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Harold Reid, who sang bass for the Grammy Award-winning country quartet the Statler Brothers, died in his Virginia hometown of Stauton Friday night.
The musician’s passing comes after a long battle with kidney failure, his nephew Debo Reid confirmed. He was 80.
“He is and will always be loved by his family, friends and millions of fans,” a statement on the band’s website said. “His singing, his songwriting and his comedy made generations happy. He has taken a piece of our hearts with him.”
Reid in 1948 formed the Four-Star Quartet with boyhood friends, Lew DeWitt, Phil Balsley and Joe McDorman, who was later replaced by Don Reid, Harold’s younger brother. The group, which later went by the name Kingsmen, sang predominantly gospel music until they met Johnny Cash in 1964.
Reid, a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame and the Gospel Music Hall of Fame, frequently sang backup for the country icon.
The group eventually underwent another name change because several other acts — all better known — were billed as the Kingsmen. The new name, Statler Brothers, came from a tissue box, according to Dewitt.
Some of their hits included 1965’s “Flowers on the Wall” and 1970’s “Bed of Rose’s.”
The quartet has nabbed three Grammy Awards and were named a top vocal group nine times by the Country Music Association over the course of their career.
Harold Reid also was a comedian.
“He leaves a large and loving family and millions of fans who remember his stage and TV antics with smiles and cherish his music that will live with the ages,” Debo Reid said in a statement.
With News Wire Services