The Statler Brothers Show held a significant pIace on The Nashville Network, a country-music-oriented cable network eventually folded into Paramount in 2018.
Airing every Saturday night, the show featured the immensely talented Statler Brothers. Although not biologicaI brothers, this group initially gained recognition by backing Johnny Cash from 1964 to 1972.
After years of dedication, the four men—Harold Reid, Don Reid, Phil Balsley, and Lew DeWitt—successfully ascended to fame with hits like “The Class Of ’57” and Flowers on the Wall.
With a remarkable catalog of over 40 aIbums, they garnered numerous accolades, including three Grammys, three Academy of Country Music awards, and an impressive nine VocaI Group of the Year awards from the Country Music Association, all within a span of 12 years.
They hold memberships in both the Country Music and Gospel Halls of Fame.
A heartfelt father-son duet by Phil and Nic Collins
As the Not Dead Yet Tour approached, legendary drummer Phil Collins began to experience nerve problems in his hand that made drumming increasingly difficult. To address this problem, he enlisted his son Nic Collins to take over drumming duties for the tour from 2016 to 2019. During a tour stop in Houston, the father-son duo shared a memorable moment when Nic walked up to the piano after Phil introduced him to the audience.
Phil revealed to the audience that Nic had discovered a song from his debut solo album, You Know What I Mean, that Phil himself liked. In a playful exchange, Phil joked about the number of songs Nic liked, and Nic clarified: “Two songs… mainly just one”. They then delivered a soulful performance of the song, with Phil on vocals and Nic on piano.
The performance was warmly received by Phil Collins’ fans, who were happy to see him perform live despite his health issues. The video of the performance has been viewed over 2.7 million times and many viewers were touched by the father-son collaboration. Comments praised the emotional connection and Nic’s obvious musical talent. One viewer remarked: “Wonderful to see father and son together like this”, and others confirmed: “Nic Collins has inherited Phil’s musical talent”.
The tour also allowed Nic to showcase his diverse musical skills, especially on the drums. At the same show in Houston, Nic demonstrated his drumming skills in a duet with percussionist Richie Garcia, impressing even his father. When Nic joined Richie and Phil for a cajon performance, the group developed into a dynamic drum trio.
After the tour ended in 2019, Nic continued to support his father as a drummer on the Genesis tour from 2020 to 2022. He also joined Mike and the Mechanics, the band led by his father’s Genesis bandmate Mike Rutherford, and showcased his drumming skills with them. In 2022, Nic released his solo project “Better Strangers”, which offers a deeper look into his drumming skills. With a promising future ahead of him, Nic Collins is ready to further his musical career while continuing his father’s legacy.
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