On March 9, 1964, four young men from Staunton, Virginia, walked onto a stage in Canton, Ohio, for their first performance as part of Johnny Cash’s road show. The Statler Brothers were still relatively unknown, but one member had a talent that went far beyond singing harmony.
Harold Reid, the group’s deep-voiced bass singer, could also make people laugh. And that night, Harold Reid decided to have some fun with the very man who had given The Statler Brothers their big opportunity.
What happened during their performance of “Ring of Fire” became one of the funniest memories of their years with Johnny Cash.
The Night Harold Reid Imitated Johnny Cash
Johnny Cash had already turned “Ring of Fire” into one of country music’s most recognizable songs. The booming voice and distinctive mariachi-style trumpets made the recording instantly identifiable.
But The Statler Brothers had developed their own unusual version.
Harold Reid imitated Johnny Cash’s unmistakable singing voice while Don Reid, Phil Balsley, and Lew DeWitt recreated the trumpet parts using nothing but their mouths.
There were no actual horns involved. Four talented country singers were simply having fun with one of the biggest hits of the day.
Johnny Cash heard the performance and loved the joke.
But Johnny Cash didn’t merely laugh and forget about it. Johnny Cash wanted to become part of the fun.
The Unexpected Request That Changed Their Act
Johnny Cash liked the imitation so much that Johnny Cash asked The Statler Brothers to provide those comical trumpet sounds during Johnny Cash’s own performance of “Ring of Fire.”
That meant the quartet could no longer use the same routine in their opening act.
In a 2013 interview published by Arkansas State University, Don Reid remembered the moment with obvious amusement:
“We had to drop it out of our act and do those silly trumpets when he sang it!”
The story reveals something wonderful about Johnny Cash and Harold Reid. Johnny Cash was already a major star, yet Johnny Cash was willing to share the spotlight and join a joke at Johnny Cash’s own expense.
For Harold Reid, whose humor became a defining feature of The Statler Brothers, it was the perfect beginning to an extraordinary friendship.
Eight and a Half Years Learning From the Man in Black
The Statler Brothers had first attracted Johnny Cash’s attention in Virginia. The opportunity began with a handshake rather than a formal contract, and that simple agreement led to eight and a half years on the road together.
During those years, Harold Reid, Don Reid, Phil Balsley, and Lew DeWitt performed before audiences across the country and beyond. The quartet appeared on Johnny Cash’s television show and developed the experience that would eventually help The Statler Brothers become headliners themselves.
In 1965, The Statler Brothers scored a major breakthrough with “Flowers on the Wall,” written by Lew DeWitt. The recording crossed from the country charts into the pop charts and earned Grammy recognition.
But the relationship with Johnny Cash was about more than commercial success.
Don Reid later described those touring years as an education in country music and the entertainment business. The Statler Brothers learned by watching Johnny Cash perform, connect with audiences, and navigate the demands of fame.
The group eventually celebrated that remarkable chapter with the affectionate tribute song “We Got Paid by Cash.”
The Voice That Held Everything Together
Harold Reid brought something irreplaceable to The Statler Brothers. Don Reid delivered the familiar lead vocals, Phil Balsley supplied the baritone, and Lew DeWitt provided the original tenor voice before Jimmy Fortune joined in 1982.
Underneath those harmonies was Harold Reid’s powerful bass.
Yet Harold Reid was never simply the man singing the lowest notes. Harold Reid helped give the quartet its personality, balancing heartfelt gospel and country performances with comedy and a welcoming stage presence.
The Statler Brothers eventually earned three Grammy Awards, nine Country Music Association Vocal Group of the Year awards, and induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2008.
After decades of entertaining audiences, The Statler Brothers performed their farewell concert in Salem, Virginia, in October 2002.
Why Harold Reid Is Still Remembered
Harold Reid passed away on April 24, 2020, at the age of 80, leaving behind decades of recordings, television appearances, and treasured memories.
For longtime fans, the deep bass voice remains unmistakable. Songs such as “Flowers on the Wall,” “The Class of ’57,” and “I’ll Go to My Grave Loving You” still bring back memories of a group whose harmonies sounded like nobody else’s.
But the story of that 1964 performance in Canton reveals another side of Harold Reid.
Before The Statler Brothers became country music legends, Harold Reid was already making Johnny Cash laugh. And Johnny Cash enjoyed that laughter enough to bring the joke into the main event.
It was a small moment in a remarkable career, but one that says a great deal about both performers.
Harold Reid helped make The Statler Brothers unforgettable not only through music, but through the simple pleasure of making people smile.