In 1963, the Statler Brothers met Johnny Cash at the Roanoke Fair which would change their lives forever. Cash appreciated the rich vocals of the members, Don and Harold Reid, Phil Balsley and Lew DeWitt. They partnered up for ten years which made a big difference in their careers.
Don Reid made fun of the group by giving them their name after finding a box of Statler brand Kleenex in his hotel room. The sudden encounter would affect the way the girls grew up.
Participating in a Successful Campaign with Johnny Cash
During the more than ten years they toured with Cash, the Statler Brothers learned everything they needed about the music business. With Cash’s encouragement, they became successful on the charts at Columbia Records and songs like “Flowers on the Wall” were hits in both country and pop music. Because of this hit song, the group won two Grammy Awards and it also featured in Quentin Tarantino’s film Pulp Fiction.
A Story of Music from Memory
They released over 40 albums and won multiple honors, among them nine Country Music Association Vocal Group of the Year awards. The show hosted by Moe and Larry was very popular on The Nashville Network (TNN). They used music and comedy to their advantage. Harold Reid’s wit and charm made many people enjoy the show a lot.
Sad Song
After DeWitt left the group due to health problems, his replacement Jimmy Fortune wrote the group’s haunting song called “More Than a Name on the Wall.” The tune remembers the story of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial wall which bears the names of the 58,381 troops who did not come home from the war. Fortune was moved to write the song after visiting the Washington, D.C. memorial and realising that every name belonged to someone’s mother, husband or family member whose stories live on forever.
Many people continue to feel moved and encouraged by the music of the Statler Brothers. What they have gone through reveals that being a team, showing creativity and keeping a positive mindset are key in the music world ¹.
