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The Oak Ridge Boys | |
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 The Oak Ridge Boys in 2013 (From left: Joe Bonsall, Duane Allen, William Lee Golden, and Richard Sterban) | |
| Background information | |
| Also known as | Wally Fowler and the Georgia Clodhoppers (1943-1947), The Oak Ridge Quartet (1947-1961) |
| Origin | Oak Ridge, Tennessee, U.S. |
| Genres | Country, southern gospel, doo wop, pop |
| Years active | 1943–present |
| Members |
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| Past members |
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| Website | www |
The Oak Ridge Boys are an American country and gospel vocal quartet originating in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. Since 2024, the group consists of Duane Allen (lead vocals), William Lee Golden (baritone vocals), Richard Sterban (bass vocals), and Ben James (tenor vocals). The group was founded in 1943 as the Oak Ridge Quartet. They became popular in Southern gospel during the 1950s. Their name was changed to the Oak Ridge Boys in the early 1960s, and they remained a gospel group until the mid-1970s, when they changed their image and concentrated on country music.[1][2]
The lineup that produced their most well-known country and crossover hits ― such as "Elvira" (1981), "Bobbie Sue" (1982), and "American Made" (1983) ― consisted of Allen, Golden, Sterban, and tenor vocalist Joe Bonsall. Golden and Allen joined the group in the mid-1960s, and Sterban and Bonsall joined in the early 1970s. Golden was removed from the group in 1987 and replaced by Steve Sanders until 1995, when he left and Golden rejoined. In late 2023, Bonsall retired from touring, due to complications from ALS, at which point James replaced him on the road. James became an official member of the group after Bonsall died in July 2024.
The group was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2015.
- ^ Carter, Walter: "Oak Ridge Boys: Inducted 2015,", 2015, (adapted from the Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum's Encyclopedia of Country Music, Oxford University Press) Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, retrieved September 6, 2020
- ^ "Country Music Hall Of Fame Inductees: Jim Ed Brown And The Browns, Grady Martin, Oak Ridge Boys,", October 25, 2015, Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, retrieved September 6, 2020