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The
Wilburn Brothers
 The
Wilburn Brothers (Teddy & Doyle) are our biggest influences. Born in the early 1930s in Hardy, Arkansas, the duo was formed in 1953 and these two gentlemen rose to country music fame during the 1950s and 60s. With such hits as
"Which One is To Blame" (1959), "The Knoxville
Girl" (1959), "Somebody's Back in Town" (1959),
"Trouble's Back In Town" (1962), "Roll Muddy
River" (1963) , "Tell Her So" (1963),
"I'm Gonna Tie One On Tonight" (1964),
"I Had One To Many" (1965), "It's Another
World" (1965), "Someone Before Me" (1966),
"I Can't Keep Away from You" (1966),
"Hurt Her Once for Me" (1966), "Roarin'
Again" (1967), "It Looks Like the Sun's Gonna
Shine" (1969), "Arkansas" (1972) and many more. They recorded for
Decca Records today MCA / Universal Music from 1954 until 1975. They had a long running syndicated television program
"The Wilburn Brothers Show" 1963 - 1974, which
usually starred Loretta Lynn and Harold Morrison with guest stars
like Ernest Tubb, the Osborne Brothers, Webb Pierce, etc.
and the voice of the show Bill Turner; second only to "The Porter Wagoner
Show", 1960 - 1979.
More than singers / songwriters the boys were astute businessmen, opening the third publishing house in Nashville in 1959 with their
Sure-Fire Music (BMI). Which published many of Johnny Russell's of
"Act Naturally" fame, recorded by Buck Owens and the
Beatles early songs. And as such recorded many of them their selves, which later became country music standards. For example they were the first to record
"Making Plans" (1964) which wasn't a hit for anyone until
Porter Wagoner and Dolly Parton released it in 1980. Many artists have cut it down through the years. And later two more publishing companies
Bronze Music (SESAC) and Maple Music (ASCAP). And also a booking and talent agency
Wil-helm in conjunction with ex - Hank Williams steel guitarist
Don Helms, for which they promoted and booked new and established talent. Their greatest find being country superstar
Loretta Lynn, who they obtained a recording contract for, through Owen Bradley then producer of
Decca Records.
She signed five lifetime contracts in one day and four of them were with Wilburn owned business, publishing, management, bookings and promotion. She toured exclusively for a time with their road show and on other ones used their backing band
"The Nashville Tennessians" which included ace pickers Don Helms - steel guitar, later
Hal Rudd would replace him on the steel guitar; Tommy Jackson -
fiddle, replaced by Buddy Spicher - fiddle,
Lester Wilburn - upright bass, Leslie Wilburn - guitar, Larry
Estes - drums, etc. They obtained for her 18 guest spots on the prestigious
WSM Grand Ole Opry until she was finally made a member. They worked with every aspect of her career including songwriting
(Teddy), speech as a request from Bradley, who told Doyle "get that Uncle Remus out of her" and clothing, including the legendary training her to walk in high-heels.
They also discovered Loretta's cousin Patty Loveless then known as
Patty Ramey, who was with their road show for three years, while still in her teens and other family members, like
Jay Lee Webb, Peggy Sue and Crystal Gayle. And even the Osborne Brothers can thank the
Wilburns for getting them signed to the Decca Label as well as Opry membership, tour and TV exposure, etc. after their career was floundering with
MGM Records. They even were the first to invite Merle Haggard to Nashville and the Opry, back when the Bakersfield Sound was battling with the Nashville Sound
With their twin looks especially during the 1950s, twin dress (on stage) and twin guitars, they reminded one of a country
Everly Brothers, but had a style all their own. Distinguished from any other by
Teddy's lead singing and way of phrasing, Doyle's way of harmonizing and his occasional recitation. They made an imposing figure whenever they hit a stage.
Their career began in the late 30s, when they got musical instruments for Christmas in Thayer,
Missouri from their parents, Mr. B. E. (Benjamin Elijah) and Katherine
(Katie) Wilburn. They played on Christmas Eve on a street corner to raise money for Christmas of 1937 or 38. Discovered by
Roy Acuff, after a talent show that they tried to attend; who got them Opry membership in 1940, which lasted for only six months, because of the strict child labor laws of the day forced them to leave the Opry behind. The group consisted at the time of older brothers
Lester, Leslie, sister Geraldine (Gerry), Doyle and
Teddy Wilburn. They landed on KWKH's Louisiana Hayride in 1948 until 1951and struck up a friendship with future country music hit maker
Webb Pierce, who would later bring them to Paul Cohen of Decca
Records, which rendered their first release shared with him on 1954s
"Sparkling Brown Eyes" written by Billy
Cox. They also sang on
Webb's number one and the biggest record that he ever had. An old Jimmie Rodgers penned tune
"In The Jailhouse Now" (1955), which stayed on the charts for over half a year, but without label credit. Speaking of label credit
Teddy and Webb teamed up for a single "One Day
Later" / "The Waltz You Saved for Me" as the new duo
Rob and Bob, which didn't chart in 1955.
They later left Pierce to tour for a year with Faron Young and then went on to tour and record an Ep's worth of material with the legendary
Ernest Tubb, who was responsible for getting them Opry membership and their first
management deal. Hits with ET include "Mr.
Love" (1957) and "Hey Mr. Bluebird" (1958), before striking out on their own.
They had their first Wilburn Brothers hit with early songs like "I Wanna, Wanna,
Wanna" (1955) and "I'm So In Love with
You" (1956). And ventured out of the country realm from time to time with efforts like
"Oo Bop Sha Boom" (1958) though they would have rathered not have strattled the fence but played pure country music. They did take country singing brother acts into the popish sounds of the 1960s, picking up where the
Louvins left off. While enjoying chart success during this time period and were the only brother act to do so. In later years their Nashville Sounding, lavish recordings may have hurt and turned off country music purist who think of them as sellouts.
Teddy openly complained in interviews during the late 60s about Decca having them record in this vain. And much more enjoyed material like their 1965 concept album (one of the first) of all drinking songs
"I'm Gonna Tie One On Tonight". Later concept albums like
Willie Nelson's "Red Headed Stranger" would be standard fair.
Doyle, the elder to Teddy by only a year (1930-1982) died of cancer at age 52.
Teddy recently passed away as well (1931-2003) of congestive heart failure at age 71 after being sick with numerous ailments for some years, just days shy of his 72nd birthday. Dropped by
MCA in the mid 70s, with their last Billboard Charted record being
"Arkansas" in 1972. Ted and Doyle struggled as recording artist. Recording for smaller labels like
Phonorama, First Generation, Word, Calvary and Scorpion, in a sense they ended up right where they had started, when they recorded for small labels like
Four Star, which ended up on a King package, etc. Both veterans of the
Korean War they were buried with full military honors and Teddy was a member of the Opry until his death.
Time has not been kind to their memory since their break up with Loretta Lynn in the early 1970s. They were wrongly left out of the motion picture about her life
"Coal Miner's Daughter" (1980) which starred actress
Sissy Spacek and actor Tommy Lee Jones. Beginning in 1971 they spent quite a number of years in and out of court, even though they lost her, they did manage to hold on to
Lynn's valuable early song catalog, which included Loretta's classics
"Dear Uncle Sam" (1966), "Don't Come Home a Drinkin' With Lovin' on Your
Mind" (1966), "Fist City" (1968),
"Coal Miner's Daughter" (1970), and
"You're Lookin' At Country" (1971).
 Their memory has had to endure such industry insults as not being inducted into the
Country Music Hall of Fame, and writers referring to their harmony as 'tongue in check' and 'watered down
Louvins' being printed in national country books and magazines about them. Still they are our heroes and we will spend the rest of our lives trying to honor these two kind and wonderful gentlemen with our recordings of theirs, like our version of their biggest hit
Billboard # 2 - 1966's "Hurt Her Once for Me" penned by the late
Johnny Russell. We were given Teddy's blessing to do this back in 1999, when we had the honor of meeting him at his
Sure-Fire Office, it's one of our, if not our favorite memory and with a letter of kind words and appreciation from
Doyle and country singer Margie Bowles' daughter, Sharon. We are determined to go forth in this business. In 2002 we had the great honor of tributing them on the legendary
Ernest Tubb Midnight Jamboree, performing two of their biggest hits,
"Hurt Her Once For Me" and "Trouble's
Back in Town" while being backed by the Opry Stage Band which consists of one of the finest guitar players in music city
Jimmy Capps, who played for Ted and Doyle for a time in the early 70s and
Billy Linneman. We are proud to say we got them on the cover of "Country Music
Greats" magazine, to our knowledge the first magazine cover they've graced since
"Country Round-up" back in 1972. In which we supplied photos and
Wilburn stories. I attended his funeral at the Ryman Auditorium back in November and I'm mighty glad that I did. My thanks to
Sharon and Teddy's nephew, Jason for their kindness to us and as a song we recently wrote about them says
WE HONOR YOU!
Jacky True
The True Brothers
June 3, 2004
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