Jimmy Fortune

Jimmy Fortune (born March 11, 1955), in Williamsburg, Virginia, is an American country music singer. He hails from Lovingston, Virginia. Fortune sang tenor for the Statler Brothers for 21 years. He joined them as a replacement for the ailing Lew DeWitt in 1982 and joined the group permanently when DeWitt was unable to return to the stage. Fortune wrote several number one songs that were recorded by the Statler Brothers, among them Elizabeth, Too Much on My Heart, My Only LOne and More Than a Name on the Wall. Elizabeth recently was a top bluegrass release for Daley & Vincent. He spent 21 years touring, singing, and performing with them until Don, Harold and Phil, the other three members of the group retired in 2002. Since then he has continued an extensive performance schedule in the U.S. and Canada, and just completed hosting the Fortune-Williams Music Festival with Robin and Lin da Williams. He has continued as a songwriter and has sung background for a number of projects in Nashville in addition to his own releases. He is mareried to Nina for 19 years who he credits onstage with keeping his professional life in some kind of order. The personable Fortune has a loyal cadre of fans, some dating to the Statler era and many developed since many of who style themselves as "Fortune Hunters."