The Wilburn Brothers

On Christmas Eve, 1937 Lester 13 Leslie 12 Geraldine 10 Doyle 7 and Theodore 6 gathered on a wind blown street corner in Thayer, Missouri, some eighteen miles outside of their native state of Arkansas and started singing their hearts out. There wasn’t much money to be had in those days, not with the hard times of the Depression and the burnt out feel of the land. A crowd soon started gathering around to hear those five kids singing and picking their mail order instruments. Their guitars, mandolin and ukulele and Fiddle managed to gather up $6.40 in contributions and the singing career of the Wilburn Family was on its way. In the months and years that followed - Teddy, Doyle sister Geraldine and the two older brothers Lester and Leslie played on a lot of street corners and in dirt floor theaters, schoolhouses and churches. They traveled around with their dad “Pop Wilburn”, who MC’d the shows and served as agent, manager and advisor to his flock. Times were very hard and money was short- sometimes there was no money at all but the family was together. 1940 was a really long year, their home caught fire and they had to move out back into a chicken House on the Back of the Property. It was far from being secure from the wind and weather. The walls were filled with holes and the floor was nothing more than the hard earth below. They coved the holes with old newspapers and did what they could to stay warm. It wasn’t long before Teddy stricken with Tuberculosis. He was too sick to sing let alone travel, but by the end of the year Teddy was well enough to go on the road again. Pop had heard about a singing contest that was to be held at the Birmingham Alabama Auditorium. The host and one of the Judges was Roy Acuff. On the way to the show they had a flat tire. Back in those days you had to apply the old cold patch and fix it your self. And you had an old hand pump to refill the tire. By the time they arrived in Birmingham they were too late to sing in the contest. Their dad figured Roy would have to leave eventually, so he lined up the children at the back door. As Mr. Acuff exited the building the children started singing Farther Along, Roy stood watching as tears fell from his eyes. When the children finished the song he took their father aside praising their performance. After arriving back home it was not long before a telegram arrived asking them to come and join the Grand Ole Opry cast. The Wilburn family became regulars, but only got to perform for 6 months. As a sign of the times, child labor laws were very specific and strict about children working such late hours. After threats to close the Opry doors and even the possibility of Pop Wilburn Being Jailed for letting them perform, they were finally forced to leave. Around the same time Dr. Pepper also were interested in sponsoring the Wilburn Children. Pop Wilburn was told if he took them up on their offer the State was going to placed each of the children in separate foster homes. The Wilburn family not to be stopped performed in every radio show and theater where they could find an audience.In 1945 WWII was still raging throughout Europe. After ten years of performing as a Family Unit. Leslie received a telegram from Uncle Sam. Two years Later Geraldine would also leave the group to Marry. The other 3 boys still traveled doing radio and local shows until they ended up on the Early Morning Show on KTBS Shreveport in November 1948. A short time later they switched to KWKH where they became regulars on the Louisiana Hayride. Teddy enrolled in Fair Park High school where he would graduate in 1951. Also attending Fair Park High was another young man by the name of Faron Young. When the Korean Conflict Erupted Doyle was drafted into the army and spent 14 months with the 8th Army Special Services. While he was away Teddy released a single for the Gotham Label called “How would you like to call me sweetheart” which he also wrote. The record was produced by Webb Peirce. Webb also used Teddy on Bass on one of his Decca recording sessions in Nashville. It was Webb’s idea to starting calling Theodore Teddy. A short time later KWKH regulars Johnny and Jack on the way to join the Opry asked Teddy to join their Band. After explaining that he was soon to be drafted he suggested they Hire Lester who also later also played for Marty Robbins. Teddy was inducted into the Army in January of 1952. Ironically he ran into Doyle in Seoul then in the Process of being discharged. After he was discharged and while waiting FOR Teddy’s Stint to end, he began fronting shows for Webb Singing Harmony and being a Comic. When Teddy finally was discharged he returned to Shreveport for a while and then Joined Webb’s show. The Brothers worked for Webb about a year during the time they lent their harmony on Webb Pierce’s smash hit “Sparkling Brown Eyes” a song that spent 18 weeks on the charts and peaking at number four. And also on another of his hits “In the Jailhouse Now,” which stayed on the charts for 37 weeks. Webb and Teddy also cut a single on the Decca label as Rob and Bob. The single consisted of the waltz you saved for me and One day later. With Webb’s influence Teddy Doyle were eventually signed to the Decca label. Their first single “Little time out for love” was released in May of 54. In the spring of 55 Teddy and Doyle went to work with Faron Young for $50.00 a show. At the time Faron was one of the hottest newcomers around. Over the next year spent with Faron they made multiple appearances with him on the Grand Ole Opry as well as their first feature film Hidden Guns. From then on Faron became known as the singing Sheriff.On March 1 1956 the boys left Faron to sign a personal Management deal with Gabe Tucker. Gabe also Managed Ernest and Justin Tubb who immediately put them on tour. Ernest had not long before begun his long running radio show “The Midnight Jamboree”. Knowing the extra exposure would help the boys when they were not on tour, he put them on the Jamboree every chance he got. In the fall of 1956 The Wilburn Brothers became full time Opry members.During the late '50s, the Wilburn’s teamed up with steel guitarist Don Helms to found Sure-Fire Music, a music publishing company as well as the Wil-Helm Talent Agency. The two older brothers Lester and Leslie who were no longer traveling stayed in Nashville to run Sure-Fire while Teddy and Doyle were on the road. The two business ventures helped launch the professional careers of many nationally known talents. These included Jean Shepherd, the Osborne Brothers, and a little lady from Butcher Holler named Loretta Lynn. Loretta toured with the Wilburn’s road show and for several years appeared on their national TV show and later landed a recording contract with Decca under their managerial wing.By the early 1960s, the Wilburn Brothers' career was at its peak, and they started their own successful syndicated TV show, one that featured the finest talent country music had to offer. The show ran from 1963 to 1974, running longer than any show of its kind, with the exception of The Porter Wagoner Show. The show was not only a big success for the Wilburns, but also served up a hearty dose of country music to scores of new listeners. It was also an important platform for up-and coming artists as well, allowing them to be seen and heard by a huge nationwide audi¬ence. One such artist was a young, promising female singer / songwriter from Butcher Hol¬low, Kentucky, and named Loretta Lynn. Loretta once said “I had bought a record of Ernest Tubb's and it had 'Hey Mr. Bluebird' on it. And I looked on the record to see who was singing with him and it said the Wilburn Brothers. So when I seen their office I just walked in and asked if I couldn't meet them. I said I'm Loretta Lynn from Washing¬ton State, and I'm trying to get a recording contract." The boys listened to Loretta's "Honky Tonk Girl" on the record she made for the tiny Zero label. (If you happen to own an original copy, it's worth a fortune.) Doyle was especially impressed, while Teddy was more skeptical, worrying that Loretta might sound too much like Kitty Wells. Despite Teddy's hesitation, they agreed to bring her into their studio, where she record¬ed a song from Sure-Fire's catalog, "Fool Number One." Doyle couldn't go to Webb Pierce for help, as by this time Paul Cohen had relinquished his position to the far less malleable Owen Bradley. After listening to the recording, Bradley told Doyle that with Kitty Wells and Brenda Lee on board, Decca wasn't looking for another female singer, but he also expressed interest in acquiring "Fool Number One" for Brenda Lee. Doyle was determined to get Loretta a contract, and offered to give Owen "Fool Number One" only if he agreed to sign Loretta to Decca Records. The strategy worked, Loretta scored her first Top 10 hit with her Decca recording of "Success" in 1962. Owen Bradley later admitted that signing Loretta Lynn was one of the best things he ever did, even though at the time, he "didn't really know what he was getting."With a successful TV show, a publishing company and a booking agency keeping them busy, Doyle and Teddy still found time to record excellent country albums. Don Helms, steel guitar player from Hank Williams' legendary Drifting Cowboys joined the Wilburn Brothers road show. While the brothers continued to write and record some of their own material, they also had Sure-Fire's formidable song catalog to draw from. All of this resulted in the Wilburns putting out some of the best material of their career in the early and middle 1960s. "Trouble's Back In Town," "Roll On Muddy River" and "It's Another World" were some of their most outstanding country classics from that era. In 1965, the boys released one of the greatest concept albums in all of country music, which they boldly titled, I'm gonna Tie One on Tonight. As the title suggests, the album contains all drinking songs, and is certainly one of their best and most memorable. For all of their outstanding work, Decca granted The Wilburn Brothers a prestigious lifetime recording contract. By the late 1960s, the Wilburn Brothers' records were hitting the charts with less impact, but their role as major country stars continued. From their flashy, rhinestone¬ drenched Nudie suits to their immaculate poise and pro¬fessionalism, the Wilburns embodied the glamour of coun¬try music stardom. By the same token, the Wilburns could always be approached as ordinary country folks, and they never lost their good-natured, down-home demeanor Another esteemed performer to join the Wilburn Broth¬ers road show was Patty Loveless, who was just a young teenager when Teddy and Doyle sat down to listen to her at the advice of Porter Wagoner. Impressed with Patty's singing and songwriting, the Wilburns hired her into their road band and also signed her to Sure-Fire as a writer. She toured with the Wilburn Brothers for three years before Moving towards her own successful solo career. Patty became a huge star, but she never forgot the invaluable help Teddy and Doyle provided. A major factor in the Wilburn's decision to hire Patty was the need to replace Loretta Lynn, who had not only parted ways with the Wilburns in 1971, but had also served them with a lawsuit get released from her management deal with Wil-Helm. The Wilburns and Loretta Lynn battled it out in court for much of the 1970s, leaving both parties with bitter feelings. In Coal Miner's Daughter, the biographical film portraying the life and career of Loretta Lynn, the Wilburn Brothers were left out completely, and some felt that it was no accident. By the end of the 1970s, Doyle's health was beginning to deteriorate. In 1978 they recorded the first of their Last 2 Album’s a Gospel LP, Titled “The Wilburn Brothers Sing Hinson and Gaither,” and in 1981 an album on Pete Drake's First Generation label, enti¬tled “The Stars The Grand Ole OPRY” As Doyle’s sickness worsened, his friends and family urged him to see a doctor but he would not agree. Still able to perform, Doyle continued with busi¬ness as usual. He finally agreed to see a doctor and the diagnosis was worse than any¬one imagined. He had full-blown can¬cer and it had progressed to the point that he had only a short time to live. Doyle passed away on October 16, 1982, at the age of 52. "It was like a 45-year marriage ended,"” I can still hear his Voice every time I hit a chorus” Teddy said soon after. In the mid 1980s, Dwight Yoakam recorded "Smoke along the Track" from the Sure-Fire catalog, and he personally delivered a gold record to Teddy. Ricky Van Shelton also recorded Sure-Fire material around this time and he duplicated the gesture. To Teddy, it meant an awful lot for those big stars to pay him such an honor, but Patty Loveless went a step further. Upset that the Wilburns' music was completely out of print, she led a charge that prompted MCA Records (formerly Decca) to release a Wilburn Brothers Retrospective on compact disc in 1990. Patty also hired Teddy to open several big shows for her. Extremely grateful and excited for a time, Teddy reportedly exclaimed, "I may be a star again!" It was surely a disappointment when that did not happen; then again, few people under¬stand the ups and downs of the music business like Teddy Wilburn. In the late 90’s Teddy was diagnosed With PSP (Progressive Supranuclear Palsy) a rare degenerative brain disease. He spent the last few years until his death on Nov 24, 2003 surrounded by Friends and Loved Ones, and though the Illness affected his Mobility. It never seemed to sway his Sense of humor, or his gentle spirit. Teddy was laid to rest at the Nashville Veterans Memorial Cemetery, at the side of his Brother Doyle to be assured the two would never part again. MyGen Profile Generator