In 1964, Johnny Cash hired four gospel singers from Virginia with nothing more than a handshake. There was no written contract, no legal agreement, and no guarantee of how long the arrangement would last.
For the next eight and a half years, The Statler Brothers traveled with Johnny Cash, performed before enormous audiences, and learned the business from one of country music’s biggest stars.
Decades later, Don Reid confirmed that the group never signed a contract with Johnny Cash during those years. The agreement was built entirely on trust.
That handshake helped launch one of the most successful vocal groups in country music history.
Four Gospel Singers From Virginia
The Statler Brothers’ story began in Staunton, Virginia, where the group’s roots stretched back to 1955. Harold Reid, Phil Balsley, Lew DeWitt, and eventually Harold’s younger brother Don Reid developed a distinctive four-part harmony influenced by traditional gospel quartets.
Despite the name, only Don Reid and Harold Reid were actually brothers.
For years, The Statler Brothers performed locally, combining gospel standards with country music and occasional comedy. The talent was there, but national recognition remained out of reach.
That began changing when Johnny Cash encountered the group at the Roanoke Fair in Virginia in 1963.
By early 1964, The Statler Brothers had joined Johnny Cash’s touring show.
The Night Johnny Cash Heard Something Unexpected
One of the funniest stories from those early years happened during The Statler Brothers’ first appearance opening for Johnny Cash in Canton, Ohio.
The group performed a humorous imitation of Johnny Cash’s hit “Ring of Fire.” Harold Reid imitated Johnny Cash’s unmistakable singing voice while the other three members reproduced the song’s famous trumpet parts using their own voices.
Johnny Cash enjoyed the imitation so much that Johnny Cash asked The Statler Brothers to provide those imaginary trumpets during Johnny Cash’s own performance.
Don Reid later recalled that The Statler Brothers had to remove the comedy routine from their opening act because Johnny Cash wanted those trumpet sounds in the main show.
It was a small moment, but it showed the easy relationship that developed between the established star and four young performers learning their way around the country music business.
Johnny Cash Opened the Door to Columbia Records
Johnny Cash did more than offer The Statler Brothers a place on the road. Johnny Cash persuaded Columbia Records to give the group a recording contract.
The Statler Brothers entered a Columbia recording studio in April 1964. The following March, the group recorded a song written by Lew DeWitt that would change everything.
“Flowers on the Wall” reached No. 2 on Billboard’s country chart and No. 4 on the pop chart. Its unusual lyrics and memorable harmonies introduced The Statler Brothers to audiences far beyond traditional country music.
The recording helped The Statler Brothers win two Grammy Awards for 1965.
Yet success did not arrive in a straight line. Columbia struggled to build on the breakthrough, and several years passed before The Statler Brothers established a more consistent run of country hits.
That changed after the group joined Mercury Records in 1969.
From Johnny Cash’s Opening Act to Country Music Royalty
During the 1970s, The Statler Brothers developed a remarkable string of hits, including “Bed of Rose’s,” “The Class of ’57,” and “I’ll Go to My Grave Loving You.”
In 1972, The Statler Brothers won the CMA Vocal Group of the Year award for the first time.
The group would eventually win that honor nine times, including six consecutive victories from 1972 through 1977.
Across their career, The Statler Brothers earned three Grammy Awards and became one of country music’s most celebrated vocal groups. The group later starred in a successful television series on The Nashville Network and continued performing until retiring from the road in 2002.
In 2008, The Statler Brothers entered the Country Music Hall of Fame.
The Song That Explained What Johnny Cash Meant to Them
Long after leaving Johnny Cash’s touring show, The Statler Brothers found a memorable way to acknowledge the opportunity that had started everything.
In 1980, Don Reid and Harold Reid wrote “We Got Paid by Cash,” a song included on the group’s 10th Anniversary album.
The song recalled the touring years, the friendships with June Carter Cash and the Tennessee Three, and the lessons learned while working beside Johnny Cash.
More importantly, it acknowledged that the experience had given The Statler Brothers something beyond a paycheck: the foundation for a lasting career.
Johnny Cash had opened a door in 1964. The Statler Brothers spent the following decades proving what could happen when talent met opportunity.
And after the Grammy Awards, the CMA victories, the television success, and the Country Music Hall of Fame induction, the story still led back to four young singers from Virginia and a handshake with Johnny Cash.