The new generation
Country/gospel legends The Oak Ridge Boys return to Meskwaki Bingo Casino Saturday
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TAMA -- Through over 80 years of lineup changes, success and seemingly endless touring, one constant has remained constant for The Oak Ridge Boys: their iconic vocal harmonies have never wavered. The group performed at Meskwaki Bingo Casino as part of their "farewell tour" two years ago, but even then, bass singer Richard Sterban, who has since retired due to pancreatic cancer, said they wanted to keep playing for as long as possible. Another longtime member, Joe Bonsall, died in 2024 at the age of 76.
While Sterban himself has stepped aside, the latest iteration of the group -- William Lee Golden, Duane Allen, Ben James and Aaron Lee McCune -- is rolling along and set to play at the casino again on Saturday night beginning at 8 p.m. Fans can expect to hear classics like "Elvira" as well as cuts from the new album "Buried Treasures" mostly comprised of cover songs including "Bridge Over Troubled Water" and "Lean on Me" along with religious standards like "How Great Thou Art," which was released on Oct. 30.
The band worked with renowned producer Dave Cobb and recorded at Anderson East's studio, and the song "Live Forever," originally written and recorded by Billy Joe Shaver, was a highlight of the album for Golden as well as "How Great Thou Art," which showcases McCune's low bass voice.
"Being on stage now with these young guys on each side of Duane and I, it's been healing mentally, emotionally, physically and spiritually. When you're out there singing and the music's going and those harmonies lock together, you forget how old you are," Golden said.
Golden and Allen have both been in the band for over 60 years now, and at this point, singing is what Golden believes they were put on Earth to do. Thus, he doesn't see any reason to slow down until the day he can no longer do it, and he's confident that James and McCune can carry the band's legacy well into the future.
On the next tour, which will likely be dubbed "The New Generation," Golden predicted the band would play more of the songs from the new album.
"These guys have the talent, and they grew up with our music. And they have a desire to help us take it to the future," he said. "When we have to pass the torch, I just hope that whoever gets the torch has the same love and desire that Duane and I have had all these years."
And no, in case any readers were wondering, Golden still hasn't grown tired of singing the band's signature song, "Elvira," a top 5 country hit in the early 1980s.
"You never get tired of that song, and I don't care how old you are. It never gets old," he said. "It's just a fun groovin' song. It's not overly fast or overly slow. It's right in the groove, just right. Oom Papa Oom Papa Oom Papa Mow Mow."
The show will begin at 8 p.m. on Saturday, and tickets are still available at https://www.etix.com/ticket/p/49931202/oak-ridge-boys-tama-meskwaki-bingo-casino-hotel.
Contact Robert Maharry at (641) 753-6611 ext. 255 or rmaharry@timesrepublican.com.