Who's up for some Oak Ridge Boys?

The Oak Ridge Boys are old...really old.  In fact, the foundation for the group began  in 1943 as "Wally Fowler and the Georgia Clodhoppers."  When Wally wanted to channel his energies into gospel music, he, along with Lon "Deacon" Freeman, Curly Kinsey, and Johnny New, formed the "Oak Ridge Quartet." 

To make a long story short, Wally would sell his interest in the group to member Smitty Gatlin.  Gatlin would formally change their name to the Oak Ridge Boys in 1961.   What followed was a long series of personnel changes and further evolutions of the group.  

Fast forward to 1977 when everyone really started to take notice.  That was the year that the "boys" would abandon their gospel side to concentrate fully on country music, and present the  line-up that we're all familiar with.  That would be Duane Allen, Joe Bonsall, William Lee Golden, (known as the "mountain man," and also the senior member of the four) and Richard Sterban.  It was with this line-up that the Oak Ridge Boys would gain their biggest fame and record some of their most memorable songs including, Elvira, Bobby Sue, Sittin' Fancy Free, Sail Away, Dig a Little Deeper in the Well, American Made, and many, many more.

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