JIMMY FORTUNE

It took me about two minutes to purchase tickets to the Old Town Theatre on April 21 once I saw Jimmy Fortune would be in town. For those who do not know, Fortune was the tenor for The Statler Brothers and, along with them, has been inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame, the Gospel Music Hall of Fame, as well as the Virginia Musical Hall of

Fame as a solo artist. Jimmy began his journey with The Statlers, already a favorite of mine, when I was a senior in high school. In spite of my initial resistance to a change in my favorite group, it took me about two minutes to recognize the special smoothness of this unique tenor. Coming from a family of singers who love harmony, Jimmy Fortune quickly became (for me) the standard by which other tenors were gauged. When I got on the phone with Jimmy for this interview, it took me about two minutes to decide he had to be one of the nicest people I had ever spoken with. Add to that his love of family, country and God, and you will find a voice and music that touches you where you live.

What was life in the music world like for you prior to the Statler Brothers?

I was playing hotel clubs in Virginia six days a week, four hours a night, and I had a daytime job as a service writer at a car dealership. Working myself in the ground, pretty much. Cover music, top 40 stuff, everything from rock to country to bluegrass to gospel…disco, you name it. With that kind of job, you just had to do it all.

How old were you when you joined the Statler Brothers?

I was 26, going on 12 (laughs). Thanksgiving 1981, I had a night off and was asked by some friends to come to a local ski resort and jam with them. To this day, I can’t figure out why I went to play music on my night off. Statler Brothers tenor Lew DeWitt was there and heard me, and we got to sing together a little bit. I didn’t think anything would come of it, but when he had surgery around Christmas, he recommended me to the group as a fill-in.

When he had to leave the group for health reasons, it turned into a full-time blessing. I see so many God things in my life, where He put me in the right places at the right time for the right things. I don’t know how he steered a young, rambunctious guy like me, except for my Momma’s prayers.

In 21 years with the Statler Brothers and your career since, you have performed all over the U.S., internationally, at the White House, for Elizabeth Taylor, and more…what was the most memorable performance experience for you?

Whoa…there are so many! The first time on stage with the Statler Brothers was great, January 28, 1982, in Savannah, Georgia. I realized I was standing on stage with my heroes, and I had never seen that many faces looking at me!

We started the DARE program with President and Mrs. Reagan to keep kids off drugs, and we did several events with them at the White House.