\nJimmy Fortune toured, sang and performed with the legendary Statler Brothers for 21 years. He joined them first as a temporary replacement for Lew DeWitt, after DeWitt heard him singing at a ski resort and recommended him.\u00a0 Following an audition in Nashville, Jimmy was contacted by The Statler Brothers and performed his first show with them on January 28, 1982, in Savannah, Georgia.\u00a0 Due to the debilitating effects of Crohn\u2019s Disease, Lew was unable to return to the stage with the Statlers, and Jimmy was hired as a permanent replacement in August of 1982.\n<\/p>\n
\nFortune quickly lived up to his name. He wrote the group’s second No. 1 hit, “Elizabeth,” on their 1983 album Today<\/em>, and followed that with two more No. 1 hits–“My Only Love” (from 1984’s Atlanta Blue<\/em>) and “Too Much On My Heart” (from 1985’s Pardners in Rhyme<\/em>). Fortune also wrote the top-10 hit “Forever” from 1986’s Four for the Show<\/em> and co-wrote the top-10 hit “More Than a Name on a Wall” from 1988’s The Greatest Hits<\/em>.\n<\/p>\n \nJimmy has performed in all of the U.S. States, in Canadian Provinces, and in front of audiences as large as 100,000.\u00a0 He was part of the Statlers\u2019 annual Happy Birthday USA celebration in Staunton, Virginia, for 14 years.\u00a0 He also sang on many of the Statlers\u2019 gold, platinum, and double platinum recordings.\u00a0 Jimmy\u2019s career included The Nashville Network\u2019s popular \u201cThe Statler Brothers Show\u201d which aired for seven seasons and debuted in 1991 as the highest rated show for the network. Jimmy was privileged to perform at the White House on two occasions, once for President Ronald Reagan, and once for President George H. W. Bush.\u00a0 He also presented a special gift to actress Elizabeth Taylor by singing his song \u201cElizabeth\u201d to her for a birthday celebration.\n<\/p>\n \nJimmy and The Statler Brothers were inducted into the GMA (Gospel Music Association) Hall of Fame on October 29, 2007, and inducted into the CMA (Country Music Association) Hall of Fame on June 29, 2008. Jimmy, as a solo artist, was inducted into the Virginia Musical Hall of Fame in 2018.\n<\/p>\n \nAfter The Statler Brothers retired on October 26, 2002, Jimmy seized the opportunity to launch a solo career to share new music with his fans.\u00a0 His first solo CD, When One Door Closes<\/em>, was released August 2003 on Audium\/Koch. He released a gospel album, I Believe<\/em>, in June 2005, a Christmas CD, Feels Like Christmas<\/em>, in 2006, a live concert DVD in 2007 a country CD, \u201cWindows\u201d in 2009, \u201cLessons\u201d in 2012.\n<\/p>\n \nIn 2015 Jimmy teamed up with the Gaither Music Group and recorded \u201cHits and Hymns\u201d CD and DVD which debuted at #10 Billboard Country Album, #1 Southern Gospel, and #6 Billboard Contemporary Christian. The DVD debuted at #1 on Billboard Music Video charts. \u00a0In 2017 he recorded a compilation of his favorite songs called \u201cJimmy Fortune Sings the Classics\u201d on the Gaither Music label and in May 2019 they also released \u201cGod and Country\u201d CD and DVD which won a Dove Award in 2020 for Country\/Gospel\/Roots Album of the Year.\n<\/p>\n \nIn 2020 Jimmy joined his friends Ben Isaacs, Mike Rogers and Bradley Walker (Fortune\/Walker\/Rogers\/Isaacs) in recording a quartet style project that included a CD and DVD called Brotherly Love that debuted #16 Billboard (all genres) Top Album Sales on 9-19-20. Their sophomore project, Listen To The Music, was released in 2023 under the name Brothers of the Heart. It debuted #32 Billboard (all genres) and #1 Christian.\n<\/p>\n \nJimmy is currently living in Tennessee, writing, touring, and recording music.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"