Lew DeWitt fan page!!

Welcome to the Lew DeWitt fan page!!!! This page is a tribute to one of Country's greatest preformers.Born on March 12, 1938 in Roanoke, VA, Lew lead a sucessful career with country/gospel group The Statler Brothers, before his death of heart and kidney failure on August 15, 1990.Lew suffered from Chron's disease, since childhood, but it was the failure of his heart and kidney which eventually killed him.
Lew and the Statler Brothers made their first public performance in 1955, soaring to phenomenal success, before Lew's departure from the group in 1981, due to his illness.
In 1982 Lew became well enough to perform again and gave the Statlers one more shot, but was unable to travel and was forced to give up the group for good. Lew was replaced by current Statler,and Lew's top choice for replacement, Jimmy Fortune.
Before his death Lew was able to produce two solo albums. The first, " On My Own " was released in 1985, and the second, " Here To Stay", in 1986.
Lew first became involved with the Statlers when childhood friend, and Bass voice for the Statlers, Harold Reid, joined up with Phil Balsley, and Joe McDorman, for an appearance at the Methodist Church of Lyndhurst, just outside of Staunton VA, billing as the 'Four Star Quartet'. The group was applauded by a whole forty people and their efforts were strictly voluntary.
The group continued on to do small church, school, and community center performances in evenings and on weekends, until Joe McDorman left the group, later to be replaced by Harold's younger brother Don.
The group now known as the 'Kingsmen' got their big break in 1964, when they were paid by Country legend Johnny Cash to open his show. The name, 'Statlers' came about when another group going by the 'Kingsmen' came out with a hit song "Louie Louie", forcing the group to give up their title.Inspiration for the name, now famous world over, came from a box of Statler tissues, as the four sat in a hotel room, searching for ideas.
In 1965, The Statler Brothers cut their first big single, called "Flowers on the Wall" written by Lew, which went straight to the top five and which Lew later released on his solo album, "On My Own".
This song along with the talented combination of voices, lead the Statlers on their road to success, and are still popular today, despite hard times, and the loss of their original tenor voice, Lew DeWitt.
For more information on the Statler Brothers, visit The Statler Brothers Home Page, maintained by Pam Allen.
To have your name listed on the Lew DeWitt fan page, send your first and last name, e-mail address, and any personal information you would like posted regarding your career, family, or interest in Lew DeWitt/The Statler Brothers to LewDeWitt@hotmail.com.
To view the fan page, click here .

Photo courtesy of Bobbi Wager

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