“THE STATLER BROTHERS ARE COMING HOME AGAIN” — A Brand-New Musical Honoring The Legendary Group Will Premiere In Their Hometown In 2026
More than two decades after their farewell tour, the music and memories of The Statler Brothers are officially heading back to the stage in a deeply emotional new way.
A brand-new musical titled “Some I Wrote” is set to premiere in 2026 — and fittingly, it will debut in the group’s beloved hometown of Staunton, Virginia.
For longtime fans of Harold Reid, Don Reid, Phil Balsley, Lew DeWitt, and Jimmy Fortune, the announcement feels less like a theater production…
…and more like a homecoming.
According to organizers, the musical — officially titled “Some I Wrote: A Musical Story of the Songs of The Statler Brothers” — will premiere at ShenanArts beginning October 15, 2026.
The production is based on The Music of The Statler Brothers: An Anthology, a book written by Don Reid, the group’s longtime lead singer and primary songwriter.
The stage adaptation is being created by Jeff McDaniel and Cori McDaniel, both longtime contributors to ShenanArts productions.
And perhaps most importantly, the Reid family personally gave their blessing for the project.
“As a lifetime Statler Brothers fan, I was honored to receive the blessings of Don Reid and his family,” Jeff McDaniel said while announcing the production.
Rather than simply retelling the group’s history chronologically, the musical will reportedly focus on the stories and emotions behind some of the Statlers’ biggest songs — along with lesser-known favorites beloved by longtime fans.
That means audiences can likely expect emotional reflections tied to classics like:
- “Flowers On The Wall”
- “Do You Know You Are My Sunshine”
- “Elizabeth”
- “The Class Of ’57”
- “Bed Of Rose’s”
- “Whatever Happened To Randolph Scott”
For generations of country music fans, The Statler Brothers represented something unique.
Warmth.
Harmony.
Faith.
Humor.
Family.
And nostalgia for a simpler America that many listeners still deeply miss today.
The group spent nearly 40 years as one of country music’s most beloved acts, winning multiple Grammy Awards, CMA Awards, and becoming one of the most successful vocal groups in country music history.
Their television program, “The Statler Brothers Show,” dominated The Nashville Network throughout the 1990s and became a comfort show for millions of fans across America.
Now, years after the losses of Harold Reid and Phil Balsley, the musical arrives carrying even deeper emotional meaning.
Because for many fans, this production is not simply entertainment.
It is preservation.
A celebration of voices, harmonies, memories, and storytelling that helped define classic country music for decades.
And perhaps there is something especially beautiful about the fact that this musical will begin exactly where the Statler Brothers’ story first started:
In Staunton, Virginia.
The small hometown that helped shape one of country music’s most enduring legacies.