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.
Whatever
The Statler Brothers Lyrics
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You can't take the kids along
You've gotta read the paper and know the code
Of G, PG and are and X
You gotta know what the movie's about
Before you even go
Tex Ritter's gone and Disney's dead
The screen is filled with sex.
Whatever happened to Randolph Scott
Ridin' the range alone
Whatever happened to Gene and Tex
And Roy and Rex, the Durango Kid
Whatever happened to Randolph Scott
His horse, plain as can be
Whatever happened to Randolph Scott
Has happened to the best of me.
Everbody's tryin' to make a comment
About our doubts and fears
True Grit's the only movie
I've really understood in years
You gotta take your analyst along
To see if it's fit to see
Whatever happened to Randolph Scott
Has happened to the best of me.
Whatever happened to Randolph Scott
Ridin' the range alone
Whatever happened to Gene and Tex
And Roy and Rex, the Durango Kid
Whatever happened to Randolph Scott
His horse, plain as can be
Whatever happened to Randolph Scott
Has happened to the best of me.
Whatever happened to Johnny Mack Brown
And Alan "Rocky" Lane
Whatever happened to Lash LaRue
I'd love to see them again
Whatever happened to Smiley Burnett
Tim Holt and Gene Autry
Whatever happened to all of these
Has happened to the best of me.
Whatever happened to all of these
Has happened to the best of me.
The Statler Brothers' song "Whatever Happened To Randolph Scott?" is a nostalgic anthem that mourns the loss of classic Hollywood western movie icons like Randolph Scott, Gene Autry, Roy Rogers, and Smiley Burnett. The lyrics of the song suggest that the era of wholesome, family-friendly westerns has been replaced by a new era of sexually explicit, violent films that require parental guidance ratings. The song's narrator remembers a simpler time when westerns were about good versus evil, cowboys versus Indians, and heroes riding off into the sunset while their trusty horses walked alongside.
The song's title is a reference to the actor Randolph Scott, who starred in many classic westerns like "Ride the High Country" and "The Tall T". The chorus repeats the question "Whatever happened to Randolph Scott?" as a metaphor for the loss of innocence and purity in American pop culture. The verses mention other classic western stars like Gene Autry, Roy Rogers, and Smiley Burnett, emphasizing the fact that these beloved icons have been forgotten by a new generation of moviegoers who prefer more sensationalized films.
Line by Line Meaning
Everybody knows when you go to the show
It's a common knowledge that when you go to watch movies
You can't take the kids along
It's not appropriate to take children along
You've gotta read the paper and know the code
You need to read newspapers and understand ratings
Of G, PG and are and X
Referring to different movie ratings - General audience, Parental guidance, Restricted and Adult only
You gotta know what the movie's about
You must know what the movie is all about
Before you even go
Even before you go to watch the movie
Tex Ritter's gone and Disney's dead
Tex Ritter and Disney are no longer around
The screen is filled with sex.
Many movies are filled with sexual content nowadays.
Whatever happened to Randolph Scott
What happened to Randolph Scott?
Ridin' the range alone
Him riding through wild west areas with nobody to accompany him
Whatever happened to Gene and Tex
What happened to Gene Autry and Tex Ritter?
And Roy and Rex, the Durango Kid
What happened to Roy Rogers and Rex Allen, the Durango Kid?
His horse, plain as can be
Even his horse was not extravagant
Has happened to the best of me.
I feel the same way; it's the same thing that has happened to me.
Everybody's tryin' to make a comment
Everyone is trying to express their opinions
About our doubts and fears
People are talking about problems and concerns
True Grit's the only movie
The only movie that I truly understand is True Grit
I've really understood in years
It's been quite some time since I've understood a movie so well
You gotta take your analyst along
You need to take your analyst with you
To see if it's fit to see
To determine if it's appropriate to watch
Whatever happened to Johnny Mack Brown
What happened to Johnny Mack Brown?
And Alan "Rocky" Lane
What happened to Alan "Rocky" Lane?
Whatever happened to Lash LaRue
What happened to Lash LaRue?
I'd love to see them again
I would be really happy to see them again
Whatever happened to Smiley Burnett
What happened to Smiley Burnett?
Tim Holt and Gene Autry
What happened to Tim Holt and Gene Autry?
Whatever happened to all of these
What happened to all of these people?
Has happened to the best of me.
I feel the same; it's happened to me as well.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: DON S. REID, HAROLD WILSON REID
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind