January 10, 2024 • 10 mins
A private lesson as powerful as their global musical impact. The Hall of Fame group revisits the career crisis that evolved into their biggest blessing, and life lesson for us all.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hello, and welcome into Crook and Chase Nashville Chats. Here
in the new year, a little bit of news rocking
the country music world. Of course, last year, the Mighty
Olkridge Boys announced to that they are wrapping their fifty
year career. Right they started a farewell tour that's continuing
through most of this year. However, there's been another announcement.
Speaker 2 (00:24):
Yes, we'll get to that announcement in just a moment,
But first of all, consider the legacy of the group
here Lorian Gospel Music Hall of Fame, Country Music Hall
of Fame. They're in every hall of fame except the
National Football League, and they have a tremendous list of awards.
It's really mind boggling. And all four of these guys,
Dwayne Allen, Joe Bonzell, and William B. Gold and Richard
(00:44):
Servin just wonderful individuals. They have faced a lot in
the fifty year history that they have been together as
a group, and I think one of the most challenging
things has occurred over the last four years with mister Bonzel.
Speaker 1 (00:57):
Okay, this is our focus today. Joe Bonzil, the most
famous tenor probably ever in country music, just announced that
due to health issues is I guess you would call
it like a neuromuscular disease that's been sort of, you know,
increasing over the past four years, that he is having
to immediately retire from the group, will not be able
(01:18):
to participate in the rest of the farewell tour. Now, Charlie,
for me, what comes to mind is not only the
outstanding musical contribution of the Oaks, you know, a lot
of what you just mentioned, but what incredibly good and
decent people that these guys have always been behind the scenes.
But look, even the best of us face challenges. The
(01:40):
Oaks lived theirs for the world to see, and there's
an important reason to revisit their crisis because I mean,
in my mind, it's a gift to the rest of
us that's just as strong as their musical legacy.
Speaker 2 (01:54):
One of the biggest challenges for the group, Lorianne, was
when there was a falling out amongst the four of them,
and the other three members voted William B. Golden out
of the group. Now I didn't realize this, but he
was gone from the group for nine years, can you believe? Yeah, yeah,
he'd been with him the longest amount of time, but
he was gone for nine years. Steve Sanders filled in
for him for all those years, but eventually they came
(02:16):
to an understanding.
Speaker 1 (02:17):
Well, it took nine years of soul searching and reflection,
but the Oakridge Boys did reunite, as you said, Charlie,
around ninety six ninety seven, to make music for another
thirty years. Now, the hell they went through, both publicly
and privately, is a mighty lesson for all of us. Now,
right now, we're going to take you back to ninety seven,
(02:38):
just after the Oakridge Boys reunited and our conversation with
all four of them about how they turned the worst
thing that ever happened to them into a blessing not
only for them but for the rest of us.
Speaker 3 (02:49):
Let's face it, we all have relationships, be it with
family members or friends that are strained, people were not
speaking to What can you tell folks about out forgiveness.
Speaker 4 (03:01):
Well, that's the word you've just said it, Lorianne, and
it's still moving to us. But boy, especially in those
early days last year of getting back out there singing
those songs as thus four again pretty mind boggling to ourselves.
And I think over the course of the year there
were many, many nights where we talked about just that
word you said, forgiveness, and how important it is, and
how important it is that if you have problems, if
(03:21):
you have people that you should be close to when
you were not, if there's things between you, you need
to fix them because it makes everything better. And it's
what the good Lord above what have you do? And
I think that forgiveness is the key. Forgiveness is the word,
and if you can learn to forgive one another and
get beyond whatever little problems you had, then you can
move forward with your life and your relationship in a
positive way.
Speaker 2 (03:40):
Out of curiosity, Richard, when the group got back together
and you actually started singing, I think it was a
few days after Christmas time, right, you guys, just to
see if it was still there. What did you discover
you had been missing or missed the most about the
relationship of this group of Okar's boys.
Speaker 5 (03:57):
I think you know when we first gathered around a
pian with William and we started saying, we realized immediately
that the sound was definitely back, The magic for sure
was back. I mean we were all in tears, and
I think we probably all wondered why did we wait
so long? To do this. You know, I think it's
(04:17):
one of the most difficult things in the world is
for a person to admit that they're wrong and then,
you know, tell another person, well, I did some things
that were not right and would you please forgive.
Speaker 2 (04:27):
Me now if I'm not mistaken. This is something that
all four of you had to do to each other,
or to say to each other, or come to terms
with us that right.
Speaker 5 (04:34):
That's true. One by one we did it, and I'm
not proud of it, but I was the last one
to actually do it. But you know, I think the
Good Lord that I finally had enough nerve to do it,
because you know, it's it's just a wonderful thing when
you when you when you forgive someone and they in
turn forgive you. That feeling It's hard to describe it, but.
Speaker 2 (04:52):
You know, people are always going to say, William Lee,
Golden Boy, didn't you feel the tension in there even
after everybody said, hey, come on back, did you feel it?
Speaker 6 (05:00):
Would you? Pretty?
Speaker 7 (05:01):
I don't think so. No. To be back together in
the same room and to be singing in harmony together,
there was just a real magical feeling there. And I
certainly felt a feeling that I hadn't felt in nine
years at that time, and it was the first time
that I'd actually sung harmony in nine years.
Speaker 2 (05:22):
You know how these guys changed.
Speaker 7 (05:25):
The Olkredge Boys were the same Oakridge boys that we
had shared so many great times together. That was a
feeling that I had, was a feeling of friendship with
these guys that we struggled for a long time together,
and then we made a lot of great music and
had a lot of achievements together. So I think it
(05:46):
was maybe a thousand memories that maybe flood through your mind,
you know, of a lot of great times and certainly
feelings of friendship. You know that we really hadn't shared
in a while, and that was a rewarding feeling to me.
And certainly the people then have responded to us being together,
(06:12):
and that's even made it a better feeling. You know,
to find that I are getting along together not only
affects us in a positive way, but it affects a
lot of other people in a positive way too.
Speaker 3 (06:25):
Have you had to set any boundaries? Are there certain subjects,
Joe that you know you have to stay away from
because it might cause them the same old problems.
Speaker 4 (06:32):
No, I don't think so, I really don't. I think
that we just kind of got ourselves apart communication wise,
and sometimes when things are so frantic and hectic as
they were back in those days for the Oakridge Boys,
you like to think you're above some of the things
that happened, but then they go ahead and happen. So
I think that we just really tried to answer your question. No,
(06:56):
there are no boundaries, man, there's no boundaries in twains
wrapping why around, which wouldn't set up a boundary.
Speaker 6 (07:01):
I guess for you, you know what happens, it happens.
Speaker 3 (07:05):
You know, well, any agree for sorrow over what you
lost or what didn't happen in the nine years.
Speaker 6 (07:10):
Look, I don't think you can look back. I really don't.
Speaker 4 (07:13):
I think we have all spent a lot of time
thinking about the mistakes we made. And Dwayne said it
very well, and I'll let him elaborate on it, because
when you're there, you know where it goes, and we're
looking to what we can accomplish now and in the future.
Speaker 8 (07:26):
Dwayne, I think once you've felt magic together, that feeling
of that magic is always there. To recapture that magic,
you've got to kind of get where you left off
and maybe a couple of notches higher with all you've learned.
And I'd like to think that during the time that
(07:46):
we've been apart, that we all learned how to appreciate
one another more and what we had together and what
we hope to recapture and take it to new heights
together again.
Speaker 6 (07:59):
Alex said.
Speaker 4 (08:00):
One more thing is we closed this segment about this
out that I think is very important and it involves
both of you people, Charlie and Lorianne, who have been
supporters of our group for a long long time. I
don't want to aid you here, Charlie, because Lorin's held
up a whole lot better.
Speaker 6 (08:16):
Than you have.
Speaker 2 (08:16):
All Right, I'm been supporting you five six years, five.
Speaker 6 (08:19):
Or six years. Look closely at my thighs, Joe. But
let me say this about Lori Anne.
Speaker 4 (08:26):
Lori Anne, one of the best interviewers that there is
in this business, had that show there a while back.
She came to each of our homes. To this day,
no one has interviewed the Oakwards Boys on a personal
level better. And we've been in a lot of places
than you, Lorienne.
Speaker 6 (08:41):
And this is true.
Speaker 4 (08:42):
I mean, I look back at our archives, and I
see that interview as a very huge thing. And when
we had our problems amongst ourselves, I can't think of
anyone who's heart it broke more than Lorienne's. And I
feel her love and support of us being back together again.
And I want to thank you and Charlie both for
what you've done for us all these years, because hey man,
this is a fast business. A lot of people are
(09:02):
coming and going quicker than ever before. We're all six
still sitting here, and I think that means something.
Speaker 2 (09:07):
Hell Olia not amazing to go back to nineteen ninety seven,
a reforming of the group, and they continue on and
we certainly wish Joe the best and of course the
rest of the group two in their farewell tour.
Speaker 1 (09:18):
Hey can I quote something. This was a quote when
the Oakridge Boys were inducted into the Country Music Hall
of Fame back in twenty fifteen, and it is just
so true about their legacy. The quote is the guys
are rooted in gospel, positive in perspective, bringing joy, excitement,
and whether singing songs of faith, love songs or the
(09:41):
national anthem at hundreds of sporting events, they have brought
harmony to a world that is rife with dissonance.
Speaker 2 (09:49):
Thank you Mighty Oakridge boys. Folks, we have your country
covered right here. Listen to the Crook and Chase Scout
Down every weekend on hundreds of radio stations across America
and streaming on iHeartRadio.
Speaker 1 (10:00):
Follow us on Facebook X and Instagram at Crook and
Chase
Hello, and welcome into Crook and Chase Nashville Chats. Here
in the new year, a little bit of news rocking
the country music world. Of course, last year, the Mighty
Olkridge Boys announced to that they are wrapping their fifty
year career. Right they started a farewell tour that's continuing
through most of this year. However, there's been another announcement.
Speaker 2 (00:24):
Yes, we'll get to that announcement in just a moment,
But first of all, consider the legacy of the group
here Lorian Gospel Music Hall of Fame, Country Music Hall
of Fame. They're in every hall of fame except the
National Football League, and they have a tremendous list of awards.
It's really mind boggling. And all four of these guys,
Dwayne Allen, Joe Bonzell, and William B. Gold and Richard
(00:44):
Servin just wonderful individuals. They have faced a lot in
the fifty year history that they have been together as
a group, and I think one of the most challenging
things has occurred over the last four years with mister Bonzel.
Speaker 1 (00:57):
Okay, this is our focus today. Joe Bonzil, the most
famous tenor probably ever in country music, just announced that
due to health issues is I guess you would call
it like a neuromuscular disease that's been sort of, you know,
increasing over the past four years, that he is having
to immediately retire from the group, will not be able
(01:18):
to participate in the rest of the farewell tour. Now, Charlie,
for me, what comes to mind is not only the
outstanding musical contribution of the Oaks, you know, a lot
of what you just mentioned, but what incredibly good and
decent people that these guys have always been behind the scenes.
But look, even the best of us face challenges. The
(01:40):
Oaks lived theirs for the world to see, and there's
an important reason to revisit their crisis because I mean,
in my mind, it's a gift to the rest of
us that's just as strong as their musical legacy.
Speaker 2 (01:54):
One of the biggest challenges for the group, Lorianne, was
when there was a falling out amongst the four of them,
and the other three members voted William B. Golden out
of the group. Now I didn't realize this, but he
was gone from the group for nine years, can you believe? Yeah, yeah,
he'd been with him the longest amount of time, but
he was gone for nine years. Steve Sanders filled in
for him for all those years, but eventually they came
(02:16):
to an understanding.
Speaker 1 (02:17):
Well, it took nine years of soul searching and reflection,
but the Oakridge Boys did reunite, as you said, Charlie,
around ninety six ninety seven, to make music for another
thirty years. Now, the hell they went through, both publicly
and privately, is a mighty lesson for all of us. Now,
right now, we're going to take you back to ninety seven,
(02:38):
just after the Oakridge Boys reunited and our conversation with
all four of them about how they turned the worst
thing that ever happened to them into a blessing not
only for them but for the rest of us.
Speaker 3 (02:49):
Let's face it, we all have relationships, be it with
family members or friends that are strained, people were not
speaking to What can you tell folks about out forgiveness.
Speaker 4 (03:01):
Well, that's the word you've just said it, Lorianne, and
it's still moving to us. But boy, especially in those
early days last year of getting back out there singing
those songs as thus four again pretty mind boggling to ourselves.
And I think over the course of the year there
were many, many nights where we talked about just that
word you said, forgiveness, and how important it is, and
how important it is that if you have problems, if
(03:21):
you have people that you should be close to when
you were not, if there's things between you, you need
to fix them because it makes everything better. And it's
what the good Lord above what have you do? And
I think that forgiveness is the key. Forgiveness is the word,
and if you can learn to forgive one another and
get beyond whatever little problems you had, then you can
move forward with your life and your relationship in a
positive way.
Speaker 2 (03:40):
Out of curiosity, Richard, when the group got back together
and you actually started singing, I think it was a
few days after Christmas time, right, you guys, just to
see if it was still there. What did you discover
you had been missing or missed the most about the
relationship of this group of Okar's boys.
Speaker 5 (03:57):
I think you know when we first gathered around a
pian with William and we started saying, we realized immediately
that the sound was definitely back, The magic for sure
was back. I mean we were all in tears, and
I think we probably all wondered why did we wait
so long? To do this. You know, I think it's
(04:17):
one of the most difficult things in the world is
for a person to admit that they're wrong and then,
you know, tell another person, well, I did some things
that were not right and would you please forgive.
Speaker 2 (04:27):
Me now if I'm not mistaken. This is something that
all four of you had to do to each other,
or to say to each other, or come to terms
with us that right.
Speaker 5 (04:34):
That's true. One by one we did it, and I'm
not proud of it, but I was the last one
to actually do it. But you know, I think the
Good Lord that I finally had enough nerve to do it,
because you know, it's it's just a wonderful thing when
you when you when you forgive someone and they in
turn forgive you. That feeling It's hard to describe it, but.
Speaker 2 (04:52):
You know, people are always going to say, William Lee,
Golden Boy, didn't you feel the tension in there even
after everybody said, hey, come on back, did you feel it?
Speaker 6 (05:00):
Would you? Pretty?
Speaker 7 (05:01):
I don't think so. No. To be back together in
the same room and to be singing in harmony together,
there was just a real magical feeling there. And I
certainly felt a feeling that I hadn't felt in nine
years at that time, and it was the first time
that I'd actually sung harmony in nine years.
Speaker 2 (05:22):
You know how these guys changed.
Speaker 7 (05:25):
The Olkredge Boys were the same Oakridge boys that we
had shared so many great times together. That was a
feeling that I had, was a feeling of friendship with
these guys that we struggled for a long time together,
and then we made a lot of great music and
had a lot of achievements together. So I think it
(05:46):
was maybe a thousand memories that maybe flood through your mind,
you know, of a lot of great times and certainly
feelings of friendship. You know that we really hadn't shared
in a while, and that was a rewarding feeling to me.
And certainly the people then have responded to us being together,
(06:12):
and that's even made it a better feeling. You know,
to find that I are getting along together not only
affects us in a positive way, but it affects a
lot of other people in a positive way too.
Speaker 3 (06:25):
Have you had to set any boundaries? Are there certain subjects,
Joe that you know you have to stay away from
because it might cause them the same old problems.
Speaker 4 (06:32):
No, I don't think so, I really don't. I think
that we just kind of got ourselves apart communication wise,
and sometimes when things are so frantic and hectic as
they were back in those days for the Oakridge Boys,
you like to think you're above some of the things
that happened, but then they go ahead and happen. So
I think that we just really tried to answer your question. No,
(06:56):
there are no boundaries, man, there's no boundaries in twains
wrapping why around, which wouldn't set up a boundary.
Speaker 6 (07:01):
I guess for you, you know what happens, it happens.
Speaker 3 (07:05):
You know, well, any agree for sorrow over what you
lost or what didn't happen in the nine years.
Speaker 6 (07:10):
Look, I don't think you can look back. I really don't.
Speaker 4 (07:13):
I think we have all spent a lot of time
thinking about the mistakes we made. And Dwayne said it
very well, and I'll let him elaborate on it, because
when you're there, you know where it goes, and we're
looking to what we can accomplish now and in the future.
Speaker 8 (07:26):
Dwayne, I think once you've felt magic together, that feeling
of that magic is always there. To recapture that magic,
you've got to kind of get where you left off
and maybe a couple of notches higher with all you've learned.
And I'd like to think that during the time that
(07:46):
we've been apart, that we all learned how to appreciate
one another more and what we had together and what
we hope to recapture and take it to new heights
together again.
Speaker 6 (07:59):
Alex said.
Speaker 4 (08:00):
One more thing is we closed this segment about this
out that I think is very important and it involves
both of you people, Charlie and Lorianne, who have been
supporters of our group for a long long time. I
don't want to aid you here, Charlie, because Lorin's held
up a whole lot better.
Speaker 6 (08:16):
Than you have.
Speaker 2 (08:16):
All Right, I'm been supporting you five six years, five.
Speaker 6 (08:19):
Or six years. Look closely at my thighs, Joe. But
let me say this about Lori Anne.
Speaker 4 (08:26):
Lori Anne, one of the best interviewers that there is
in this business, had that show there a while back.
She came to each of our homes. To this day,
no one has interviewed the Oakwards Boys on a personal
level better. And we've been in a lot of places
than you, Lorienne.
Speaker 6 (08:41):
And this is true.
Speaker 4 (08:42):
I mean, I look back at our archives, and I
see that interview as a very huge thing. And when
we had our problems amongst ourselves, I can't think of
anyone who's heart it broke more than Lorienne's. And I
feel her love and support of us being back together again.
And I want to thank you and Charlie both for
what you've done for us all these years, because hey man,
this is a fast business. A lot of people are
(09:02):
coming and going quicker than ever before. We're all six
still sitting here, and I think that means something.
Speaker 2 (09:07):
Hell Olia not amazing to go back to nineteen ninety seven,
a reforming of the group, and they continue on and
we certainly wish Joe the best and of course the
rest of the group two in their farewell tour.
Speaker 1 (09:18):
Hey can I quote something. This was a quote when
the Oakridge Boys were inducted into the Country Music Hall
of Fame back in twenty fifteen, and it is just
so true about their legacy. The quote is the guys
are rooted in gospel, positive in perspective, bringing joy, excitement,
and whether singing songs of faith, love songs or the
(09:41):
national anthem at hundreds of sporting events, they have brought
harmony to a world that is rife with dissonance.
Speaker 2 (09:49):
Thank you Mighty Oakridge boys. Folks, we have your country
covered right here. Listen to the Crook and Chase Scout
Down every weekend on hundreds of radio stations across America
and streaming on iHeartRadio.
Speaker 1 (10:00):
Follow us on Facebook X and Instagram at Crook and
Chase
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