Musical groups with a long history often have a colorful back story to go with it. But few bands can tell a tale quite like the Oak Ridge Boys, the country music vocal quartet whose roots are intertwined with those of the atomic bomb. The group, founded in Knoxville, Tenn., began in 1943 as gospel singers Wally Fowler and the Georgia Clodhoppers. Their most popular venue was the nuclear research plant at Oak Ridge, Tenn., placed off-limits by the U.S. military due to experiments that led to the invention of the atomic bomb. Staff members and their families, restricted to the facility, welcomed the group so often that Fowler and fellow performers Lon “Deacon” Freeman, Curly Kinsey and Johnny New changed its name to the Oak Ridge Quartet.
With gospel now a small part of its act, the quartet has built a strong following among country music fans. Current members Joe Bonsall, Duane Allen, William Lee Golden and Richard Sterban divide their time between touring and recording. The group also keeps a lot of dates at the Oak Ridge Boys Theatre in Branson, Mo., where, in keeping with their roots, they always give an “explosive” performance. (Michael Muckian)
