The Story of The Statler Brothers and Johnny Cash
In 1963, as Ring of Fire topped the charts, Johnny Cash met a talented group of young singers at the Roanoke Fair in Virginia. Impressed by their harmonies, he invited The Statler Brothers to join his tour with just a handshake. This collaboration lasted over a decade and inspired their song We Got Paid by Cash.
Originally called The Kingsmen, the group changed their name after the success of Louie Louie by another band. During a hotel stay, members Don and Harold Reid, Phil Balsley, and Lew DeWitt noticed a box of Statler tissues—thus becoming The Statler Brothers. Reflecting on the name, Don joked, “We could have been The Kleenex Brothers
