# Lew DeWitt > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Lew_DeWitt > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Lew_DeWitt.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lew_DeWitt > Source revision: 1349831338 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) American singer-songwriter Lew DeWitt Background information Born Lewis Calvin DeWitt Jr. (1938-03-12)March 12, 1938 Roanoke, Virginia, U.S. Died August 15, 1990(1990-08-15) (aged 52) Waynesboro, Virginia, U.S. Genres Country Occupations Musician, songwriter Instruments Guitar, vocals Years active 1955–1982 (with The Statler Brothers) 1985-1990 (as a solo artist) Labels Columbia, Mercury, Compleat Musical artist **Lewis Calvin DeWitt Jr.** (March 12, 1938 – August 15, 1990) was an American [country music](/source/Country_music) singer, guitarist, and [composer](/source/Composer). He was a founding member of [The Statler Brothers](/source/The_Statler_Brothers) and the group's original [tenor](/source/Tenor). ## Biography For most of his career, DeWitt sang tenor for The Statler Brothers. Songs he wrote for the group include "[Flowers on the Wall](/source/Flowers_on_the_Wall)"— a major pop and country hit in the mid-1960s that made the group popular — "The Junkie's Prayer", "Things", "Since Then", "The Strand", "Chet Atkins' Hand", and the hits "Thank You World" and "The Movies". In 1968, the group was under contract to [Columbia Records](/source/Columbia_Records) when DeWitt recorded a solo single, "She Went a Little Bit Farther" backed with "Brown Eyes", the latter of which was penned by DeWitt. In November of 1981, DeWitt took a leave of absence from The Statlers due to surgery and treatment for [Crohn's disease](/source/Crohn's_disease),[1]: 95 from which he had suffered since [adolescence](/source/Adolescence). At his suggestion, [Jimmy Fortune](/source/Jimmy_Fortune) was tapped as a temporary replacement. DeWitt rejoined 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](/source/You'll_Never_Know)", which made it to number 77. 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 through 1989,[5] when his health declined, culminating in his death on August 15, 1990, in [Waynesboro, Virginia](/source/Waynesboro%2C_Virginia).[6] The cause of death was heart and kidney disease, due to complications of Crohn's. Lew Dewitt Boulevard was named in his honor in Waynesboro in 1992.[7] In 2008, DeWitt was inducted into the [Country Music Hall of Fame](/source/List_of_Country_Music_Hall_of_Fame_inductees) 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](/source/YouTube).[8] The set is notable for the inclusion of what became his final single, "Moonset". None of DeWitt's solo recordings were released in any digital format until 2022, when most of his discography was finally released on Spotify, Apple Music, and other streaming services. ## Discography ### Albums Year Album Label 1984 Here to Stay Self-released 1985 On My Own Compleat ### Singles Year A-Side B-Side US Country Label Album 1967 "She Went a Little Bit Farther" "Brown Eyes" — 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 - 1.**[^](#ref_a)**"Welcome to the Holiday Inn" was previously released on the *On My Own* album. ## References 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-randommemories_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-randommemories_1-1) Reid, Don; Reid, Harold (2007). *Random Memories*. Nashville, Tennessee: Yell Publishing Company. p. 95. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0-9800883-0-4](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-9800883-0-4). 1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** Moses, Ellen (26 July 1986). ["DeWitt to visit Orange fair"](https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1298&dat=19860726&id=4_hNAAAAIBAJ&sjid=VIsDAAAAIBAJ&pg=5683,4535062&hl=en). *[The Free Lance-Star](/source/The_Free_Lance-Star)*. Retrieved 13 July 2016. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** Sharpe, Jerry (8 December 1985). ["Statlers' Lew DeWitt back on his own"](https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=GN4cAAAAIBAJ&sjid=CGMEAAAAIBAJ&pg=5248,6572439&dq=lew-dewitt+on-my-own&hl=en). *[The Pittsburgh Press](/source/The_Pittsburgh_Press)*. Retrieved 26 March 2010. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** Vest, Jacques (2015). ["Lewis Calvin "Lew" DeWitt (1938–1990)"](http://www.lva.virginia.gov/public/dvb/bio.asp?b=DeWitt_Lew). *Dictionary of Virginia Biography*. Retrieved July 21, 2018. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** Wiese, Cleve (25 March 2008). ["Still making his mark"](https://www.dailyprogress.com/news/still-making-his-mark/article_d94258f3-f3b9-55d5-ab71-5cc79b6dc127.html). *The Daily Progress*. Charlottesville, Virginia. Retrieved 14 November 2015. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** ["Former Statler Brother Lew DeWitt dies at 52"](https://www.newspapers.com/clip/22065262/former_statler_brother_lew_dewitt_dies/). *[The Des Moines Register](/source/The_Des_Moines_Register)*. [AP](/source/Associated_Press). August 16, 1990. p. 8. Retrieved July 21, 2018 – via newspapers.com. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** Carter, Sam (June 13, 1992). ["DeWitt Blvd. dedicated; singer lauded"](https://www.newspapers.com/clip/22065983/dewitt_blvd_dedicated_singer_lauded/). *[The News Leader](/source/The_News_Leader)*. [Staunton, Virginia](/source/Staunton%2C_Virginia). p. 1. Retrieved July 21, 2018 – via newspapers.com. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** ["LEW DEWITT - Live In Concert - * RARE *"](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z7varb0Tehw). 8 November 2011. [Archived](https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/z7varb0Tehw) from the original on 2021-12-21 – via [YouTube](/source/YouTube). Published on Nov 8, 2011 ## Further reading - Hurst, Jack (November 17, 1985). ["Lew Dewitt: After Illness And Despair, A Statler Brother Makes A Comeback"](https://www.chicagotribune.com/1985/11/17/lew-dewitt-after-illness-and-despair-a-statler-brother-makes/). *[Chicago Tribune](/source/Chicago_Tribune)*. Retrieved July 21, 2018. ## External links - [Lew DeWitt](https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/20735) at [Find a Grave](/source/Find_a_Grave) Authority control databases International ISNI VIAF National United States Italy Finland Artists MusicBrainz v t e The Statler Brothers Phil Balsley Lew DeWitt Jimmy Fortune Don Reid Harold Reid Studio albums Flowers on the Wall Sing the Big Hits How Great Thou Art Bed of Rose's Pictures of Moments to Remember Short Stories Entertainers...On and Off the Record Christmas Card The Originals 10th Anniversary Years Ago The Legend Goes On Today Atlanta Blue Pardners in Rhyme Christmas Present Four for the Show Maple Street Memories Notable singles "I Still Miss Someone" "Flowers on the Wall" "Oh Happy Day" "Bed of Rose's" "Do You Remember These" "The Class of '57" "I'll Go to My Grave Loving You" "How Great Thou Art" "Do You Know You Are My Sunshine" "Who Am I to Say" "The Official Historian on Shirley Jean Berrell" "How to Be a Country Star" "Nothing as Original as You" "Charlotte's Web" "In the Garden" "Don't Wait on Me" "Years Ago" "You'll Be Back (Every Night in My Dreams)" "Whatever" "A Child of the Fifties" "Oh Baby Mine (I Get So Lonely)" "Guilty" "Elizabeth" "Atlanta Blue" "One Takes the Blame" "My Only Love" "Hello Mary Lou" "Too Much on My Heart" "Sweeter and Sweeter" "Count On Me" "Only You" "Forever" "I'll Be the One" "The Best I Know How" "Let's Get Started If We're Gonna Break My Heart" "More Than a Name on a Wall" Related articles Discography --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Lew DeWitt](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lew_DeWitt) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lew_DeWitt?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.