The Wilburn Brothers
• Doyle Wilburn (Monday 7 July 1930 - Saturday 16 October 1982)
• Teddy Wilburn (Monday 30 November 1931 - Monday 24 November 2003)

The Wilburn Brothers were a popular American country music duo from the 1950s to the 1970s, consisting of brothers, Virgil Doyle Wilburn (Monday 7 July 1930 - Saturday 16 October 1982) and Thurman Theodore 'Teddy' Wilburn (Monday 30 November 1931 - Monday 24 November 2003).

The Wilburn Brothers were born in Hardy, Arkansas, and first attracted attention as child performers, beginning in 1937, in an act called The Wilburn Children.  In 1940, Roy Acuff (Tuesday 15 September 1903 - Monday 23 November 1992) discovered them and brought them to The Grand Ole Opry in Nashville.

After growing up, The Wilburn Brothers continued to travel and were regulars on the similar Louisiana Hayride program in Shreveport between 1948 and 1951.  After the family act disbanded, and The Wilburn Brothers served stints in the United States Army during the Korean War, they continued in 1953 as The Wilburn Brothers, touring with Faron Young (Thursday 25 February 1932 - Tuesday 10 December 1996) and Webb Pierce (Monday 8 August 1921 - Sunday 24 February 1991).

In May 1954, The Wilburn Brothers signed with Decca Records, and had their first hit record the same year, 'Sparkling Brown Eyes' (No.4, 1954).  Other notable hit singles included 'Go Away With Me' (No.6, 1956), 'Which One Is To Blame' (No.4, 1959), 'Trouble's Back In Town' (No.4, 1962), 'It's Another World' (No.5, 1965) and 'Hurt Her Once For Me' (No.3, 1966).



In addition to being successful artists, The Wilburn Brothers formed Sure-Fire Music Publishing, with Don Helms (Monday 28 February 1927 - Monday 11 August 2008), in 1957, as well as Wil-Helm Talent Agency in the early 1960s.  The Wilburn Brothers were instrumental in launching the careers of many country music legends, most notably Loretta Lynn, whom they signed to their music publishing company.

Loretta Lynn was the 'girl singer' of The Wilburn Brothers' touring show between 1960 and 1968, and she made weekly appearances on their syndicated television show between 1963 and 1971.



The Wilburn Brothers also helped develop the career of Patty Loveless between 1973 and 1975 by having her tour with them on weekends and during school breaks.



The Wilburn Brothers were a huge influence on the career of Gene Watson, whom they came to see performing in a Houston nightclub in the late 1960s.  The Wilburn Brothers allowed Gene to go with them on their tour bus to North Carolina, and then back to Nashville, allowing Gene to make his first appearance on the hallowed stage of The Grand Ole Opry.

The Wilburn Brothers had a syndicated television program, 'The Wilburn Brothers Show', which ran from 1963 to 1974, with 354 half-hour episodes produced.  Reruns of the show were shown on the cable network RFD-TV in the United States, and in the United Kingdom on Rural TV.

The Wilburn Brothers were Grand Ole Opry members from 1953 until the time of Doyle's death from lung cancer on Saturday 16 October 1982, at the age of 52.

Teddy Wilburn continued with The Grand Ole Opry as a solo artist until his death on Monday 24 November 2003 of congestive heart failure, just six days before his 72nd birthday.

The Wilburn Brothers - Doyle Wilburn (Monday 7 July 1930 - Saturday 16 October 1982) and Teddy Wilburn (Monday 30 November 1931 - Monday 24 November 2003) - are both buried in the Nashville National Cemetery in Nashville.