In 1990, Lew DeWitt — the original tenor of the Statler Brothers — died at 52, leaving a lasting void in country music. His crystal-clear voice, intricate guitar work, and warm stage presence made him the quartet’s soul. Forced to retire years earlier due to illness, Lew’s influence still lingered in the Statlers’ harmonies and humor. His passing felt personal to fans, a collective pause in the genre’s heartbeat. More than 30 years later, his voice still drifts through radios and memories, a gentle reminder that while some notes fade, the feeling they carry can echo forever in the hearts they touched.
THE VOICE THAT NEVER LEFT: Remembering Lew DeWitt, the Statler Brothers’ Original Tenor In 1990, the world of country music…