In a rare and moving reflection, Jimmy Fortune, longtime member of The Statler Brothers, has opened up about one of the most emotional chapters in the group’s legendary journey — the final days of Lew DeWitt, the group’s original tenor whose voice helped define their sound and whose spirit, Jimmy says, still echoes in every note.
“Lew was the soul of the Statlers,” Jimmy said softly. “And we’ve never stopped missing him.”
Lew DeWitt, a founding member of the group, stepped away from The Statler Brothers in 1982 due to his ongoing battle with Crohn’s disease — a fight he waged with quiet courage for years. Jimmy was chosen to step in as tenor vocalist, but he never saw himself as a replacement.
“I never filled Lew’s shoes,” Jimmy admitted. “I just walked beside the path he laid.”
In a recent interview, Jimmy became emotional as he recalled Lew’s final days — not just the illness, but the kindness, the laughter, and the music that still lived in him even as his body grew weak.
“He still sang when he could,” Jimmy said. “Even from a hospital bed. That voice was gentler, but it still carried something holy.”
Lew passed away in 1990, but to Jimmy and so many lifelong fans, his presence never faded. His harmonies are woven into classics like “Flowers on the Wall” and “Bed of Roses,” and his warm spirit helped shape what The Statler Brothers became.
“I remember visiting him near the end,” Jimmy recalled. “And he just looked at me and said, ‘Take care of the music. Keep it true.’ I never forgot that.”
Jimmy’s words have brought fans to tears, not only because of the loss they represent, but because of the love behind them — the way he has always honored Lew’s legacy, both on and off stage.
“I owe him everything,” Jimmy said. “He gave me a place in something bigger than myself. And I carry him with me every time I sing.”
For fans who grew up with the music of The Statler Brothers, Lew DeWitt wasn’t just a voice — he was the feeling behind the harmony. The quiet soul at the heart of a brotherhood.
And now, through Jimmy’s words, that soul shines once again.
If you’ve ever felt the beauty of The Statler Brothers’ music, this song will take you straight back to the heart of where it began.
