Iconic country music group The Oak Ridge Boys are hitting the road one last time. The Grammy-winning quartet — featuring Duane Allen, Joe Bonsall, William Lee Golden, and Richard Sterban — is celebrating their 50th anniversary and in celebration they’ll be embarking on the American Made: Farewell Tour. Speaking about the big tour, Golden said, “We are doing a farewell tour because we owe it to our fans to say goodbye.”
“They have always been there for us through the good times and the bad,” he continued. “I will always be thankful to every person who came out to a show, bought a t-shirt, played our music, and overall, loved us enough to spend their hard-earned money whenever they could. This tour is for you!” Sterban added, “I want to thank God for 50 years of singing with three of my best friends and for the fans who have been there for us. This is a celebration and we hope to see you there.”
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“For all of my career I have always been a planner, sometimes planning 2 or 3 years in advance, what we will do, where we will go, and when we record,” Allen shared. “As we celebrate 50 years of being together, just as you see us, we will, also, begin our American Made: Farewell Tour. I don’t know how long the tour will last, but we hope to return to as many parts of the country as we can. Thank you so much for these 50 years.”
“For me, it’s 57 1/2 years. I have given you the best part of my life and you have rewarded me with a wonderful career,” He continued. “Thank you, our dear fans. Thanks to God for His divine guidance. Thank you to our wonderful organization. Thank you to all the supporting companies who represent us. And thank you to our families.” Bonsall then offered, “I was 25 years old in 1973 when I joined The Oak Ridge Boys. I am 75 years old in 2023 and I am STILL an Oak Ridge Boy. It has been and still IS an amazing ride.”
The Oak Ridge Boys formed out of The Oak Ridge Quartet, which in turn had formed out of Wally Fowler and the Georgia Clodhoppers. The group was originally founded in the 1940s and has featured more than two dozen members over the years. Golden and Allen have been with the group since the mid-’60s, with Sterban and Bonsall both joining in the mid-’70s. The group has had a number of major hits over the years, including “Leaving Louisiana In The Broad Daylight,” “Bobbie Sue,” “Trying To Love Two Women,” “(I’m Settin’) Fancy Free,” “American Made,” and the unforgettable “Elvira.” Click here for a full list of all the Oak Ridge Boys’ current concert dates.
