In 1963, when Johnny Cash was topping the charts with “Ring of Fire,” he met four talented young men on stage at the Roanoke Fair in Virginia.
These men, known as the Statler Brothers, impressed Cash with their incredible vocal harmonies. They were hired with just a handshake and toured with the “Man in Black” for nearly a decade, even inspiring their song “We Got Paid by Cash.”
Keep reading to discover more about the legendary quartet that touched America’s heart with their song “More than a Name on the Wall.”
Back in 1963, when The Kingsmen were climbing the charts with “Louie Louie,” another group called the Kingsmen from Virginia had to change their name to avoid confusion.
The quartet, consisting of Don and Harold Reid, Phil Balsley, and Lew DeWitt, brainstormed names in a hotel room. Don’s eyes fell on a box of Statler tissues, and the name Statler Brothers stuck.
“We could have been the Kleenex Brothers,” Don joked about their new identity.
That same year, the Statler Brothers, known for their blend of country and gospel harmonies, performed at the Roanoke Fair in Salem, Virginia. There, they caught the eye of the legendary Johnny Cash.
Cash, promoting his 16th album at the Salem Fairgrounds, hired them on the spot.
“John was a walking, talking, singing musical encyclopedia,” Reid recalled.
For the next ten years, the Statlers toured, recorded, and appeared on TV with Cash, who helped them become hitmakers at Columbia Records.
In 1965, their song “Flowers on the Wall” became a sensation in both country and pop music. It even beat big hits like the Beatles’ “Help!” and the Supremes’ “Stop in the Name of Love,” earning them their first two Grammy Awards for Best New Country and Western Artist and Best Contemporary Performance (Group).
The song regained popularity in 1994 when Quentin Tarantino’s hit film Pulp Fiction featured it. The soundtrack, including “Flowers on the Wall,” sold more than a million copies.
“Very few people have Bruce Willis help them,” Harold mentioned in a 2015 interview.
Cashing in
Having Cash’s support was invaluable.
“Being with him taught us everything about the music business. We learned what to do, what not to do, and we parted on the best of terms,” Reid said.
During their 12-year run, the Statlers released over 40 albums and earned numerous accolades, including being named the Country Music Association’s Vocal Group of the Year nine times.
From 1991 to 1998, they had their own variety show on The Nashville Network (TNN). In 1992, their weekly show, featuring Harold’s comedic talent, was the most popular on TNN and set network records.
In one notable episode, they performed “More Than a Name on the Wall,” an emotional song that moved audiences to tears across America. Written by Jimmy Fortune, who replaced DeWitt due to his health issues, the song pays tribute to the Vietnam Memorial wall, bearing the names of 58,381 fallen soldiers.
Fortune shared the inspiration behind the touching song with Strictly Country.
“You look at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, and it feels like those lines of names go on forever,” he said. “Each name represents someone’s child, spouse, or loved one. They are more than just a name on a wall.”
Fortune, who also wrote and sang the 1984 hit “Elizabeth,” added, “It was such a profound statement. I knew I had to write that song.”
In April 2020, Harold Reid passed away after a long battle with kidney failure.
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