Country singer Jimmy Fortune will perform in concert Friday at Liberty Hall in Tyler.

Country music singer Jimmy Fortune will perform in concert Friday at Liberty Hall in Tyler.

Fortune performed with the legendary Statler Brothers for 20 years, first as a temporary replacement for member Lew DeWitt.

“My professional career started when I went with the Statler Brothers,” Fortune said. “That was in 1982 and I was about 26 years old.”

Before joining the group, Fortune was performing in clubs.

“I had been playing in clubs back in Virginia for about 10 years, six nights a week, four hours a night,” he said. “And then I had a daytime job as a car service writer at a dealership in Charlottesville, Virginia.”

Fortune said when the group needed someone to fill in for DeWitt, who had Crohn’s disease, he was recommended.

“He was going to be out for about six months and I went to audition for them,” Fortune said. “It was like a fairy tale. I couldn’t believe I was getting to do that because I love the Statler Brothers. Long story short, they hired me in January of 1982.”

But Fortune’s fairy tale didn’t end there.

“I was there temporarily for about six months … Lou was going to come back and I was going to be in the band,” he said. “He decided he didn’t think he could do it and he asked me if I would be willing to become one of the Statler Brothers permanently. And I said absolutely.”

Fortune became a permanent member in August 1982 and was with the group until they retired in 2002.

While with the group, Fortune wrote several songs.

“I started writing after I got with the Statler Brothers,” he said. “I had never written before.”

His first song was “Elizabeth.”

“It was on the ‘Today’ album and it went No. 1. I won songwriter of the year for that song and it was song of the year in 1985 in country music,” Fortune said. “And then on the next album I wrote a song called ‘My Only Love,’ which was a song I also won songwriter of the year for. It was song of the year in 1986.”

Fortune had another No. 1 hit with “Too Much on My Heart,” from the “Pardners in Rhyme” album.

“It was song of the year in 1987,” he said. “And ‘More Than a Name On a Wall’ came later, which was a Top 10 song and written as a tribute to Vietnam veterans.”

The Statler Brothers were inducted into the Gospel Music Association Hall of Fame in 2007 and the Country Music Association Hall of Fame in 2008. As a solo artist, Fortune was inducted into the Virginia Musical Hall of Fame in 2018.

After the Statler Brothers retired, Fortune launched his solo career.

His first solo album was “When One Door Closes” in 2003, followed by the gospel album “I Believe” in 2005.

Other albums followed, including “Windows” in 2009 and “Lessons” in 2012.

“And then I have ‘Jimmy Fortune’s Hits & Hymns’ and the ‘Classics’ album and then “God & Country.” And I have a new CD out with Mike Rogers, Ben Isaacs and Bradley Walker … and it’s called ‘Brotherly Love.’ It’s been out for a couple of years and we’ve got a new one coming out pretty soon, hopefully by fall.”

After starting his solo career, Fortune moved from Virginia to Nashville in 2004.

“I’ve been there for 18 years now. It was a hard transition,” he said. “I really didn’t know what to expect but I just had to trust the good Lord above and he’s helped me out. So, here we are still, 20 years later.”

The Virginia native is no stranger to East Texas.

“In the last five years, I’ve probably been there three times. I love Tyler. It’s such a neat town and wonderful people,” he said. “Every time I come there I just enjoy being there. It’s mainly for the people. They’re just so nice to me down there.”

When asked about his career highlights, Fortune paused and said, “There’s just so many.”

After a few seconds, however, he said, “Getting to meet and spend time with Ronald Reagan years ago was definitely a highlight. I thought he was a great president and my daddy was also a big fan and couldn’t believe I got to meet him and spend time with him.”

Fortune said another highlight was working with Bill Gaither.

“Teaming up with Bill Gaither of the Gaithers and doing some recordings and having some CD and DVD success with him and with his label has just been so good,” he said.

But at the end of the day, it’s all about the fans.

“Every time I hit the stage and I get to see those people looking back at me, singing those songs back to me and smiling with those big smiles on their faces, those are the highlights of what I get to do,” he said.

What: Jimmy Fortune in concert

When: 7 p.m. Friday

Where: Liberty Hall, 103 E. Erwin St., Tyler

Tickets: $49

Information: https://libertytyler.com/