Jimmy Fortune | |
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Background information | |
Born | Williamsburg, Virginia | March 11, 1955
Origin | Nelson County, Virginia |
Genres | Country |
Occupation(s) | Singer |
Instruments | Vocals, guitar |
Years active | 1982–present |
Labels |
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Formerly of | The Statler Brothers |
Website | Official Website |
Jimmy Fortune (born March 11, 1955) is an American country music singer from Nelson County, Virginia. Fortune sang tenor for The Statler Brothers for 21 years, and wrote the song " Elizabeth" for the group. [1] Shortly after the Statler Brothers disbanded, he began to perform as a solo artist.
Fortune was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2008 as a member of The Statler Brothers.
Fortune grew up in Nelson County, Virginia, where he attended Nelson County High School in Lovingston, Virginia. [2]
The original tenor of the Statler Brothers, Lew DeWitt, heard Fortune sing at a local ski resort. When DeWitt was suffering from Crohn's disease and needed a temporary replacement, he asked Fortune to come to audition for the band in Nashville. Fortune started performing with the Statler Brothers in 1982, originally as a temporary replacement for DeWitt. He joined the group permanently later in the year when DeWitt decided to quit the group due to his illness. [2]
Fortune wrote several number-one songs that were recorded by the Statler Brothers, including " Elizabeth", " Too Much on My Heart", and " My Only Love". " More Than a Name on a Wall" was a top ten country hit. "Elizabeth" recently was a top bluegrass release for Dailey & Vincent. He spent 21 years touring, singing, and performing with the Statler Brothers.
In 2002, after the Statlers disbanded, Fortune continued his career as a solo artist with an extensive performance schedule in the U.S. and Canada. He has continued as a songwriter and has recorded some projects in Nashville that he mostly produced himself. In 2015 he released Hits & Hymns produced by Ben Isaacs. [2] The album reached the Top Ten on Billboard's Top Country Albums chart. The DVD release of a TV special, "Jimmy Fortune: Hits & Hymns," hosted by Bill Gaither, debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Music Video chart. [1] In 2020, Fortune collaborated with Bradley Walker, Ben Isaacs, and Mike Rogers, and formed a group later named Brothers of the Heart. [3] [4] They have released three albums to date: Brotherly Love (2020), [5] Listen To The Music (2023), [6] and Will The Circle Be Unbroken (2023). [7]
On July 8, 2023, a bronze statue of Fortune was unveiled in Nelson County, Virginia. Fortune attended the ceremony, where a statue of fellow Nelson County native Earl Hamner Jr. was also dedicated. [8]
Title | Details | Peak chart positions | Sales | ||
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US Country [9] |
US [10] |
US Christ [11] | |||
When One Door Closes |
|
— | — | — | |
I Believe |
|
— | — | — | |
Feels Like Christmas |
|
— | — | — | |
Windows |
|
— | — | — | |
Lessons |
|
— | — | — | |
Hits & Hymns |
|
10 | 156 | 6 | US: 42,800 [12] |
Sings the Classics [13] |
|
— | — | — | US: 13,400 [14] |
God & Country |
|
— | — | 11 |
|
"—" denotes releases that did not chart |
Year | Single | Album |
---|---|---|
2003 | "What Money Can't Buy" | When One Door Closes |
2004 | "Elizabeth" |
Year | Single | Artist | Album |
---|---|---|---|
2013 | "God Bless the Children" (with Wayne Warner and the Nashville All-Star Choir) [16] | Turbo Twang'n | |
2013 | "Working on a Building" | Marty Raybon (with T. Graham Brown & Trace Adkins) | Working on a Building |
Year | Video | Director |
---|---|---|
1997 | "Dare the World" (Various Artists) | John Lloyd Miller |