caption current_members associated_acts years_active alias image_size article_title landscape background genre image origin name
the r : bonsall , allen , golden , sterban -rrb- oak ridge boys in 2007 -lrb- l -- joe bonsall duane allen william lee golden richard sterban johnny cash , the statler brothers 1947 -- present the oak ridge quartet 200px the oak ridge boys
 yes group_or_band country , southern gospel , pop oak ridge boys.jpg oak ridge , tennessee the oak ridge boys
the oak ridge boys

the oak ridge boys are an american country and gospel vocal quartet .
the group was founded in the 1940s as the oak ridge quartet .
they became popular in southern gospel during the 1950s .
their name was officially changed to the oak ridge boys in the early 1960s , and they remained a gospel group until the mid-1970s , when they changed their image and concentrated on country music .
the lineup which produced their most world famous and most well-known country and crossover hits -lrb- such as `` elvira '' , `` bobbie sue '' , and `` american made '' -rrb- consists of duane allen -lrb- lead -rrb- , joe bonsall -lrb- tenor -rrb- , william lee golden -lrb- baritone -rrb- , and richard sterban -lrb- bass -rrb- .
golden and allen joined the group in the mid-1960s , and sterban and bonsall joined in the early 1970s .
aside from an eight-year gap -lrb- 1987 -- 95 -rrb- when golden left the group and was replaced , this lineup has been together since 1973 and continues to tour and record .
