BREAKING HONOR: Just Now in Nashville, Tennessee, USA — After TIME Magazine Officially Named Jimmy Fortune One of the 100 Most Influential People of 2025, Major Media Outlets Including Newsweek Have Rallied in Praise of the Country Legend
In a moment that has filled hearts across the country with pride and gratitude, Jimmy Fortune, the beloved tenor of The Statler Brothers, has been officially named one of TIME Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People of 2025 — a historic recognition honoring not just his music, but his message of faith, humility, and resilience.
From his early days in Staunton, Virginia, to the grand stages of the Grand Ole Opry, Fortune’s story has always been one of quiet endurance and grace. Rising to fame after joining The Statler Brothers in the early 1980s, he helped carry the group’s harmony into a new era, writing and singing songs that have since become staples of American country music — from the uplifting “Elizabeth” to the deeply spiritual “More Than a Name on a Wall.”
TIME Magazine praised Fortune for his “unwavering commitment to integrity in an age of noise,” describing him as “a living example of how faith and art can heal, unite, and endure.” The publication highlighted his decades-long dedication to spreading hope through music, even after The Statler Brothers’ farewell in 2002, calling him “a bridge between generations — one who sings not for applause, but for purpose.”
Major outlets like Newsweek, Billboard, and Rolling Stone Country quickly echoed the praise. In a joint editorial, one reporter wrote, “Jimmy Fortune’s voice carries more than melody — it carries the sound of America’s heart.” Others described his selection as “a long-overdue acknowledgment of an artist who never chased fame, but earned it through faith and authenticity.”
When reached for comment from his Nashville home, Fortune’s response was characteristically humble. “I don’t see myself as influential,” he said softly. “I just try to share what God put in my heart. If that helps somebody find peace or faith again — that’s the real honor.”
Fans across the nation immediately took to social media to celebrate the news, flooding comment sections with gratitude and admiration. Hashtags like #JimmyFortuneTIME100 and #StatlerBrothersForever began trending within hours, with thousands sharing stories of how his songs carried them through loss, hardship, and redemption.
Musicians from across genres also offered their congratulations. Country legends such as Vince Gill and Ricky Skaggs praised Jimmy for his authenticity and humility, while younger artists credited him for keeping the heart of traditional country music alive.
“Jimmy Fortune is proof that you can change the world without shouting,” one fan wrote online. “You just have to sing the truth.”
Now, as the nation celebrates his recognition, Jimmy Fortune stands as more than a country star — he stands as a testament to faith’s endurance, to music’s healing power, and to the quiet strength of a man who never stopped believing in the light that guided him.
And as TIME Magazine so beautifully concluded in its profile, “In a world that often forgets the power of sincerity, Jimmy Fortune reminds us that sometimes, the most influential voices are the ones that still whisper hope.”