For The Statler Brothers
After nearly
40 years the Statler Brothers leave their fans with smiles and great
memories. The Statler Brothers can hang up their “road warrior”
mantles. The award-winning vocal group has officially retired from the
road after almost four decades of touring and great music.
“My suitcase
is completely unpacked for the first time in 38 years” notes Don Reid
one of the groups founders. “Now when I get it out to go on vacation,
I’ll probably forget something!” But fans will never forget the years
of heartwarming hits. In their amazing career, the Statler Brothers –
Don, brother Harold Ried, Phil Balsley, and Jimmy Fortune – have touched
fans with songs like “Flowers On the Wall” Elizabeth “Do You
Remember These” “Class Of 57” and “More Than A Name On the
Wall.”
They also
carved out success in TV with their hit variety series which ran on TNN
1991-98. Retiring from the road doesn’t mean retiring though. The
Statlers will continue to recording and make occasional TV appearances.
Their most recent recording is “Amen” a gospel album of original
tunes. The rest of their time will be spent in Staunton
VA , where they lived with their families
throughout their career. Jimmy plans to pursue a solo career in country
music and Don says he will focus on writing. Don’s first book, “Heroes
And Outlaws Of The Bible” has already been published.
This last tour
brought on a wave of powerful emotions for Don and quartet. “The
foremost thing on my mind was that everything I was doing, I was doing for
the last time,” says Don The last time I’d be in that building, one we
probably had played 20 times of more …. Or at the last time I’d be in
town and see those people. I think we were all very much aware of that.
But we didn’t want to make our last shows sad so we tried to keep them
upbeat. Highlights of a nearly 40-year career abound. Among them are the
group’s five invitations to the White House” from different presidents
and awards from their fans and the industry. But their best reward came
from their music and their people.
We were able
to do what we always wanted to do, Don declares. Every night when we
walked out onstage, we could feel the love from the audience, and I hope
they could feel that we were always returning it to them. We have some
great fans who have been loyal and sincere over the years. “We have
truly been blessed.
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