The relationship between John and Phil Balsey, Harold Reid and Don Reid is complicated (Jimmy Fortune came along later; Lew DeWitt is dead). The Statlers, from Staunton, Virginia (originally called the Kingsmen) were "discovered" by Marshall Grant in 1964 and joined John's newly-forming troupe that year. This was also a volatile period for John personally, so there is no question that there were difficulties in the relationship, even as he was giving them their big break. John garnered a recording contract for the Statlers with his label, Columbia, and they scored almost immediately with Lew DeWitt's "Flowers on the Wall," which won a Grammy. But not much else came of the Columbia deal.

The Statlers were there when John's career exploded in 1968, and were, of course, regulars on the ABC-TV series. It gave them a huge forum for their new Mercury recording deal, and the advantage of being able to introduce "Bed of Rose's" and "New York City" on national television was incalculable. They participated (vocally) on the "Gospel Road" movie project, but were already separating themseves both persoanlly and professionally, and they left John's show shortly thereafter. 

Although the parting was generally amicable, and certainly the Statlers' career had grown such--together with the beginning of John's career returning from the stratosphere--there was a degree of "leaving behind" some difficult years, and the Statlers frankly did their best to keep their "back-up" years firmly in the past. Much is made of their "We Got Paid By Cash" song, and rightfully so. It was, no doubt, a heartfelt tribute, but it was also a harkening back to a period they had pretty much buried. Johnny Cash had definitely been the boss, and they had been the employees. They were anxious for everyone to know that was no longer the case.

Although it was not widely known, Lew DeWitt, the soaring tenor, had battled severe health problems nearly all his life. By 1981, the Crohn's disease forced him to temporarily leave the group. He was replaced by Fortune, and a last-ditch effort to return to the group the following year was sidetracked by continued health problems, but also, truth be told, by the desire of the "new" group to move ahead with the new member and without him. It did result in hard feelings.

DeWitt mounted a solo career, but the "Statler Brothers," which now did not include him, blocked his attempts to affilaite his current effort with his past success, going so far as to get an injunction to prevent him from even using the words "Statler Brothers" in the liner notes of his solo albums, "On My Own" and "Here To Stay." He was therefore obliged to refer to himself as "a former member of a successful country group." By the time he died in August 1990, he was past tense. His former bandmates offered what was widely seen as a tepid acknowledgement of his integral role in their beginnings. However, Johnny Cash had no qualms about going against the grain, issuing a statement, "Lew DeWitt was a friend of mine," he said, almost defiantly.

This all said, John and the Statlers are not feuding. Time and distance moved them away from each other, which is what happens in life. Their paths did not cross much, and when they did, there was no "reunion" contemplated or desired. Throughout the 70's and 80's, for example, both acts worked the summer fair circuit, but even when one would follow the other--being in the same town at the same time--they maintained their distances, which was of course noted by many. We might romanticize what was, and wish for it to be again, but that is not realistic, nor is it to be. But John has had them to his house for breakfast. And, for the record, the Statlers as a group sent flowers to June when she died, and Harold and Brenda Reid additionally sent some from their own family.

- Mark