Ben James
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The Oak Ridge Boys are an American vocal quartet. The classic and most well-known lineup of the group consisted of William Lee Golden (baritone), Duane Allen (lead), Richard Sterban (bass), and Joe Bonsall (tenor). Bonsall retired in mid-December of 2023, with Ben James taking his place.
The group was founded in 1943 as the country and gospel act Wally Fowler and the Georgia Clodhoppers but were soon known as The Oak Ridge Quartet. They became popular in southern gospel in the 1950s and their name was changed to the Oak Ridge Boys in the 1960s. They transitioned from traditional southern gospel to contemporary gospel before going into popular music in the mid-1970s.
The lineup that produced their most well-known hits ― such as "Elvira", "Bobbie Sue", and "American Made" ― was made up of Allen, Bonsall, Golden, and Sterban. Golden and Allen joined in the mid-1960s, and Sterban and Bonsall in the early 1970s. After years of acrimony, Golden was dismissed in 1987 and Steve Sanders took over until quitting the act in 1995; Golden was re-signed at the end of that year.
The Oaks were inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame in 2000 and the Country Music Hall of Fame, minus Sanders, although he was featured on several of their hits, in 2015.
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FndeF - 2020-07-17 00:00:00
DOORS - 2023-12-15 00:00:00
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