Theirs is one of the most dis… Read Full Bio ↴THE TRADITION CONTINUES ...
Theirs is one of the most distinctive and recognizable sounds in the music industry. The four-part harmonies and upbeat songs of The Oak Ridge Boys have spawned dozens of country hits and a #1 pop smash, earned them Grammy, Dove, CMA and ACM awards and garnered a host of other industry and fan accolades. Every time they step before an audience, the Oaks bring 15 years of hits and 50 years of tradition to bear on a stage show widely acknowledged as among the most exciting anywhere. And, each remains as enthusiastic about the process as they have ever been.
"When I go on stage, I get the same feeling I had the first time I sang with The Oak Ridge Boys," says lead singer Duane Allen. "This is the only job I've ever wanted to have."
"Like everyone else in the group," adds bass singer extraordinaire Richard Sterban, "I was a fan of the Oaks before I became a member. I'm still a fan of the group today. Being in The Oak Ridge Boys is the fulfillment of a lifelong dream."
The two, along with tenor Joe Bonsall and baritone William Lee Golden, comprise one of country's truly legendary acts. Their string of hits includes the pop chart-topper "Elvira," as well as "Bobbie Sue," "Dream On," "Thank God For Kids," "American Made," "I Guess It Never Hurts To Hurt Sometimes," "Fancy Free," "Gonna Take A Lot Of River" and many others. They've scored ten gold, three platinum and one double platinum album, one double platinum single, and had more than a dozen national #1 singles.
The Oaks represent a tradition that extends back to 1943, before Hank Williams had a career. The original group, based in Knoxville, TN, began performing country and gospel music in nearby Oak Ridge where the atomic bomb was being developed. They called themselves the Oak Ridge Quartet, and they began regular Grand Ole Opry appearances in the fall of '45. In the mid-'50s, they were featured in Time magazine as one of the top drawing gospel groups in the nation.
By the late '60s, with more than 30 members having come and gone, they had a lineup that included Duane Allen, William Lee Golden, Noel Fox and Willie Wynn. Among the Oaks' many acquaintances in the gospel field were Bonsall, a streetwise Philadelphia kid who embraced gospel music wholeheartedly, and Sterban, who was singing in quartets and holding down a job as a men's clothing salesman. Both admired the distinctive, highly-popular Oaks.
"They were the most innovative quartet in gospel music," says Bonsall. "They performed gospel with a rock approach, had a full band, wore bell-bottom pants and grew their hair long ... things unheard of at the time."
The four became friends, and when the Oaks needed a bass and tenor, in '72 and '73 respectively, Sterban and Bonsall got the calls. The group remained a highly popular mainstay on the gospel circuit, and it was there they refined the strengths that would soon make them such an across-the-board attraction.
"We did a lot of package shows," said Bonsall, "and there was an incredible amount of competition. You had to blow people away to sell records and get invited back."
Their gospel sound had a distinct pop edge to it, and while it made for excitement and popularity, it also ruffled purist feathers and left promoters unsure about the Oaks' direction. Then, in 1975, the Oaks were booked to open a number of dates for Roy Clark, whose manager was floored by their abilities.
"He came backstage and told us we were three-and-a-half minutes ' meaning one hit record ' away from being a major act," says Bonsall. "He said we had one of the most dynamic stage shows he'd ever seen, but that we had to start singing country songs."
They took his advice, and the result was a breakthrough.
"Those who came to country music with or after the New Traditionalists of the mid-'80s cannot possibly imagine the impact the Oaks had in 1977 when they lit up the sky from horizon to horizon with "Y'All Come Back Saloon," said Billboard's Ed Morris, who added "... the vocal intensity the group brought to it instantly enriched and enlivened the perilously staid country format. These guys were exciting."
Within a year, Paul Simon would tap them to sing backup for his hit "Slip Slidin' Away," and they would go on to record with George Jones, Brenda Lee, Johnny Cash, Roy Rogers, Billy Ray Cyrus and others. They would appear before three presidents, produce one of the first country music videos ("Easy," in 1977, which wasn't released in the U.S. but hit #3 in Australia), take part in the first headline tour of the USSR, and become one of the most enduringly-successful touring groups anywhere.
They did it with a consistently upbeat musical approach and terrific business savvy.
"We always look for songs that have lasting value and that are uplifting," says Allen. "You don't hear us singing 'cheating' or 'drinking' songs, but 'loving' songs, because we think that will last. We also don't put music in categories, except for 'good' or 'bad.' When we get through with it, it's probably going to sound like an Oak Ridge Boys song no matter what it is."
They proved their business acumen in any number of ways, including such steps as declining the chance to sit on the couch during their many appearances on the Tonight Show.
"We said, 'If you're going to give us four minutes on the couch with Johnny, we'd rather have four minutes to give you another song that lets people know what got us here,'" says Allen. "We didn't get here talking; we got here singing," They also proved themselves to be capable and tireless advocates of charitable and civic causes, serving as spokesmen and/or board members of fundraisers for the Boy Scouts of America, the National Committee for Prevention of Child Abuse, Feed The Children, and many more.
The group's first personnel change in many years occurred in 1987 when Steve Sanders, who had been playing guitar in The Oaks Band, replaced William Lee as the baritone singer. Late in '95, Steve resigned from the Oaks and exactly one minute after midnight on New Year's Eve, Duane, Joe and Richard surprised the packed house at Holiday Star Theatre in Merrillville, IN, by welcoming William Lee on stage and back in group. The hitmakers were finally together again!
The Oaks' high-energy stage show remains the heart and soul of what they do, and they refine it several times a year, striving to keep it fresh well into the future.
"We're not willing to rest on our laurels," Golden says. "That gets boring. As a group, we do things constantly to challenge ourselves, to try to do something different or better than the last time we did it."
"I feel like I can do what I do on stage just as good now as I could 20 years ago," says Bonsall. "in fact, if anything, I'm in better shape now than I was 20 years ago. I plan to be rockin' my tail off out there as long as I'm healthy and don't look stupid doing it. The people who come out, who bring their families to see us, deserve everything I've got."
"We've experienced a lot of longevity," adds Sterban, "and I think the reason is the love we have for what we do - the desire, the longing to actually get up there and do it. We love to sing together ... to harmonize together. It's what our lives are all about."
Time Has Made a Change In Me
The Oak Ridge Boys Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Since my childhood days
Many of my friends have gone away
Some I never more in this life will see
Time has made a change in me
Time has made a change in the old home place
Time has made a change in each smiling face
That time has made a change in me
In my childhood days I was well and strong
I could climb the hill sides all day long
I am not today what I used to be
'Cause time has made a change in me
When I reach my home in that land somewhere
With my friends who wait to
Meet me over there
Free from pain and care I'll forever be
Since time has made a change in m
e
The lyrics to The Oak Ridge Boys' "Time Has Made a Change In Me" are reflective of the inevitable passing of time and how it can change us and the world around us. The first verse speaks to the loss of childhood friends and how time has made it impossible to see them again. The second verse talks about the changes in the old home place and the people there, and how these changes are visible to others. The final verse is about the physical changes that come with aging and how they can impact our abilities.
One could interpret the song to be about the acceptance of these changes and the understanding that they are a natural part of life. It could also be interpreted as a realization of one's own mortality and a desire to live life to the fullest. The poignant lyrics and beautiful harmonies of The Oak Ridge Boys make this song a poignant and powerful meditation on the passage of time.
Line by Line Meaning
Time has made a change
The passage of time has caused significant changes in the person being referred to.
Since my childhood days
The changes are noticeable when thinking about their past, specifically their childhood.
Many of my friends have gone away
The person has lost several of their friends over the years.
Some I never more in this life will see
There are some friends who have passed away and the person will never see them again in this life.
Time has made a change in me
The changes brought about by time have also had an impact on the person themselves.
Time has made a change in the old home place
The person's childhood home has also undergone significant changes.
Time has made a change in each smiling face
Even the people in the person's life who used to be happy have changed over time.
And I know my friends can plainly see
The person is aware that their friends have noticed changes in them.
That time has made a change in me
The person is acknowledging that they have changed over time.
In my childhood days I was well and strong
When the person was young, they were healthy and physically capable.
I could climb the hill sides all day long
They had the energy to do physically demanding activities like hill climbing for extended periods of time.
I am not today what I used to be
The person is different now than they were in the past, both physically and in other ways.
'Cause time has made a change in me
The person attributes their changes to the passage of time.
When I reach my home in that land somewhere
The person is talking about an afterlife or a spiritual home.
With my friends who wait to Meet me over there
They believe that they will be reunited with their deceased friends there.
Free from pain and care I'll forever be
In this new home, the person will be free from pain and worries for eternity.
Since time has made a change in me
The changes they have experienced as a result of time will not impact them in this new place.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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