The Oak Ridge Boys – Looking forward
Photo/Artwork by Brandon Wood / Indie Bling
Theirs has been one of the most distinctive and timeless sounds in the music industry for over 50 years, and now The Oak Ridge Boys are bringing their American Made Farewell Tour across the country for an unforgettable night of entertainment for the entire family.
The show will feature many of the group’s country hits and two pop smashes, songs that earned them Grammy, Dove, CMA, and ACM awards, as well as garnering a host of other industry and fan accolades.
“When I go on stage, I get the same feeling I had the first time I sang with The Oak Ridge Boys,” says lead singer Duane Allen. “This is the only job I’ve ever wanted to have.”
“‘Elvira’ was always on repeat when I was growing up,” says tenor Ben James. “It’s still one of those timeless songs that never grow old.”
James first met The Oak Ridge Boys in November 2022. “Joe (Bonsall) handed me the mic and said, ‘You’ve got the next verse,’” James said. “I’m not sure I will ever get over that moment.”
A little more than a year later, Bonsall handed the microphone to James permanently.
“Many of you know I have been battling a slow onset neuromuscular disorder,” Bonsall recently announced. “I am now at a point where walking is impossible, so I have basically retired from the road. It has been a great 50 years that I will never forget. There is a young man named Ben James singing for me out there, and he needs your love and encouragement. He brings a ton of talent to the table. The Oak Ridge Boys will finish the Farewell Tour without me, but rest assured, I am good with all of it! God’s Got It!!!”
Allen and James, along with baritone, William Lee Golden, and bass, Richard Sterban, are set to complete the full tour schedule for The Oak Ridge Boys American Made Farewell Tour.
The group recently returned to the studio with Grammy-winning producer Dave Cobb, their fifth pairing with the legendary Nashville super-producer.
