LEW DEWITT - FOUNDING MEMBER OF THE STATLER BROTHERS - AUGUSTA MEMORIAL PARK - WAYNESBORO, VA
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- Опубліковано 29 сер 2024
- Today I am in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia and visiting the Augusta Memorial Park in Waynesboro, Virginia. Country Music fans know that the Staunton Area was home to the Statler Brother. From 1955 until 2002, The Statler Brother were one of the most popular groups in Country Music. During their entire career they made their home in the area around Waynesboro and Staunton.
A few week ago I visited Thornrose Cemetery in Staunton. While there I visited the grave of Harold Reid who was the bass singer and one of the groups founding members. Here is a link to that video.
• THORNROSE CEMETERY - S...
Today, I am just a few miles away in Waynesboro and will be visiting the final resting place of Lew DeWitt, who was the groups tenor from 1955-1981.
He had the most pure of tenor voices I've ever heard. It just blended so well with the other 3. His voice never was piercing and only dominated when it was supposed to. His lead vocals were always beautiful and lovely. R.I.P
You are absolutely correct. Thank You for watching and commenting.
Lew Dewitt had such and awesome beautiful voice
He certainly did . Thank you for watching and for taking the time to Comment.
Lew had the best tenor voice ever
He most certainly did. Thank You for Watching.
One of Best group ever..God bless each one of them..the best..🙂
They certainly were. Thank You for Watching and for taking the time to comment.
I can remember, way back around 1956, when these 4 guys used to practice on their front porch on Hampton St in Staunton and I stop on my paper route to listen to them awhile. They became known as the Statler Bros.
What a wonderful and beautiful Memory Thank You so much for watching and sharing such a wonderful memory.
WOW!!!!!!! That was Something!!!!!
I met the Statler Brothers AND Anita Carter and Helen Carter after a Johnny Cash show in Melbourne Australia back in early 1970s that made my whole year and then some, loved them then and still do rest in peace xxxxx
Thank You for watching and sharing your memory with us.
I’m so glad you shared this video. I visited Harold and Lew’s resting place last July with my sister and my niece when we attended the Happy Birthday America celebration. It was a a moving experience to visit their resting places.
We actually placed the flowers on Lew’s grave in this video on that visit.
Thank You for watching and visiting Harold and Lew's Grave and remembering Lew with the beautiful flowers.. Thank You for watching and for your wonderful comment.
So instead of flowers on the wall, it's flowers on the gravestone. 😆😆😆😆😆😆
Actually when the Statlers were first formed, Joe McDorman was the lead singer. Don Reid took over as the lead singer after his high school graduation I. 1963.
Thank you so much for posting this. Lew was the best tenor to ever do it. Much love from the UK.
Thank You so much for watching and for your very kind comment.
All the Statlers were/ are amazing singers.
However Lew was my favorite.
He wrote some of my favorite songs.
The Statlers unfairly got written off as a nostalgia/ Americana act by many.
They had quite a few darker songs.
Those are the ones I enjoy the most.
RIP Lew and Harold.
Thank You for watching and for you insightful comment
My Dad met Lew when he was in the Hospital before he passed
Humble grave marker for such a great talent. I do like the Ovation guitar on the marker though.
Thank You For watching and for your comment.
Lew dewitt was always my favourite Statler
Don Reid was not one of the Original Statlers. The 4 Originals that first started in 1955 were Harold Reid, Lew Dewitt, Phil Balsley, and Joe McDormand. Joe sang Lead from 1955 until 1963 when Joe left the group, and Harold's younger Brother, Don Reid entered the Group as the new Lead Singer. In March, 1964, at Watermelon Park, Virginia, Johnny Cash met the Statlers for the first time, when he asked them to open for him. He liked them so much that he asked them to join his Show, and the Following weekend, they traveled to Canton, Ohio, and officially began working for Johnny Cash. They continued touring with, and opening up for Johnny for the next 8 and a half years. During those 8.5 years with Johnny, there was never a Contract written between John, and the Statlers, nor was there ever any kind of disagreement between them. What I have just written here in this comment was spoken by Harold Reid. Harold had also said that during the entire nearly 45 years that the Group was together from 1955 until they retired in 2002, there were only 2 changes in the Statlers. Don Reid took over singing lead when Joe McDormand left, and Jimmy Fortune took over the Tenor slot when Lew was forced to retire. That was it as far as new guys coming into the Group.
I wonder if there are any recordings by the original four with Joe singing lead. I know he sang one song on the Originals LP but he sang Phil's part instead of Don's. Missed the opportunity to hear the originals.
My Family attended a Statler Brothers Concert in Benton Ky. In 1977, at that time we thought they were the Best, Lew was simply outstanding.
I was lucky enough to see the Statler's a number of time. They were the absolute best. Thank You for Watching and for your Comment.
Oh, that voice! Like none other. I attended several of their July 4th shows!
You are so right and I so enjoyed those 4th of July shows. Fond Memories.
Sat on front row as Lew flipped guitar picks into the crowd. Great performance.
Thank You for watching and sharing your wonderful memory.
This was Cool tribute
Thank You for watching and for your kind comment.
A couple of things you did not mention, before they called themselves The Statler Brothers they were calling themselves The Kingsmen until another group by the same name had a hit song called Loui, Loui and to avoid confusion the guys from Staunton decided to change their name, again. Oh, and by the way the other guys named the Kingsmen were from Portland Oregon, at least 2 of them were.
Also, when he was a teenager Lew came down with something called Crohn's disease and when the pain got to the point he could no longer perform is when he decided to step aside and the group was formed back in the '50s like you said but Don was not part of the group, yet. After they broke up Don stepped in and reformed the group and became lead singer.
It's all in the booklet which came with the 3 CD box set put out by Mercury records back in the mid '90s.
You Have an Interesting Channel. Worthy of a Subscription!!
Thank You for Posting This Most interesting Video.
Thank You so much for watching and for your very kind Comment. I appreciate
Nice...I just found your channel. I grew up in the Shenandoah Valley. My parents were friends of the Statlers. Dad had Flowers Recording Studio, and provided the sound for the Happy Birthday USA shows for the first 14 years or so. To this day, I've never seen a fireworks display like the ones they put on at Gypsy Hill Pk back then. The crowds were incredible! I remember when Jerry Reed played, and Barbara Mandrell performed a couple of years apart. Dad also ran sound for her at the Bull Run Jamboree, and my mom's band opened for her that show. Anyway, I was watching Pulp Fiction the other day and the car scene with Bruce Willis where he's singing along with "Flowers On The Wall" led my internet searching to here. My dad passed in 1993, and my mom in 2019 so, I was feeling nostalgic.
Thanks~
Enjoyed your video!
Thank You so Much for your wonderful Comment. The fireworks in Gypsy Hill Park were indeed amazing as was the three Happy Birthday USA Celebrations that I was able to attend. The Statler Brothers were an incredible act and they will never be equaled. Thank you again for watching and for your amazing comment.
lew found jimmy fortune and told the group about jimmy
Harold reid Phillip balsley Lewis DeWitt and Joe McD o r n a n.the four star quartet Don reidstepped in.they were called the kinsman then the statler brothers
❤❤❤
The script matching the narrator has Lew's name spelled wrong, and the last names of Phil Balsley and Harold Reid. Noticed these mistake immediately. 🎸
Thank You, You are correct. I apologize for these Mistakes. It was careless of me not to catch them.
Did’nt know he had passed away