Although Wilson Fairchild was set to perform at the Freeland Center back in March, the duo experienced automotive issues in their new bus, forcing them to postpone the performance. With the new date set, they will be on stage with their full band at the Freeland at 7:30 p.m. on August 10, as Wil said, “even if we have to ride a bicycle”. The duo performs country and gospel music intertwined with comedic banter in a toe tapping, laughter inducing, sing-along performance sure to create memories that will last a lifetime.
Wilson Fairchild, cousins Wil and Langdon Reid, celebrates its roots through music and comedy. The cousins are sons of Statler Brothers members Harold and Don Reid, respectively, and wrote some of the songs performed by the group. Today, Wilson Fairchild performs choice selections from the beloved music of The Statler Brothers as well as their own, mixing it with incredible comedy and interactive opportunities in a family-friendly experience for all.
Wil and Langdon grew up immersed in country music, engaged with family and community, and bore witness to the excitement of performing for
See Fairchild, Page Three the masses; although,Wil notes they were never pressured to pursue a life in entertainment or the music industry, exposure sparked a lifelong love of the lifestyle in the young boys. Despite living normal, wholesome lives in Staunton, Virginia, Wil and Langdon were drawn to the music and thrill of performing.
Throughout their childhood and adolescence, the boys learned to play guitar and honed their vocal abilities.Those years of practice and performance created very silky vocal qualities, transporting audiences through memories and imagination to blissful places as they listen. One can also hear the influences of country stars Garth Brooks, Alan Jackson, George Jones, Johnny Cash, and their own fathers in their vocal styling and tonality. In addition to their vocal talents, Wil and Langdon possess impressive instrumental abilities.
Despite attempting to learn piano from his teacher, Wil noted that he never grasped the ability to read music. Instead, both he and Langdon play a variety of instruments by ear, including piano, guitar, dobro, and mandolin. Wil confirmed that playing by ear enhances the duo’s musical careers with a freedom for improvisational performances at any time. Some of their most memorable performances occurred on the stage of one of the greatest the country offers: The Grand Ole Opry.
Having performed several times at The Grand Ole Opry proved rewarding and exciting for Wil and Langdon as their own dreams of performing great country music for audiences came to fruition. Still, Wil proclaimed one of their favorite venues in which they perform is the free concert he and Langdon resurrected and recreated in their hometown for two days each July.
Beginning in the 1970s and for twenty-five years, The Statler Brothers created and performed a free concert in their hometown of Staunton each July in celebration and thanks for the community’s support and inspiration of their musical careers.Wil and Langdon grew up surrounded by thousands of fans and supporters, thanks, in part, to those July concerts.
Since they and the community missed the annual celebrations and they desired to raise and share similar memories and experiences with their own families, Wilson Fairchild founded their own nonprofit, Happy Birthday America, and continue the annual July tradition with energetic performances, drawing tens of thousands, to Staunton. Their nod to their own legacies, family, and tradition grants small-town America opportunities for celebration and high-octane fun.
On August 10, Wilson Fairchild brings their lively, hysterically comedic performance to the Freeland Center at 7:30 p.m. The renowned songwriters, singers, and instrumentalists offer the performance of a lifetime and entertain to the delight of all as they present music from their newest album, “Statler Made” on the Gaither Music label, recently released on January 12.The album and their music can be found on all streaming and digital platforms. Wilson Fairchild’s performance offers some of the very best entertainment ever to grace the Freeland’s stage.
As the Freeland Center Arts Council presents Wilson Fairchild in concert on August 10, be sure to secure your tickets now through etix.com or by calling the Freeland Center Box Office at 918-637-3540. All tickets sold for the initial March performance are good for the upcoming performance.