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| musical groups established in 1945 | |
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The Oak Ridge Boys is a Country and Gospel band in the United States . The group was founded in 1945 as the Oak Ridge Quartet. They became popular during the 1950s . Their name was changed to the "Oak Ridge Boys" in 1961 , and they remained a gospel-oriented group until the late 70s , when they changed their image and concentrated more on country and Pop Music . The band's most well known lineup consists of lead singer Duane Allen, tenor Joe Bonsall , baritone William Lee Golden, and bass singer Richard Sterban. HISTORY The Oak Ridge Boys first recorded together in a group known as Wally Fowler And The Georgia Clodhoppers . When Wally Fowler decided to focus on creating gospel music, he formed The Oak Ridge Quartet with himself, Lon "Deacon" Freeman, Curly Kinsey, and Johnny New. Those three men split from Fowler to form a new group, Fowler hired an existing group, the Calvary Quartet to join the Oak Ridge Quartet. After touring for a few years, Fowler disbanded the Oak Ridge Quartet and sold the rights to that name to group member Smitty Gatlin in 1957. In 1961, Gatlin changed the name of his group to The Oak Ridge Boys. Golden joined the group in Janurary 1965. In 1966, Allen joined the group to replace Gatlin who left the group to become a minister. In 1970, the Oak Ridge Boys earned their first Grammy with "Talk About the Good Times". Sterban joined the group in 1972. Sterban had been a member of "J.D. Sumner and The Stamps Quartet" in 1972 and 1973. Most notably, that band backed Elvis Presley live in concert during Sterban's time as a member. Shortly after Presley's Elvis On Tour concert, Sterban left the group. Joe Bonsall joined in 1973. The group's line-up would remain consistent for the next 15 years. In 1977, The Oak Ridge Boys switched from gospel to country, with the release of "Ya'll Come Back Saloon". The group's 1981 album, ''Fancy Free'', contained the Dallas Frazier -penned song " Elvira ". It remains the group's most widely known song. It would become a #1 country chart hit, as well as a #5 pop hit. ''Bobbie Sue'', their seventh album, was released on February 10 , 1982 . The title song was another crossover hit, reaching #1 on the country chart and #12 on the pop chart. The 1983 single "American Made", which begins this way: :My baby is American made :Born and bred in the USA ...became the source of a TV ad for Miller Beer: :Miller's made the American way :Born and brewed in the USA In 1985 , ''Step On Out'' was released. In 1986 Seasons and Christmas Again were released and in 1987 Where The Fast Lane Ends was released. It was the group's last album before the 1987 departure of William Lee Golden. Golden's departure was preceded by discussion, both by the public and other members of the group, about his beard and "mountain man" lifestyle. Golden complained that he felt like the "odd man out". He was replaced by the band's guitarist, Steve Sanders, who remained with the group until the end of 1995. Duane Allen's son Dee Allen and Duane Allen's son-in-law Paul Martin (former lead singer of Exile) filled in until Golden returned at midnight on New Year's Day 1996. Noel Fox (bass singer 1969-1972) died 10 April 2003 in Nashville , Tennessee - After surgery following a series of strokes Age: 63 DISCOGRAPHY
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