Lewis Calvin DeWitt Jr. (March 12, 1938 – August 15, 1990) was an American country music singer, guitarist, and composer. He was a founding member of The Statler Brothers and the group's original tenor.
Lew DeWitt | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Lewis Calvin DeWitt Jr. |
| Born | March 12, 1938 Roanoke, Virginia, U.S. |
| Died | August 15, 1990 (aged 52) Waynesboro, Virginia, U.S. |
| Genres | Country |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, songwriter |
| Instrument(s) | Guitar, vocals |
| Years active | 1955–1982 (with The Statler Brothers) 1985-1990 (as a solo artist) |
| Labels | Columbia, Mercury, Compleat |
Biography
editFor most of his career, DeWitt sang tenor for The Statler Brothers. Songs he wrote for the group include "Flowers on the Wall"— which was a greatest hit during the late 1960s and early 1970s that made the group popular — "Things," "Since Then," "Thank You World," "The Strand," "The Movies," and "Chet Atkins' Hand." In 1968, while the group was under contract to Columbia Records, DeWitt recorded a solo single composed of the songs "She Went a Little Bit Farther" and "Brown Eyes" (the latter was penned by DeWitt).
In November 1981, DeWitt took a leave of absence from The Statler Brothers due to surgery and treatment for Crohn's disease,[1]: 95 from which he had suffered since adolescence. At his suggestion, Jimmy Fortune was tapped as his temporary replacement. He rejoined the group in June of the following year (with Fortune having been offered a permanent position in the group's backing band), but this arrangement lasted less than a week. DeWitt officially retired that same month with Fortune becoming his permanent replacement.[1]: 96
Three years later, DeWitt, feeling that his health had gradually improved through continued treatment, decided to pursue a solo career. During this time, he returned to touring and released two albums, Here to Stay (1984)[2] and On My Own (1985).[3] The latter album gave Dewitt his only solo chart appearance with a cover of "You'll Never Know", which made it to number 77. Despite the lack of success, he remained with the Compleat label through 1987.
DeWitt was married three times. From 1961 through 1973, he was married to Glenda Kay Simmers, with whom he had two sons and two daughters. He was later married to Joyce Anne Arehart, and then Judy Fitzgerald Wells.[4]
DeWitt remained active as a performer until late 1989,[5] when his health rapidly declined, which culminated in his death on August 15, 1990, in Waynesboro, Virginia.[6] The cause of death was heart and kidney disease, stemming from complications of Crohn's. Lew Dewitt Boulevard in Waynesboro was named in his honor in 1992.[7]
In 2008, DeWitt was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame as a member of The Statler Brothers.
In 2011, amateur video of DeWitt performing at the Burley Tobacco Festival in the late 1980s surfaced and was posted onto YouTube.[8] The set is notable for the inclusion of what became his final single, "Moonset".
Until 2022, none of DeWitt's solo recordings had been released in any digital format, with some of them only being found on YouTube. That was until the summer of that year when most of his discography was finally released on Spotify, Apple Music, and other streaming services.
Discography
editAlbums
edit| Year | Album | Label |
|---|---|---|
| 1984 | Here to Stay | Self-released |
| 1985 | On My Own | Compleat |
Singles
edit| Year | A-Side | B-Side | US Country | Label | Album |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1967 | "Brown Eyes" | "She Went a Little Bit Farther" | — | Columbia | single only |
| 1985 | "You'll Never Know" | "Wanda Glen" | 77 | Compleat | On My Own |
| 1986 | "I Love Virginia" | "She Must Have Lovin' Eyes" | — | ||
| "Hello Houston" | "Don't Our Love Look Natural" | — | single only | ||
| 1987 | "Slow Dance" | "Welcome to the Holiday Inn"[1] | — | ||
| 1990 | "Moonset" | "Moonset" | — | Oak |
Notes
edit- 1.^ "Welcome to the Holiday Inn" was previously released on the On My Own album.
References
edit- ^ a b Reid, Don; Reid, Harold (2007). Random Memories. Nashville, Tennessee: Yell Publishing Company. p. 95. ISBN 978-0-9800883-0-4.
- ^ Moses, Ellen (26 July 1986). "DeWitt to visit Orange fair". The Free Lance-Star. Retrieved 13 July 2016.
- ^ Sharpe, Jerry (8 December 1985). "Statlers' Lew DeWitt back on his own". The Pittsburgh Press. Retrieved 26 March 2010.
- ^ Vest, Jacques (2015). "Lewis Calvin "Lew" DeWitt (1938–1990)". Dictionary of Virginia Biography. Retrieved July 21, 2018.
- ^ Wiese, Cleve (25 March 2008). "Still making his mark". The Daily Progress. Charlottesville, Virginia. Retrieved 14 November 2015.
- ^ "Former Statler Brother Lew DeWitt dies at 52". The Des Moines Register. AP. August 16, 1990. p. 8. Retrieved July 21, 2018 – via newspapers.com.
- ^ Carter, Sam (June 13, 1992). "DeWitt Blvd. dedicated; singer lauded". The News Leader. Staunton, Virginia. p. 1. Retrieved July 21, 2018 – via newspapers.com.
- ^ "LEW DEWITT - Live In Concert - * RARE *". 8 November 2011. Archived from the original on 2021-12-21 – via YouTube.
Published on Nov 8, 2011
Further reading
edit- Hurst, Jack (November 17, 1985). "Lew Dewitt: After Illness And Despair, A Statler Brother Makes A Comeback". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved July 21, 2018.