In the world of country and gospel music, few voices carried more warmth, wit, and wisdom than that of Harold Reid — the deep, unmistakable bass of The Statler Brothers. Though he passed away on April 24, 2020, at the age of 80, Harold’s presence still lingers — in the harmonies he helped create, the laughter he inspired, and the quiet Virginia town he never truly left behind.
Harold spent his final years in Staunton, Virginia, the same town where he was born, raised, and where the Statler Brothers’ story first began. Unlike many stars who moved to Nashville or Los Angeles in their later years, Harold chose to stay close to family, faith, and familiarity. He lived a quiet, peaceful life among the hills and people he always loved most.
“He was never about the spotlight,” said one longtime friend. “He was about heart. About humor. About home.”
When Harold’s health declined in his final year, his greatest comfort came not from fame or awards, but from the love of his wife Brenda, his children, and his grandchildren. He spent his last days in the home he had lived in for decades — a modest place filled with music, memories, and laughter that never faded.
Harold Reid passed away surrounded by family, his hand held, his favorite gospel songs softly playing. It was, according to his family, a passing as gentle as his smile.
His final resting place is located in Thornrose Cemetery, also in Staunton, Virginia — a short drive from the local Baptist church where the Statler Brothers often sang as boys. His grave is simple, engraved with the words:
“Bass Singer. Husband. Father. Faithful.”
Fans from all over the country still visit, leaving flowers, small Statler Brothers memorabilia, and handwritten notes thanking him for decades of music that shaped lives.
But more than anything, those who knew Harold remember his laughter. The kind that shook the room. The kind that could ease tension, lift spirits, and turn even the darkest moments into something worth smiling through.
“He told stories like no one else,” said fellow bandmate Don Reid, Harold’s younger brother. “He could have had the whole world laughing one moment, and crying the next. But it always came from a place of love.”
Today, Harold’s legacy lives on — not just in recordings or old Opry footage — but in the quiet strength of every harmony sung in four parts, in the respect he showed everyone, and in the small, sacred space he called home.
His voice may be silent, but his spirit is still singing.