Number 1 Hit “Bobbie Sue” Celebrates 40th Anniversary
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – When you talk about history, The Oak Ridge Boys can “dig a little deeper” than most. The GRAMMY® Award-winning, Country Music Hall of Fame and Gospel Music Hall of Fame members released their ‘Light’ album 50 years ago, paving the way for what would soon become an historic transition into country music and to heights The Oak Ridge Boys had only dreamed of.
“That album was the apex of The Oak Ridge Boys’ career in Gospel music,” said Oak Ridge Boys member Duane Allen. “I had always dreamed of recording an album that used our stage band in the studio,” Allen said. “For the Light album, we rehearsed all the way across Canada and down into California and then secured a side rehearsal room in Whitney Studio in (Glendale, California). We rehearsed in that studio and then went on to record a monumental album with our band, along with the addition of a rhythm guitarist and percussionist.”
The Light album included gospel songs, “I Don’t Know Why Jesus Loved Me” and “Mama’s Last Amen” and liner notes written by country music legend Johnny Cash.
Cash wrote:
I watched the Oaks
From off stage.
I was caught up in it…
The spotlights in the building
The blue the red the amber
Streamed down upon them
But moving in the spotlights
Was the spirit of True Light
The people were blessed
And so was I
Standing there
Bound in the beauty
Of a spiritual blessing
Brought about
By the children of Light
Sing it
Children of Light
Sing it
This year, The Oak Ridge Boys are also celebrating the 40th anniversary of their number one country hit “Bobbie Sue,” which was the first single and title track of an album that would go on to be certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America. “Bobbie Sue” was the Oaks’ sixth song to reach the top of the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart.
“When we were picking songs for the follow up to the Fancy Free album, which included “Elvira,” we received a copy of “Bobbie Sue” in the mail. It was written by Wood Newton and Dan and Adele Tyler and was the perfect follow up to “Elvira” with its sing-a-long melody and signature bass part for Richard.”
The Oaks continue to add to their touring and recording legacy, making stops across the country this year as part of their 2022 Front Porch Singin’ Tour. They are entertaining audiences everywhere with songs from the Front Porch Singin’ album, as well as classics like “American Made,” “Y’all Come Back Saloon,” “Bobbie Sue” and, of course, “Elvira.”
Join together with friends and family as The Oak Ridge Boys bring their one-of-a-kind harmonies to a stage near you. Learn more about this tour, including show and ticket information HERE.
Upcoming Tour Dates:
MAY 12 – Thrasher-Home Center / Orange Park, Fla.
MAY 13 – Crown Theatre / Fayetteville, N.C.
MAY 14 – Niswonger Performing Arts Center / Greeneville, Tenn.
MAY 20 – Camp Douglas / Camp Douglas, Wis.
MAY 21 – Kewadin Casino St. Ignace Event Center / St. Ignace, Mich.
MAY 28 – Center Stage at Pearl River Resorts / Choctaw, Miss.
JUN 03 – Apache Casino Hotel Event Center / Lawton, Okla.
JUN 04 – Fitz Tunica Casino & Hotel / Robinsonville, Miss.
JUN 07 – Grand Ole Opry / Nashville, Tenn.
JUN 09 – Hartville Kitchen / Hartville, Ohio.
JUN 10 – Hartville Kitchen / Hartville, Ohio.
JUN 11 – Xcite Center / Bensalem, Pa.
JUN 17 – Franklin County High School / Winchester, Tenn.
JUN 18 – Blue Gate Performing Arts Center / Shipshewana, Ind.
JUN 25 – University of West Georgia Coliseum / Carrollton, Ga.
JUL 08 – Island View Casino Resort – Showroom / Gulfport, Miss.
JUL 15 – Ameristar Casino Hotel Kansas City / Kansas City, Mo.
JUL 16 – Lincoln County Fair / Troy, Mo.
JUL 29 – Gasconade County Fair / Owensville, Mo.
JUL 30 – Marion Cultural & Civic Center / Marion, Ill.
AUG 06 – Estes Field / Centre, Ala.
AUG 07 – Chuck Mathena Center / Princeton, W.Va.
AUG 14 – Wisconsin State Fair Park / West Allis, Wis.
AUG 19 – Country Tonite Theater / Pigeon Forge, Tenn.
AUG 21 – Kentucky State Fair – Texas Roadhouse Main Stage / Louisville, Ky.
AUG 26 – Buffalo Thunder Resort & Casino / Sante Fe, N.M.
AUG 27 – Union High School / Roosevelt, Utah
AUG 29 – Scera Shell Outdoor Theatre / Orem, Utah
AUG 30 – Edward A. Kenley Centennial Amphitheater Layton Park / Layton Park, Utah
AUG 31 – Paramount Theatre / Denver, Co.
For the complete listing, visit oakridgeboys.com/tour.
The group — Duane Allen, Joe Bonsall, William Lee Golden, and Richard Sterban — are best known for their iconic and multi-platinum hit “Elvira,” along with other chart-toppers like “Bobbie Sue,” “Thank God For Kids,” “Y’All Come Back Saloon,” and “American Made.” The Oak Ridge Boys have achieved a decorated career, winning five GRAMMY® Awards, multiple CMA, ACM, and Dove Awards for their crossover brand of pop, country, and gospel music that spans multiple generations. The Oak Ridge Boys became members of the Grand Ole Opry in 2011 and achieved arguably country music’s highest honor in October 2015 when they were inducted into the Country Music Hall Of Fame.
For more information on The Oak Ridge Boys, visit their website or follow them on social media.
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