the Oak Ridge Boys

The core group that would eventually lead to the Oak Ridge Boys was a country group called Wally Fowler and the Georgia Clodhoppers, formed in 1943 in Knoxville, Tennessee. They were requested to perform for staff members and their families restricted during World War II at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory in nearby Oak Ridge, Tennessee. They were asked to sing there so often that, eventually, they changed their name to the Oak Ridge Quartet, and because their most popular songs were gospel, Fowler decided to focus solely on Southern gospel music. At the time, the quartet was made up of Wally Fowler, Lon "Deacon" Freeman, Curly Kinsey, and Johnny New. This group began recording in 1947.{{cite web|last=Huey|first=Steve|title=Oak Ridge Boys Bio|url=http://www.cmt.com/artists/az/oak_ridge_boys_the/bio.jhtml|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040303025823/http://www.cmt.com/artists/az/oak_ridge_boys_the/bio.jhtml|url-status=dead|archive-date=March 3, 2004|website=Cmt.com|access-date=April 5, 2011}} Wally Fowler and the Oak Ridge Quartet were members of the Grand Ole Opry in the 1940s.{{cite web| title = Opry Timeline – 1940s| url = http://www.opry.com/history|website=Opry.com| access-date = July 10, 2012}} In 1949, the other three men split from Fowler to form a new group, Curley Kinsey and the Tennessee Ridge Runners, so Fowler hired an existing group, the Calvary Quartet, to reform the Oak Ridge Quartet. Walt Cornell sang baritone for the Oak Ridge Quartet in the early 1950s. In 1957, Fowler sold the rights to the "Oak Ridge Quartet" name to group member Smitty Gatlin in exchange for forgiveness of a debt. As a result of more personnel changes, the group lost its tenor, so they lowered their arrangements and had Gatlin sing tenor, while the pianist, Tommy Fairchild, sang lead. They recorded an album for Cadence Records, then in 1958, they hired Willie Wynn to sing the tenor part, and Fairchild moved back exclusively to the piano. At this point, the group consisted of Fairchild, Wynn, Gatlin, baritone Ron Page, and bass Herman Harper. They recorded an album on the Checker Records label, one on Starday, and three on Skylite. In 1961, Gatlin changed the group's name to "the Oak Ridge Boys" because their producer, Bud Praeger, thought "Oak Ridge Quartet" sounded too old-fashioned for their contemporary sound.

When Page left in 1962, Gary McSpadden, who had filled in for Jake Hess in the Statesmen Quartet took over as baritone with the understanding that when Hess was ready to start a group, he would recruit McSpadden. They recorded another album on Skylite, and then two albums on Warner Bros. Records. When Hess followed through, McSpadden quit to join the Imperials. Jim Hamill{{Cite web|url=http://www.sgma.org/inductee_bios/jim_hamill.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060114040949/http://www.sgma.org/inductee_bios/jim_hamill.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=January 14, 2006|title=Jim Hamill|date=January 14, 2006}} (who later became a mainstay in the Kingsmen Quartet) was hired as his replacement. They made one album for Festival Records, one for Stateswood (Skylite's budget label), and two for Skylite. Hamill did not get along with the other Oaks, and William Lee Golden, a relative newcomer to the music industry, felt Hamill was hurting the act and suggested himself as a replacement. After Hamill's exit in 1964, Golden joined as baritone.

The group recorded an album for Starday and another on Skylite before Gatlin left in 1966. On Golden's recommendation, Duane Allen, former baritone of the Prophets, was hired as their new lead singer. With Willie Wynn and Herman Harper still on board, the group made another album for Skylite and one for United Artists before making a dozen albums between 1966 and 1973 for Heart Warming. They also had an album on Vista (Heart Warming's budget label) consisting of unreleased songs from previous sessions. When Harper departed in 1968 to join the Don Light Talent Agency (before starting his own company, the Harper Agency), Noel Fox, formerly of the Tennesseans and the Harvesters, took over the bass part. In 1971, the Oak Ridge Boys earned their first Grammy Award for a Jerry Reed song, "Talk About the Good Times"; Reed played guitar on the track.

Late in 1972, Richard Sterban, a member of the Stamps Quartet, joined the Oak Ridge Boys after the exit of Noel Fox. As a result, the quartet appearing on Hee Haw in 1972 consisted of Allen, Wynn, Golden, and Sterban, and they took part in a single with Johnny Cash and the Carter Family, "Praise the Lord and Pass the Soup", that put the Oak Ridge Boys on the country charts for the very first time, in 1973. After completing their first Columbia album, Wynn departed and was succeeded by Joe Bonsall in October of that year. (Bonsall replaced Wynn's vocals on half of the album.) The lineup would remain constant for the next fourteen years.

In 1975, the Oak Ridge Boys, after a brief flirtation with pop music, signed with country music promoter Jim Halsey, who as their new manager, encouraged them not only to leave gospel music behind by becoming a country act—the most fundamental change in their history—but to present themselves as a singing quartet rather than as an eight-man band.Everly-Douze, Susan: [https://dc.library.okstate.edu/digital/collection/OKToday/id/19049/rec/235 "'Livin' on Tulsa Time': Trio Rocks Country Music Cradle"], biography, Oklahoma Today, retrieved from Oklahoma State University archives, September 5, 2020Grawe, Jim (producer/narrator): Kansas Country, documentary film ([https://www.pbs.org/video/kansas-country-preview-gfasic/ preview online]), aired September 5, 2020 (and previously), KPTS-TV, viewed September 5, 2020

The group's move to Columbia resulted in three albums and several singles. In 1976, they toured Russia with Roy Clark. They were not a label priority, and their musical direction (pop, gospel, country) was unclear. While promoting the single "Heaven Bound", the Oak Ridge Boys made appearances on The Mike Douglas Show and The Merv Griffin Show. In an attempt to widen their appeal, they backed up Jimmy Buffett on "My Head Hurts, My Feet Stink, And I Don't Love Jesus." Despite being tapped by Paul Simon to sing backup on "Slip Slidin' Away", the group asked to be released from their contract after "Family Reunion," written by David Allan Coe, was not a hit. Columbia complied, and the band immediately made an album that was a mix of gospel, pop, and country on their own label, for sale at their concerts.

In 1977, the Oak Ridge Boys fully switched to country with the release of their first ABC Records album, Y'all Come Back Saloon. Two songs from that album reached the top five on the country charts. Their next album, Room Service, in 1978, broadened their reach into pop music but yielded three more country hits, including their first number-one, "I'll Be True to You", which was carried over from the previous album. The Oak Ridge Boys Have Arrived provided three more hits in 1979. After MCA Records bought out ABC, Together was released in 1980, followed by a compilation in the autumn, Greatest Hits, featuring ten hits from the previous four albums.

The group's seventh album, Fancy Free, released early in 1981, contained the Dallas Frazier song "Elvira". This remains their most widely known record, and Fancy Free their best-selling album. "Elvira" had been recorded by other artists, including Frazier himself in the late 1960s and the First Edition in 1970, but the Oak Ridge Boys were the first to make it a hit. Their version went to number-one on the country chart and reached number five on the pop chart.

The doo-wop-style title track from Bobbie Sue, their eighth album, was another crossover hit, reaching number one on the country chart and number 12 on the pop chart. That album also spawned the group's first U.S.-released music video, for their minor hit "So Fine". (A video was made for "Easy", from the Y'all Come Back Saloon album, but was never released in the U.S.) The group also recorded one of their biggest sellers, The Oak Ridge Boys Christmas album, featuring their smash hit "Thank God for Kids" in 1982. An all-pop outing, their ninth album, American Made, released in January of 1983, and the hits continued. The title track was used as a TV advertisement for Miller Beer, although the Oaks did not sing in the ad.

Their new MCA contract was among the biggest of its era in the music industry, and there were three new albums over the next four years. The late-1983 Deliver provided two hit singles, one of which was their last major hit. "I Guess It Never Hurts to Hurt Sometimes", was written by Randy VanWarmer, best known for his soft rock classic "Just When I Needed You Most". They paused for a compilation album, Greatest Hits 2, in 1984. Unlike their first such album, Volume Two included two new songs, "Everyday" and "Make My Life With You", both of which became number-one hits.

In 1985, they released their 11th album, Step on Out, the title cut of which was written by ex-Byrd Chris Hillman. Although it was a hit, Step On Out was their first ABC/MCA album to indicate declining sales, despite the success of the lead single, "Little Things". After "Little Things," only a few of their hit songs in the coming years would match the quality of their earlier work; the others, regardless of chart position, would make little to no impact. In 1986, the group put out one more Top 10 album, Seasons, which brought with it two minor hit singles (one of them written by Kix Brooks, and the more successful of the two by Orleans members Larry Hoppen and John Hall), as well as a second holiday album, which did not match the popularity of their first. In 1987, they recorded "Take Pride in America" for television public service announcements as part of an anti-litter campaign.

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After several years of conflict within the group generally, exacerbated by Golden's solo album in 1986, Allen, Bonsall, and Sterban chose to stay together, but to go forward without their senior member. Shortly after releasing their first album with label boss Jimmy Bowen as producer, Golden was out of the act. Where the Fast Lane Ends included guest appearances by Patti LaBelle and Joe Walsh, both of whom were brought into the project by Golden. He was replaced by the band's guitarist, Steve Sanders, who would be the featured vocalist on most of their later hits.{{Cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1998-jun-11-mn-58889-story.html|title=Steve Sanders; Former Oak Ridge Boys Baritone|date=June 11, 1998|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|access-date=March 10, 2022}}

The group released three more albums at MCA, along with another Greatest Hits album. In hopes of jumpstarting their career, they moved to RCA Nashville for their next two albums, plus a compilation, Best of the Oak Ridge Boys, which included their minor hit cover of "(You're My) Soul and Inspiration" from the My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys soundtrack. As with most older acts in the early 1990's, the Oaks were out of favor with country radio, and the hits stopped by the end of 1991. They switched labels again and signed with Liberty Records, later Capitol Nashville, for which they made their third Christmas album, which was their final project with Sanders.{{Cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/the-oak-ridge-boys-mn0000887348/discography|title=The Oak Ridge Boys Albums and Discography|website=AllMusic|access-date=March 10, 2022}}

When Sanders quit the group late in 1995, he was replaced for the rest of the tour first by Dee Allen, and later by Paul Martin (Duane Allen's son, and son-in-law, respectively). Martin had previously replaced J.P. Pennington as lead singer of Exile a few years earlier. At midnight on New Year's Day 1996, Golden returned to the stage. After being dropped by Capitol, they made a two-disc set, Revival (their first gospel album since 1976) with Leon Russell producing, for TV and mail order distribution, in 1997. Sanders took his own life in 1998.{{Cite web|url=https://variety.com/1998/music/news/steve-sanders-dies-at-45-1117477635/|title=Steve Sanders dies at 45|website=Variety.com|date=June 18, 1998|access-date=March 10, 2022}}

Over the next few years, the group toured, hosted their own Las Vegas variety series for TNN, collaborated on an album with polka instrumentalist Jimmy Sturr and made a one-off album for Platinum Records titled Voices.{{Cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/voices-mw0000242773|title=Voices - The Oak Ridge Boys | Songs, Reviews, Credits |website=AllMusic|access-date=March 10, 2022}}

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After almost a decade of dealing with labels that had little interest in promoting The Oak Ridge Boys, studio breakdowns, and sluggish (or worse) sales, their fortunes improved when they signed with Spring Hill Records in 2000. In their first five years of teaming with producer Michael Sykes, the quartet was nominated for four Grammy awards. They released a gospel album, a Christmas album, two country albums, and Common Thread, containing mostly re-recorded versions of older gospel songs. In 2006, the group completed Front Row Seats, an unsuccessful attempt to marry a message album to mainstream country with modern, aggressive arrangements and song selection, including the single "It's Hard to Be Cool in a Mini-Van".

In 2007, they returned to their namesake, Oak Ridge, Tennessee. They were the featured performers at the Secret City Festival and were given a tour of the Y-12 National Security Complex's historic Calutrons (used to separate the uranium 235 for Little Boy, the first atomic bomb used in warfare). While there, a street was renamed Oak Ridge Boys Way in their honor. They also appeared on Shooter Jennings' album The Wolf, which led to their own album, The Boys Are Back, in 2009. Named for the title song written by Jennings, the album debuted at number 16 on the Billboard Country chart and number 77 on the Top 200. The album was produced by Dave Cobb, who came to the project through Jennings. Reviews were mixed, but most praised their cover of The White Stripes song "Seven Nation Army".

In 2011, they became members of the Grand Ole Opry, {{cite web |url=http://www.newschannel5.com/story/15053983/oak-ridge-boys-inducted-into-grand-ol-opry |title=Oak Ridge Boys Invited to Join Grand Ol' Opry - NewsChannel5.com | Nashville News, Weather & Sports |publisher=NewsChannel5.com |access-date=February 13, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120324104026/http://www.newschannel5.com/story/15053983/oak-ridge-boys-inducted-into-grand-ol-opry |archive-date=March 24, 2012 |url-status=dead}}{{cite web|url=http://www.cmt.com/news/news-in-brief/1667039/opry-invites-oak-ridge-boys-to-join-cast.jhtml |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110714065206/http://www.cmt.com/news/news-in-brief/1667039/opry-invites-oak-ridge-boys-to-join-cast.jhtml |url-status=dead |archive-date=July 14, 2011 |title=News : Opry Invites Oak Ridge Boys to Join Cast |publisher=CMT |date=July 11, 2011 |access-date=February 13, 2013}}{{cite web |url=http://oakridgeboys.com/home/215-oak-ridge-boys-inducted-into-grand-ole-opry |title=Oak Ridge Boys Inducted into Grand Ole Opry |publisher=oakridgeboys.com |date=August 6, 2011 |access-date=February 20, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111011224637/http://oakridgeboys.com/home/215-oak-ridge-boys-inducted-into-grand-ole-opry |archive-date=October 11, 2011 |url-status=dead}}{{cite web|url=http://www.wbir.com/news/article/175729/2/Oak-Ridge-Boys-to-play-the-Grand-Ole-Opry |title=Oak Ridge Boys to play the Grand Ole Opry |publisher=wbir.com |date=July 9, 2011 |access-date=February 13, 2013}} and released It's Only Natural through Cracker Barrel Old Country Store. The album debuted at number 16 on the Billboard Country albums chart, remaining in the country top 40 for almost two months. It contained five new songs, six re-recordings of the Sanders hits from the 1980s, a new version of Golden's 1990 solo single, "Louisiana Red Dirt Highway," and a 30th-anniversary updating of "Elvira".

In 2015, they revisited "Elvira" again, this time in a collaboration with the a cappella group Home Free, who uploaded the video to their YouTube channel. The video was an instant hit, reaching 90,000 views within 24 hours.Archived at [https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/Wgm9gZs1hYw Ghostarchive]{{cbignore}} and the [https://web.archive.org/web/20150822074309/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wgm9gZs1hYw Wayback Machine]{{cbignore}}: {{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wgm9gZs1hYw|title=Home Free - Elvira (feat. The Oak Ridge Boys)|date=August 21, 2015 |publisher=YouTube}}{{cbignore}} Later that year, they were inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in the category of modern-era artists, presented by Kenny Rogers, with whom the Oaks had toured during their peak years.{{cite web|last1=Reuter|first1=Annie|title=Oak Ridge Boys Inducted Into Country Music Hall of Fame|url=http://tasteofcountry.com/country-music-hall-of-fame-inductions-2015/|website=Taste of Country|date=October 26, 2015 }}{{cite web|last1=Watts|first1=Cindy|last2=Thanki|first2=Juli|title=Oak Ridge Boys among Country Music Hall of Fame inductees|url=http://www.tennessean.com/story/entertainment/music/2015/03/25/oak-ridge-boys-among-country-music-hall-fame-inductees/70428322/|website=The Tennessean}}{{cite web|title=Medallion Red Carpet Fan Experience|url=http://countrymusichalloffame.org/calendar/event/medallion-red-carpet-fan-experience#.Vpv0A1nYF81|website=Country Music Hall of Fame}}

In 2017, the Oak Ridge Boys joined Third Day at the legendary FAME Studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, to record a cover of Paul Simon's "Loves Me Like A Rock" for the Third Day album, Revival. This was the second time for the Oaks to record the song, having first covered it on their Columbia debut in 1974. In 2018, they sang "Amazing Grace" at the funeral of the 41st President of the United States, George H. W. Bush, as he had requested.{{cite web|title=The Oak Ridge boys perform: "We're here, sir. We told you we would be."|url=https://www.cnn.com/politics/live-news/george-hw-bush-funeral/index.html|website=CNN|date=December 3, 2018 }}

On September 19, 2023, due to the rapid decline of Joe Bonsall's health, the Oak Ridge Boys hurriedly announced that all remaining dates on the tour marking their golden anniversary under the then-current lineup would be billed as a farewell tour.{{Cite web |last=Watts |first=Cindy |date=September 19, 2023 |title=The Oak Ridge Boys Announce Farewell Tour |url=https://www.cmt.com/news/hkt8uf/the-oak-ridge-boys-announce-farewell-tour |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230928110644/https://www.cmt.com/news/hkt8uf/the-oak-ridge-boys-announce-farewell-tour |url-status=dead |archive-date=September 28, 2023 |access-date=2023-09-21 |website=CMT |language=en}} Bonsall's last appearance was less than three months later, on December 17th, 2023, although his retirement was not publicly announced until January. He was afflicted with what would later be revealed as ALS, to which he succumbed on July 9, 2024, aged 76.{{cite news|url = https://variety.com/2024/music/obituaries-people-news/joe-bonsall-dead-oak-ridge-boys-country-music-vocal-group-elvira-1236063450/|title = Joe Bonsall, Mainstay of Country Music's Oak Ridge Boys for 50 Years, Dies at 76|last = Willman|first = Chris|date = July 9, 2024|accessdate = July 9, 2024|work = Variety}} On December 30th, Ben James, previously a touring member of Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver and Dailey & Vincent, took over for Bonsall on the farewell tour.{{Cite magazine |last=Nicholson |first=Jessica |date=January 3, 2024 |title=Joe Bonsall, Tenor Singer for The Oak Ridge Boys, Announces Retirement From Touring |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/country/joe-bonsall-retiring-touring-oak-ridge-boys-1235574736/ |access-date=2024-01-06 |magazine=Billboard |language=en}} Even as James became an official member of the Oak Ridge Boys, it was expected that Bonsall would be included on the group's next album;{{cite news|url = https://variety.com/2024/music/obituaries-people-news/joe-bonsall-dead-oak-ridge-boys-country-music-vocal-group-elvira-1236063450/|title = Joe Bonsall, Mainstay of Country Music's Oak Ridge Boys for 50 Years, Dies at 76|last = Willman|first = Chris|date = July 9, 2024|accessdate = July 9, 2024|work = Variety}} ultimately he took no part in the project.

In September of 2024, the group announced the October release of their 24th album, dedicated to Bonsall, Mama's Boys, a concept album including James as tenor with a guest appearance from Willie Nelson.{{cite web |title=Pre-Order Mama’s Boys; Album Releases October 25th |url=https://oakridgeboys.com/news/pre-order-mamas-boys-album-releases-october-25th/ |website=Oak Ridge Boys |access-date=2024-10-05 |ref=Oaks2024}} The addition of James to the lineup led the group to cancel its retirement plans and continue touring into 2025 and beyond.{{Cite web |last=Linder |first=Brian |date=2025-01-15 |title=Iconic country music group decides not to retire after all, drops new tour dates |url=https://www.pennlive.com/entertainment/2025/01/iconic-country-music-group-decides-not-to-retire-after-all-drops-new-tour-dates.html |access-date=2025-01-16 |website=pennlive |language=en}}

{{Main|The Oak Ridge Boys discography}}

• William Lee Golden – baritone (1965–87, 1996-present)
• Duane Allen – lead, occasional rhythm guitar (1966–present)
• Richard Sterban – bass (1972–present)
• Ben James – tenor (2023–present)

{{Div col|colwidth=20em}}

• Curly Kinsey – bass (1945–47)
• Lon "Deacon" Freeman – baritone, guitar (1945–49)
• Wally Fowler – lead (1945–52)
• Johnny New – tenor (1945–49, 1952)
• Monroe (Curley) Blaylock – bass (1947–49)
• Bob Weber – bass (1949–56)
• Pat Patterson – baritone (1949–52), lead (1952–53)
• Joe Allred – tenor (1949–52)
• Bob Prather – baritone (1952)
• Carlos Cook – lead (1952–53); baritone (1953–68)
• Calvin Newton – lead (1953–56)
• Cat Freeman – tenor (1954–56)
• Les Roberson – baritone (1955–56)
• Ron Page – bass (1956)
• Bill Smith – bass (1957)
• Ronnie Page – baritone (1957–62)
• Smitty Gatlin – lead (1957–58, 1959–66); tenor (1958–59)
• Hobert Evans – tenor (1957–58)
• Wallace Edwards – tenor fill-in (1958)
• Bobby Clark – tenor (1958)
• Tommy Fairchild – lead (1958–59); piano (1959–60, 1961–72)
• Herman Harper – bass (1957–68)
• Willie Wynn – tenor (1958–73)
• Gary McSpadden – baritone (1962–63)
• Jim Hamill – baritone (1963–64)
• Noel Fox – bass (1969–72)
• Joe Bonsall – tenor (1973–2023)
• Steve Sanders – baritone (1987–95); rhythm guitar (1982–1987)
• Dee Allen – baritone fill-in (1995)
• Paul Martin – baritone fill-in (1995); bass guitar (1997-2002)
• Aaron McCune - bass fill-in

{{Div col end}}

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{{Div col|colwidth=20em}}

• Rex Wiseman – fiddle, pedal steel guitar, mandolin, guitar (2003–present)
• Scotty Simpson – bass guitar (2013–present)
• Austin Curcuruto – drums, percussion (2017–present)
• Darin Favorite – lead guitar (2021–present)
• Andrew Ishee – keyboard (2024–present)

• Boyce Hawkins – piano (1949)
• Bobby Whitfield – piano (1950–52, 1954–1956)
• Glen Allred – guitar, vocals (1951–52)
• Powell Hassell – piano (1957–58)
• Gary Trusler – piano (1960)
• James Goss – piano (1960)
• Mark Ellerbee – drums (1969–79)
• Don Breland – bass guitar (1969–87)
• John Rich – guitar, steel guitar (1972–75)
• Tony Brown – piano and keyboards (1972–75)
• Garland Craft – piano (1975–80)
• B James Lowry - lead guitar (1976), (1987-1990)
• Skip Mitchell – guitar (1976–87)
• Marty Twinkles Glisson – piano (1976)
• Michael Saleem – drums (1979)
• Fred Satterfield – drums (1980–98)
• Pete Cummings – lead guitar (1980–1982)
• Ron Fairchild – keyboard (1980–2001, 2002–09, 2013–2024; as substitute 2009–2012)
• Dewey Dorough – saxophone, harmonica (1982–1998)Archived at [https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/XzU_rNUO52A Ghostarchive]{{cbignore}} and the [https://web.archive.org/web/20130923085415/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XzU_rNUO52A&gl=US&hl=en Wayback Machine]{{cbignore}}: {{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XzU_rNUO52A |title=The SULTAN Dewey Dorough |publisher=YouTube |date=February 26, 2010 |access-date=January 31, 2016}}{{cbignore}}
• Paul Uhrig – bass guitar (1987–1988), (1995-1997)
• Dave Watson - bass guitar (1988-1994)
• Kent Wells - lead guitar (1991)
• Don Carr – lead guitar (1991–2014)
• Chris Golden – acoustic guitar, mandolin (1996-1998); drums (1998–2014)
• Jeff Douglas – guitar, dobro (1995–2021)
• Jimmy Fulbright – keyboard (2001); bass guitar (2003–12)
• Kyle Tullis - bass guitar (2002-2003)
• Chris Nole – keyboard (2009–12)
• David Northup – drums, percussion (2014–2017)
• Roger Eaton – lead guitar (2014–2021)
• James Watkins – lead guitar (2021)

{{Div col end}}

Academy of Country Music Awards

• 1978: Top Vocal Group
• 1981: Single of the Year – "Elvira"

Country Music Association Awards

• 1978: Instrumental Group of the Year (Oak Ridge Boys Band)
• 1978: Vocal Group of the Year
• 1981: Single of the Year – "Elvira"
• 1986: Instrumental Group of the Year (Oak Ridge Boys Band)

GMA Dove Awards

• 1969: Album of the Year – It's Happening
• 1970: Male Group of the Year
• 1972: Male Group of the Year
• 1972: Album of the Year – Light
• 1973: Album of the Year – Street Gospel
• 2002: Country Album of the Year – From The Heart
• 2007: Country Song of the Year – "Jonah, Job and Moses"
• 2010: Long Form Music Video of the Year – A Gospel Journey

Grammy Awards

• 1971: Best Gospel Performance (other than soul) – "Talk About the Good Times"
• 1975: Best Gospel Performance (other than soul) – "Baptism of Jesse Taylor"
• 1977: Best Gospel Performance (other than soul) – "Where the Soul Never Dies"
• 1978: Best Traditional Gospel Performance – Just a Little Talk with Jesus
• 1982: Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal – Elvira

American Music Award

• 1985: Best Country Video - "Everyday"

• 2000: Inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame{{cite web|title=CMR Nashville Radio - Oak Ridge Boys Album 'Rock of Ages' Breaks into Billboard Top 10|url=http://www.cmrnashville.com/news-details.php?id=21721|website=Cmrnashville.com|access-date=January 16, 2016|archive-date=April 28, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190428165936/http://www.cmrnashville.com/news-details.php?id=21721|url-status=dead}}
• 2001: Received the Silver Buffalo award from the Boy Scouts of America{{Cite web|url=https://www.scouting.org/awards/awards-central/silver-buffalo/silver-buffalo-recipients/|title=Silver Buffalo Award Recipients|website=Boy Scouts of America|language=en-US|access-date=February 13, 2019}}
• 2015: Inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame{{cite web|title=Inductees List|url=http://countrymusichalloffame.org/Inductees|website=Country Music Hall of Fame|access-date=January 16, 2016|archive-date=April 15, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140415174529/http://countrymusichalloffame.org/Inductees|url-status=dead}}

{{Reflist}}

• {{Official website}}
• {{AllMusic|class=artist|id=mn0000887348}}
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20141221005024/http://www.vocalgroup.org/inductees/oak_ridge_boys.html 'The Oak Ridge Boys' Vocal Group Hall of Fame page]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20040303025823/http://www.cmt.com/artists/az/oak_ridge_boys_the/bio.jhtml Oak Ridge Boys biography] at the Country Music Television website
• [http://www.sghistory.com/index.php?n=O.Oak_Ridge_Boys Southern Gospel History: Oak Ridge Boys]
• {{IMDb name|nm1335169}}

{{The Oak Ridge Boys}}

{{Grand Ole Opry members}}

{{2010s Country Music Hall of Fame}}

{{American Music Award for Favorite Country Band/Duo/Group}}

{{CMA Group of the Year}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Oak Ridge Boys, The}}

Category:1947 establishments in Tennessee

Category:Country music groups from Tennessee

Category:American gospel musical groups

Category:Country Music Hall of Fame inductees

Category:Gospel quartets

Category:Grammy Award winners

Category:Grand Ole Opry members

Category:Music of East Tennessee

Category:Musical groups established in 1947

Category:MCA Records artists

Category:RCA Records Nashville artists

Category:Southern gospel performers

Category:Starday Records artists

Category:Vocal quartets