Harold Reid of the Statler Brothers Dies at 80

There's been yet another loss in the country music community as Harold Reid, a member of the legendary country group The Statler Brothers, died on Friday, April 24 after a long battle with kidney failure. He was 80.

The band released a statement on their website: "He is and will always be loved by his family, friends and millions of fans. His singing, his songwriting and his comedy made generations happy. He has taken a piece of our hearts with him."

Reid was born on August 21, 1939 in Augusta Country, Virginia. He was the quartet's bass singer, comedian and founding member of the band, which took its name from a brand of facial tissues.

The band started out in the mid-60s touring with Johnny Cash. However, the band didn't truly hit their stride until their first charting single for Mercury Records with the 1970 song "Bed of Rose's," which was written by Harold Reid. He also co-wrote "The Class of '57" with his younger brother and bandmate Don Reid. That 1972 single won a Grammy.

The band would continue to chart on Mercury Records through 1990.

Some of their bigger radio hits were songs like "Do You Know You Are My Sunshine," "Elizabeth," "Flowers on the Wall," "My Only Love," and "Too Much on My Heart."

The Statler Brothers charted 66 singles on the Billboard country airplay chart between 1965 and 1990. They received nine CMA Awards for Vocal Group of the Year and two ACM Awards in the same category.

The band retired from the road in 2002. They were inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2008.