The life and music of local legend Lew DeWitt is on display now at the Waynesboro Heritage Museum.
Although he lived to only be 52, DeWitt achieved fame as a member of the Statler Brothers, writing the Staunton country group's iconic "Flowers on the Wall," and has his name in the Country Music Hall of Fame.
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DeWitt became friends with fellow Statler Brothers members Harold Reid and Phil Balsley when they attended Wilson Memorial High School in Fishersville together in the 1940s. Don Reid, Harold's brother, later joined the group.
One of the Statler Brothers' initial forays into touring came during an eight-year run in the 1960s as an opening act and background vocals for country legend Johnny Cash.
Platinum records from the group's hits and other awards earned by DeWitt adorn the new exhibit in Waynesboro.
DeWitt was a solo act in his later years, employing just a guitar and his voice to entertain fans.
Karen Church, archivist at the Waynesboro Heritage Museum, said DeWitt adopted Waynesboro as his home in his final years and often gave concerts at the city's Ridgeview Park. One of the exhibit's photos shows DeWitt performing in front of a massive crowd at Ridgeview.
Church recounted one DeWitt concert at the park when it started to rain.
That was no problem for DeWitt, always the entertainer, she said.
"He started singing 'Singin' in the Rain,'" Church said.
Many of DeWitt's awards won over his career are now on display at the Waynesboro museum.
Church said DeWitt's widow, Judy Wells DeWitt, expressed an interest back in 2023 in providing items for an exhibit on her late husband.
Church has many colorful stories of Lew DeWitt collected over the years. She said her research found that before he and the Statler Brothers achieved success, he drove a taxicab in Baltimore. And while touring, DeWitt always responded "Pittsburgh'' when asked where the group was headed next.
There is another, more lasting tribute to Lew DeWitt in Waynesboro. The 1.5-mile Lew DeWitt Boulevard connects to both West Main Street and Rosser Avenue in the city. Waynesboro City Council voted to name the road in his honor in 1990. The road was completed in 1992.
The last decade of Lew DeWitt's life was complicated by an ongoing struggle with Crohn's disease, which led to his departure from the Statler Brothers. He died in 1990 while suffering from both kidney and heart disease. But even while his health failed, he still savored life.
One photo at the exhibit shows the entertainer playing his guitar while in the company of a family dog.
The Lew DeWitt exhibit at the Waynesboro Heritage Museum will remain in place until April. The museum at 420 W. Main St. is free but accepts donations. It is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.