After decades of quiet reflection, Don Reid has finally opened up about one of the most emotional and controversial decisions in Statler Brothers history — the moment the group had to face life without Lew DeWitt, and the choice to bring in a new voice: Jimmy Fortune.
For fans of the iconic quartet, Lew wasn’t just a tenor. He was a founding member, a lyrical soul, and a beloved presence. His voice, tender and unmistakable, had been woven into every harmony and every memory. So when health issues forced him to step down in 1982, the decision to move forward as a group was anything but easy.
In a recent interview, Don Reid admitted the truth:
“We didn’t want to go on without Lew. We weren’t even sure we could.”
Don described the moment as one of the hardest crossroads the group had ever faced. They weren’t just losing a bandmate — they were watching a brother step back, struggling with illness, pain, and the heartbreak of leaving behind the stage he loved.
“We cried,” Don said simply. “All of us. Because it wasn’t just a professional change. It was personal. Deeply personal.”
Then came Jimmy Fortune, a young man from Virginia with a pure voice and humble heart. Don recalled the first time they heard Jimmy sing — not with expectation, but with caution. “He didn’t try to sound like Lew,” Don said. “He just sang with his heart. That’s what we heard.”
What surprised them most wasn’t just Jimmy’s talent. It was his respect — for Lew, for the music, for the legacy he was stepping into. Don said that Jimmy never tried to fill Lew’s shoes. “He honored them. And that made all the difference.”
The transition wasn’t without fear. Don admitted they worried how fans would react — how they themselves would cope. But over time, something remarkable happened. The sound remained familiar, but something new began to bloom. The harmonies evolved, and so did the brotherhood.
“Lew gave us his blessing,” Don shared. “And Jimmy gave us a future.”
To this day, fans still debate the moment — some with nostalgia, others with gratitude. But one thing is certain: both Lew and Jimmy left indelible marks on a group that defined an era.
“It wasn’t about replacing Lew,” Don said at the end. “It was about carrying what he helped build — with love, with reverence, and with voices that still had something to say.”
And for millions who still sing along to every word, the harmony lives on.