Jimmy Fortune and T. Graham Brown to Perform in Pigeon Forge
Perhaps it was providence that inspired Jimmy Fortune to write the hit song “Elizabeth.” Fortune was the tenor for the Statler Brothers in 1983 when a series of circumstances occurred that inspired him to write what became the most successful song of his career.
Jimmy Fortune
The band was on a stop while on tour when Fortune heard a woman talking to her daughter, Elizabeth. Later that day, Fortune saw the movie “Giant” starring Elizabeth Taylor. He was struck by her beauty and gorgeous blue eyes. Later, he was on stage performing with the Statler brothers when a small girl walked up from the audience and quietly strode across the stage and walked up to Fortune and took his hand. While he was trying to concentrate on singing the little girl began telling him “I’m Elizabeth, I’m Elizabeth.”
After the show Fortune saw the girl in the autograph line and told her “I’m going to write a song with your name in it.” The child beamed.
“I have seen her once since then,” Fortune recalled. “She’s all grown up now. I still keep up with her on Facebook. I believe it was God at work inspiring me to write that song. I got the opportunity to sing it to Elizabeth Taylor on her 52nd birthday.”
Fortune will perform “Elizabeth” and his many other hits at Country Tonite with T. Graham Brown on June 14, at 8 pm.
T Graham Brown
Brown is known for such hits as “Darlene”, “Wine into water”, “Hell and High Water” and others.
Recently, Fortune’s hit “Elizabeth” made its way onto the Bluegrass charts when the bluegrass team of Daily and Vincent recorded the song.
“The song is now reaching a new generation of fans,” Fortune said. “It was up for a Grammy last year against Lady Antebellum and the Zac Brown Band. I didn’t win but it was an honor to compete against such talented bands.”
Fortune’s other hits include “Too Much on My Heart”, “My Only Love”, “More Than a Name on a Wall” and many others. Currently, he is promoting his newest CD entitled “Lessons.”
“The songs are some that I wrote years ago with some friends in Nashville,” Fortune said. “It’s about lessons in life.”
Fortune left the Statlers 11 years ago when the brothers decided to retire. But, Fortune has kept busy touring and performing. He still sees his old friends frequently.
“We get together every Christmas,” Fortune said. “It’s good to keep up with them. We talk a lot on the phone. We weren’t actually related but I think of those guys as my brothers.”
Tickets for the Fortune-Brown Show are available at Country Tonite located on the Parkway in Pigeon Forge or may be purchased by calling Ticket Sales Final 1-800-792-4308 or 865-453-2003.
