Originally performing gospel music at local churches, the group billed themselves as The Four Star Quartet, and later The Kingsmen. In 1963, when the song "Louie, Louie" by the garage rock band also called The Kingsmen became famous, the group elected to bill themselves as The Statler Brothers. Despite the name, only two members of the group (Don and Harold Reid) are actual brothers and none have the surname of "Statler". The band, in fact, named themselves after a brand of facial tissue they had noticed in a hotel room (they joked that they could have turned out to be the Kleenex Brothers). Don Reid sang lead. Harold Reid, Don's older brother, sang bass. Phil Balsley sang baritone and Jimmy Fortune sang tenor after replacing original tenor Lew DeWitt in the early 1980s due to the latter's ill health. DeWitt died on August 15, 1990 of heart and kidney disease, stemming from complications of Crohn's disease.
The band's style was closely linked to their gospel roots. "We took gospel harmonies," said Harold Reid, "and put them over in country music."
The group remained closely tied to their gospel roots, with a majority of their records containing at least one gospel song. They produced several albums containing only gospel music and recorded a tribute song to the Blackwood Brothers, who influenced their music. The Statler Brothers also wrote a tribute song to Johnny Cash, who discovered them. The song was called "We Got Paid by Cash", and it reminisces about their time with Cash
Since forming, the Statler Brothers have released over 40 albums. They received Grammy Awards in 1966 and 1973. Two of their best-known songs are their first big hit, Flowers on the Wall, and the socially-conscious Bed of Roses. Late in their career they had a regular variety show on the cable television channel then known as The Nashville Network. Throughout their career, much of their appeal was related to their considerable ability for comedy and parody that they frequently interspersed into their musical act; they were frequently nominated for awards for their comedy as well as their singing. They recorded two comedy albums as Lester Moran and the Cadillac Cowboys, and one-half of one side of the album Country Music Then and Now was also devoted to satirizing small-town radio stations' Saturday morning shows.
The group disbanded and retired after completing a farewell tour on October 26, 2002. Balsley and the Reid brothers continue to reside in Staunton, while Fortune has relocated to Nashville, where he is continuing his music career as a solo artist. He has released three albums as a soloist. The Statlers continue to be the most awarded act in the history of country music.
Since the Statlers' retirement in 2002, Don has pursued a second career as an author. He authored or co-authored three books: Heroes and Outlaws of the Bible, Sunday Morning Memories, and You'll Know It's Christmas When.... He and Harold co-wrote a history of the Statler Brothers titled Random Memories released in February 2008.
The Statler Brothers have been credited as the first country music act to transfer the genre's nostalgia from a rural to a suburban setting. They have also been called "America's Poets" by Kurt Vonnegut.
Take Me Home
The Statler Brothers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Blue Ridge Mountains, Shenandoah Valley
Life is old there older than the trees
Younger than the mountains growing like a weed
All my mem'ries gather round her
Miner's lady stranger to blue water
Dark and dusty painted on the sky misty
Country roads take me home to the place I belong
Ol' Virginia, mountain mama take me home country roads
I hear her voice in the morning as she calls me
The radio reminds me of my home far away
And driving down the road I get a feeling
That I should have been home yesterday, yesterday
Country roads take me home to the place I belong
Ol' Virginia, mountain mama take me home country roads
Country roads take me home to the place I belong
Ol' Virginia, mountain mama take me home country roads
Take me home country roads
Take me home country roads
Take me home country roads
The song "Take Me Home Country Roads" is a classic anthem that captures the beauty and nostalgia of rural life in Virginia. The lyrics reflect a longing for the simplicity and familiarity of home, which is represented by the Blue Ridge Mountains and Shenandoah Valley. The song begins with the lines "Almost heaven Ol' Virginia, Blue Ridge Mountains, Shenandoah Valley," which set the scene of a picturesque landscape that is cherished by the singer. The area is so old that life is older than the trees, yet it is still younger than the mountains, which are portrayed as growing like a weed.
The second verse describes the personal connection of the singer to the land, with all of their memories gathering around it. The reference to the Miner's lady and stranger to blue water highlights the region's history of coal mining and the struggles of those who lived there. The skies are painted on, misty, and dark and dusty, which creates an image of a unique and rugged beauty. The taste of moonshine and tears in the eyes of the singer further accentuates the emotional connection to this place.
The chorus of the song expresses the strong desire to return home and be close to the "mountain mama" – representing the motherly nature of the area – and echoes the sentiments of many people who have left Virginia but still feel deeply attached to it. The repetition of the phrase "take me home, country roads" emphasizes the sense of urgency and longing to return to this special place.
Overall, "Take Me Home Country Roads" is a powerful ode to Virginia and a recognition of the importance of home and the emotional connections that we build with the places we come from.
Line by Line Meaning
Almost heaven Ol' Virginia
Virginia is like heaven on earth
Blue Ridge Mountains, Shenandoah Valley
Virginia's Blue Ridge Mountains and Shenandoah Valley are breathtaking
Life is old there older than the trees
Life in Virginia is simple and has been around for generations
Younger than the mountains growing like a weed
Despite being an old state, Virginia is still thriving and growing like a weed
All my mem'ries gather round her
Virginia is filled with memories for the singer
Miner's lady stranger to blue water
The singer remembers the women who were not afraid to go down in the mines and the blue water they used to clean off the coal dust
Dark and dusty painted on the sky misty
Virginia's landscape is often dark and dusty with a misty sky
Taste of moonshine teardrops in my eye
The singer remembers the taste of moonshine and gets emotional
Country roads take me home to the place I belong
The country roads lead the singer to his home in Virginia
Ol' Virginia, mountain mama take me home country roads
Virginia, the mother of mountains, is the singer's home
I hear her voice in the morning as she calls me
The singer hears Virginia calling him back home
The radio reminds me of my home far away
Listening to the radio reminds the singer of his distant home in Virginia
And driving down the road I get a feeling
When driving on the road, the singer feels a strong connection to Virginia
That I should have been home yesterday, yesterday
The singer wishes he had already been back in Virginia
Take me home country roads
The singer wants to return home to Virginia
Take me home country roads
The singer repeats his desire to return to Virginia
Take me home country roads
The singer repeats once more his desire to go back home to Virginia
Lyrics © Roba Music Verlag GMBH, BMG Rights Management, RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC
Written by: Bill Danoff, John Denver, Taffy Nivert Danoff
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind