September 9, 2024 • 12 mins
I always look forward to catching up with Richard. It has been tough year for the Oak Ridge Boys. How are they doing? Richard tells us and it's not over for the group. New member Ben James is a blessing. I can't wait for Richard to tell you the story about Ben joining the Oaks. Download this episode and be sure to see the Oak Ridge Boys on tour and look for the new album out Oct 25.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Bob picking on the line and listen. I'm talking to
one of my favorite guys. Usually we talk about baseball.
We both love baseball. We'll talk about it later. This
is Richard Sturbin with the Oakridge Boys. First of all,
how you doing well?
Speaker 2 (00:12):
I am doing just fine and is certainly my pleasure
to be able to talk to you again and to
all your listeners out there as well.
Speaker 1 (00:21):
So it's great talking to you.
Speaker 3 (00:22):
Now.
Speaker 1 (00:23):
Let's talk about it. It's been a strange year for
the Oakridge Boys camp. Definitely Dwayne losing his wife, also
Weimley go and losing the sun, and of course you've
had a loss in your family as well, I believe, right.
Speaker 2 (00:39):
Yeah, the same the same day that Dwayne lost his wife,
which was the Easter Sunday, just a few hours later,
my father in law passed away almost same day, you know.
And then the same thing William William's son Rusty died
and just a few days later Joe died, you know.
Speaker 3 (00:57):
So we had run through it here lately, we really have,
you know, how do you get.
Speaker 1 (01:01):
Through those tough times?
Speaker 3 (01:02):
Though?
Speaker 1 (01:03):
There's got to be something special, Richard.
Speaker 2 (01:05):
There is something special, and I'll tell you exactly.
Speaker 3 (01:08):
What it is.
Speaker 2 (01:09):
The four of us are men of faith. We have
we have we believe in the good Lord above. And
what helps us to get through this difficult time is
the fact that we really believe that Joe and all
our other loved ones that have passed on, we believe
they are in a better place, and we also we
also believe that we're.
Speaker 3 (01:28):
Going to see them again somedays.
Speaker 2 (01:29):
So so I think this faith that we have, you know,
it's still not easy, don't get me wrong, but that
that just that thought kind of helps get you through it.
And then we try to rely on that the best
we possibly can.
Speaker 3 (01:43):
I love that.
Speaker 1 (01:44):
I love that vision that you have right there. And
let's talk about is it really the end of the
ocresh Boys? Because the name of the tour is called
the American Made Farewell Tour. Are you guys really gonna
hang things up at the end of this tour?
Speaker 3 (01:58):
Well, you're right.
Speaker 2 (02:01):
We started to call it the farewell Tour even before
even before Joe retired.
Speaker 3 (02:07):
We felt we are we we got together with our
with our.
Speaker 2 (02:10):
Manager and our booking agent, and we thought it was
time to maybe you know, call it, you know what
it really is, a farewell tour. So that so we
have been we have embarked on a farewell tour, and
we originally thought it was going to last just through
this year, but now there's been such a demand we're
brooking dates next year. So while while while it is
(02:35):
a farewell tour, we do not know when it will end,
you know, so, and you know, I'll be very honest
with you, I'm not quite ready.
Speaker 1 (02:44):
To ready off the road.
Speaker 2 (02:47):
And no, you know, we're slowing down a little bit,
and I'm thankful. I'm thankful for that, you know, But
but I'm not ready to hang it up yet. And
I told you in a few minutes ago. We're men
of faith. We all was to rely on divine guidance.
The Good Lord will let us know when it's time
to hang it up for good, and he has not
(03:07):
said that yet. So well, so we will still be
around for a while, Yes we will.
Speaker 1 (03:12):
Now because I remember talking to you back after COVID
and you were telling me how you got cabin fever.
It was just terrible for you guys not to be
able to get out before during COVID.
Speaker 2 (03:22):
It was, you know, for over a year what we
love doing was taken away from us. And and you know,
and every aspect of that. We certainly missed the live
performing on stage because that's something that we live for.
But I think what we missed more than anything was
the feedback that we get from our fans. We missed
(03:44):
that and I'll never forget during the pandemic, you know,
we're members of the Grand Old Opry, and the Opry
started to do shows without an audience, and I will
never ever forget that. The first time we walked on
the stage at the Grand Old Opry House to perform
and there was zero people in the in the audience,
(04:04):
I think we realize then and there how important an
audience really is to a show.
Speaker 3 (04:10):
So our fans, our fans.
Speaker 2 (04:12):
Are important to us, and that's why this Farewell Tory
we want to what we want to do. We want
to take time as much time as it's going to
take to go to as many places as we can
possibly go to and say thank you to our fans
that have allowed us to have this fifty plus year
career together. It's been a special thing, there's no doubt
(04:34):
about it. So we want to take time to say
thank you. And as I say, that's going to take
us a little while it really will, and we're and
we're ready getting request to go to repeat some of
the places that we've been to this year.
Speaker 3 (04:46):
So we're going to be around now, you know.
Speaker 2 (04:49):
And not just the fans, you know, we want to
say thank you to people like you who have been
so kind to us over the years. You've always promoted us,
you've played our records, people in the press that have
always written such good things about us. We want to
say thank you to everyone, and that's what we're doing
with this Farewell so Well.
Speaker 1 (05:07):
I told you the first when I first got in
radio and seventy seven, first record I play on the
air was Theilgridge Boys. I'll be true to you. So
I've been a fan of about how's the new Kid?
By the way, I'm gonna call him kid, How's the
new Kid? Been working along with everybody? Get along with everybody?
Speaker 2 (05:21):
Oh, he's getting along with everyone just fine. And you
you were correct when you call him a kid.
Speaker 1 (05:27):
In a special initiation for him. Yet, have you guys
played any pranks for him on the stage.
Speaker 2 (05:33):
He's been such a great, great addition, you know. He's
brought so much talent and so much youth and energy
to our group. It's very special, it really is. And
you know he was also hand picked personally by Joe
a couple of years ago. This is an interesting story
and I'm making as quick as possible. We were playing
(05:53):
a date with a group called Daily and Vincent. I
don't know if you're familiar with them at all, but
there Ben was singing with him as they are members
of the Grand Old Operator, and we've known that for
a while. And when we did Elvira at the end
of our show, they came out and joined us on
stage and Ben was singing with the La and Vincent
(06:14):
and he stood next to Joe, and Joe sang the
first verse of Elvira like he always does, and then
when we got to the second verse, he handed the
microphone to Ben, who's standing right there next to him,
and Ben sang the second verse, and we all looked
around at each other and went, Wow, this kid can
really sing. And Joe and him kind of hit it off,
(06:37):
a kind of corresponded back and forth, and we found
out that he was a big fan of Joe's. He
knew everything Joe's ever done and Joe. When Joe finally
got to the place where he could not go on
any longer and he felt.
Speaker 3 (06:51):
Like he had to retire.
Speaker 2 (06:52):
He recommended that we hire Ben to take his place,
you know, for this farewell tour, and that's so that's
what we've done. And he's Ben is not trying to
beat Joe. We are not asking him to be Joe.
He's just being himself and a lot of our fans
really have taken a liking to him and he's doing
(07:12):
a super job. So so we're looking forward to coming
your way with our new guy because we're having a
lot of fun with him, and like I said, he's
kind of recharged these old old old men a little
bit and we're having a lot of fun.
Speaker 3 (07:26):
Again.
Speaker 1 (07:26):
What a beautiful what a beautiful story. Then I take
it that Ben's gonna be part of this new album
coming out October the twenty fifth, Right.
Speaker 2 (07:34):
Well, you're correct about that. One of the first things
that we did back in January when Joe Joe retired
is we went into the studio and we are now
being produced by Dave Cobb, you know, yeah, yeah, this
will be our fifth album now with Dave Cobb and
a fifth project. And you know, he's one of the
(07:54):
hottest guys in Nashville right now, and so we went.
Speaker 3 (07:58):
Into the studio with Ben.
Speaker 2 (08:00):
We wanted to get Joe to kind of sing on
some of the songs, but Joe he just wasn't up
to it any longer. So he's not on the album.
But Ben is on the album. It is coming out
in the fall, in this coming fall. I know it's
already about fall, but I think October the twenty fifth,
I believe it is the release state. And the title
(08:23):
of the project is Mama's Boys, and it was a
lot of it was Dave Cobbs idea, you know, and
most of the songs are you know, typical Oak Rich
boys song talk about our mothers, talk about family values,
faith and that sort of thing that we believe in,
and so a lot of the songs are like that
on the project. The title song, Mama's Boys, was written
(08:44):
by our steel player Rex Wiseman, who's been with us
for many, many years.
Speaker 3 (08:49):
Is a great song.
Speaker 2 (08:50):
There's some familiar songs, but a lot of new songs
you've never heard before. And believe it or not, one
of the highlights of the album is a song written
by Willie Nelson and.
Speaker 3 (09:01):
He is actually he made a too.
Speaker 2 (09:03):
It took us a while to pull it off, but
we arranged for him to actually sing on the record
with us.
Speaker 3 (09:10):
So it's a special thing.
Speaker 2 (09:12):
Is something that Oakridge Boys fans can look forward to
here next month.
Speaker 3 (09:16):
We're excited about it.
Speaker 1 (09:18):
Is it called Willie and the kids?
Speaker 2 (09:21):
Well, you know, the four of us are almost we're
almost as old as Willy.
Speaker 1 (09:26):
Unbelievable. I can't wait for that now. But you also
brought up Joe's name. Joe was part of the latest
video that you guys did. Was the first time a
video was ever made for Avira and Joe's part of
the video, which they can see by going to the
website Oakridge Boys.
Speaker 2 (09:41):
Is that there and back in the fall, we wanted
to last fall, we wanted to do just that and
we wanted to make a video some of the people
can see but Joe's still there and something that they
could remember Joe by and Joe, you know, Joe signed
the lead vocal on one of the biggest records ever
in country music, you know, Elvira, and so we wanted
(10:01):
to honor him with that and we were and we
had some of our friends in country music.
Speaker 3 (10:06):
They came and helped us out and this is a
special time. It really is good.
Speaker 1 (10:09):
But I encourage your way to go to the Oakreageboys
dot com website and watch that. And also I encourage
you to go out and see the Oakridge Boys part
of the tour, the American Made Farewell Tour. Now the
next name of the tour. I've got a suggestion for you.
We ain't slowing down. How about that for.
Speaker 3 (10:26):
I kind of like the way that sound.
Speaker 2 (10:27):
Now.
Speaker 3 (10:27):
I told you, I told you earlier.
Speaker 2 (10:29):
We have slowed down a little bit well but but
not but not much. And you know, from now to
the end of this year, our schedule as a gang buster.
Speaker 1 (10:38):
So it was just looking you guys are everywhere.
Speaker 2 (10:40):
We're looking forward to it. And like I said, we're
now booking days next year. So so this you never
know how things will happen in life, but you this,
this may be. This may not be the last time
you and I talk. I hope that hope that's the case.
I do too.
Speaker 1 (10:57):
I do too Richard sterb and the Oakridge Boys. Go
see them in concert the American Made Farewell Tour and
listen that new album also coming out on October twenty five.
Now quickly before we close, Baseball prediction World Series. You
want to give me a prediction for that for this year?
Speaker 3 (11:12):
Oh wow? You know, Dodgers are looking pretty good, they
really are, you.
Speaker 2 (11:17):
Know, and you imagine that I'd have to say the Yankees.
But you know, if you just it has been proven
over the years, if you can just get that wild
card spot, you could end up you can end up
in the World Series.
Speaker 1 (11:30):
The Raiders last year.
Speaker 3 (11:31):
I mean, yeah, it is possible. So you never know.
Speaker 2 (11:35):
So down the Struts area should be very, very interesting.
Speaker 3 (11:38):
It should be.
Speaker 1 (11:39):
It will be very anyway, great to talk to you,
and hopefully we'll see in person real soon.
Speaker 2 (11:44):
Let me one more time speak for all the Oakridge Boys.
Tell you we're looking forward to coming your way with
our new guy Ben. We're going to have a great time.
This Farewell tour is a celebration of a great career
that we've been able to have, so we want to
celebrate together. So as many people as possible come on
out and celebrate together with the Ocrish Boys.
Bob picking on the line and listen. I'm talking to
one of my favorite guys. Usually we talk about baseball.
We both love baseball. We'll talk about it later. This
is Richard Sturbin with the Oakridge Boys. First of all,
how you doing well?
Speaker 2 (00:12):
I am doing just fine and is certainly my pleasure
to be able to talk to you again and to
all your listeners out there as well.
Speaker 1 (00:21):
So it's great talking to you.
Speaker 3 (00:22):
Now.
Speaker 1 (00:23):
Let's talk about it. It's been a strange year for
the Oakridge Boys camp. Definitely Dwayne losing his wife, also
Weimley go and losing the sun, and of course you've
had a loss in your family as well, I believe, right.
Speaker 2 (00:39):
Yeah, the same the same day that Dwayne lost his wife,
which was the Easter Sunday, just a few hours later,
my father in law passed away almost same day, you know.
And then the same thing William William's son Rusty died
and just a few days later Joe died, you know.
Speaker 3 (00:57):
So we had run through it here lately, we really have,
you know, how do you get.
Speaker 1 (01:01):
Through those tough times?
Speaker 3 (01:02):
Though?
Speaker 1 (01:03):
There's got to be something special, Richard.
Speaker 2 (01:05):
There is something special, and I'll tell you exactly.
Speaker 3 (01:08):
What it is.
Speaker 2 (01:09):
The four of us are men of faith. We have
we have we believe in the good Lord above. And
what helps us to get through this difficult time is
the fact that we really believe that Joe and all
our other loved ones that have passed on, we believe
they are in a better place, and we also we
also believe that we're.
Speaker 3 (01:28):
Going to see them again somedays.
Speaker 2 (01:29):
So so I think this faith that we have, you know,
it's still not easy, don't get me wrong, but that
that just that thought kind of helps get you through it.
And then we try to rely on that the best
we possibly can.
Speaker 3 (01:43):
I love that.
Speaker 1 (01:44):
I love that vision that you have right there. And
let's talk about is it really the end of the
ocresh Boys? Because the name of the tour is called
the American Made Farewell Tour. Are you guys really gonna
hang things up at the end of this tour?
Speaker 3 (01:58):
Well, you're right.
Speaker 2 (02:01):
We started to call it the farewell Tour even before
even before Joe retired.
Speaker 3 (02:07):
We felt we are we we got together with our
with our.
Speaker 2 (02:10):
Manager and our booking agent, and we thought it was
time to maybe you know, call it, you know what
it really is, a farewell tour. So that so we
have been we have embarked on a farewell tour, and
we originally thought it was going to last just through
this year, but now there's been such a demand we're
brooking dates next year. So while while while it is
(02:35):
a farewell tour, we do not know when it will end,
you know, so, and you know, I'll be very honest
with you, I'm not quite ready.
Speaker 1 (02:44):
To ready off the road.
Speaker 2 (02:47):
And no, you know, we're slowing down a little bit,
and I'm thankful. I'm thankful for that, you know, But
but I'm not ready to hang it up yet. And
I told you in a few minutes ago. We're men
of faith. We all was to rely on divine guidance.
The Good Lord will let us know when it's time
to hang it up for good, and he has not
(03:07):
said that yet. So well, so we will still be
around for a while, Yes we will.
Speaker 1 (03:12):
Now because I remember talking to you back after COVID
and you were telling me how you got cabin fever.
It was just terrible for you guys not to be
able to get out before during COVID.
Speaker 2 (03:22):
It was, you know, for over a year what we
love doing was taken away from us. And and you know,
and every aspect of that. We certainly missed the live
performing on stage because that's something that we live for.
But I think what we missed more than anything was
the feedback that we get from our fans. We missed
(03:44):
that and I'll never forget during the pandemic, you know,
we're members of the Grand Old Opry, and the Opry
started to do shows without an audience, and I will
never ever forget that. The first time we walked on
the stage at the Grand Old Opry House to perform
and there was zero people in the in the audience,
(04:04):
I think we realize then and there how important an
audience really is to a show.
Speaker 3 (04:10):
So our fans, our fans.
Speaker 2 (04:12):
Are important to us, and that's why this Farewell Tory
we want to what we want to do. We want
to take time as much time as it's going to
take to go to as many places as we can
possibly go to and say thank you to our fans
that have allowed us to have this fifty plus year
career together. It's been a special thing, there's no doubt
(04:34):
about it. So we want to take time to say
thank you. And as I say, that's going to take
us a little while it really will, and we're and
we're ready getting request to go to repeat some of
the places that we've been to this year.
Speaker 3 (04:46):
So we're going to be around now, you know.
Speaker 2 (04:49):
And not just the fans, you know, we want to
say thank you to people like you who have been
so kind to us over the years. You've always promoted us,
you've played our records, people in the press that have
always written such good things about us. We want to
say thank you to everyone, and that's what we're doing
with this Farewell so Well.
Speaker 1 (05:07):
I told you the first when I first got in
radio and seventy seven, first record I play on the
air was Theilgridge Boys. I'll be true to you. So
I've been a fan of about how's the new Kid?
By the way, I'm gonna call him kid, How's the
new Kid? Been working along with everybody? Get along with everybody?
Speaker 2 (05:21):
Oh, he's getting along with everyone just fine. And you
you were correct when you call him a kid.
Speaker 1 (05:27):
In a special initiation for him. Yet, have you guys
played any pranks for him on the stage.
Speaker 2 (05:33):
He's been such a great, great addition, you know. He's
brought so much talent and so much youth and energy
to our group. It's very special, it really is. And
you know he was also hand picked personally by Joe
a couple of years ago. This is an interesting story
and I'm making as quick as possible. We were playing
(05:53):
a date with a group called Daily and Vincent. I
don't know if you're familiar with them at all, but
there Ben was singing with him as they are members
of the Grand Old Operator, and we've known that for
a while. And when we did Elvira at the end
of our show, they came out and joined us on
stage and Ben was singing with the La and Vincent
(06:14):
and he stood next to Joe, and Joe sang the
first verse of Elvira like he always does, and then
when we got to the second verse, he handed the
microphone to Ben, who's standing right there next to him,
and Ben sang the second verse, and we all looked
around at each other and went, Wow, this kid can
really sing. And Joe and him kind of hit it off,
(06:37):
a kind of corresponded back and forth, and we found
out that he was a big fan of Joe's. He
knew everything Joe's ever done and Joe. When Joe finally
got to the place where he could not go on
any longer and he felt.
Speaker 3 (06:51):
Like he had to retire.
Speaker 2 (06:52):
He recommended that we hire Ben to take his place,
you know, for this farewell tour, and that's so that's
what we've done. And he's Ben is not trying to
beat Joe. We are not asking him to be Joe.
He's just being himself and a lot of our fans
really have taken a liking to him and he's doing
(07:12):
a super job. So so we're looking forward to coming
your way with our new guy because we're having a
lot of fun with him, and like I said, he's
kind of recharged these old old old men a little
bit and we're having a lot of fun.
Speaker 3 (07:26):
Again.
Speaker 1 (07:26):
What a beautiful what a beautiful story. Then I take
it that Ben's gonna be part of this new album
coming out October the twenty fifth, Right.
Speaker 2 (07:34):
Well, you're correct about that. One of the first things
that we did back in January when Joe Joe retired
is we went into the studio and we are now
being produced by Dave Cobb, you know, yeah, yeah, this
will be our fifth album now with Dave Cobb and
a fifth project. And you know, he's one of the
(07:54):
hottest guys in Nashville right now, and so we went.
Speaker 3 (07:58):
Into the studio with Ben.
Speaker 2 (08:00):
We wanted to get Joe to kind of sing on
some of the songs, but Joe he just wasn't up
to it any longer. So he's not on the album.
But Ben is on the album. It is coming out
in the fall, in this coming fall. I know it's
already about fall, but I think October the twenty fifth,
I believe it is the release state. And the title
(08:23):
of the project is Mama's Boys, and it was a
lot of it was Dave Cobbs idea, you know, and
most of the songs are you know, typical Oak Rich
boys song talk about our mothers, talk about family values,
faith and that sort of thing that we believe in,
and so a lot of the songs are like that
on the project. The title song, Mama's Boys, was written
(08:44):
by our steel player Rex Wiseman, who's been with us
for many, many years.
Speaker 3 (08:49):
Is a great song.
Speaker 2 (08:50):
There's some familiar songs, but a lot of new songs
you've never heard before. And believe it or not, one
of the highlights of the album is a song written
by Willie Nelson and.
Speaker 3 (09:01):
He is actually he made a too.
Speaker 2 (09:03):
It took us a while to pull it off, but
we arranged for him to actually sing on the record
with us.
Speaker 3 (09:10):
So it's a special thing.
Speaker 2 (09:12):
Is something that Oakridge Boys fans can look forward to
here next month.
Speaker 3 (09:16):
We're excited about it.
Speaker 1 (09:18):
Is it called Willie and the kids?
Speaker 2 (09:21):
Well, you know, the four of us are almost we're
almost as old as Willy.
Speaker 1 (09:26):
Unbelievable. I can't wait for that now. But you also
brought up Joe's name. Joe was part of the latest
video that you guys did. Was the first time a
video was ever made for Avira and Joe's part of
the video, which they can see by going to the
website Oakridge Boys.
Speaker 2 (09:41):
Is that there and back in the fall, we wanted
to last fall, we wanted to do just that and
we wanted to make a video some of the people
can see but Joe's still there and something that they
could remember Joe by and Joe, you know, Joe signed
the lead vocal on one of the biggest records ever
in country music, you know, Elvira, and so we wanted
(10:01):
to honor him with that and we were and we
had some of our friends in country music.
Speaker 3 (10:06):
They came and helped us out and this is a
special time. It really is good.
Speaker 1 (10:09):
But I encourage your way to go to the Oakreageboys
dot com website and watch that. And also I encourage
you to go out and see the Oakridge Boys part
of the tour, the American Made Farewell Tour. Now the
next name of the tour. I've got a suggestion for you.
We ain't slowing down. How about that for.
Speaker 3 (10:26):
I kind of like the way that sound.
Speaker 2 (10:27):
Now.
Speaker 3 (10:27):
I told you, I told you earlier.
Speaker 2 (10:29):
We have slowed down a little bit well but but
not but not much. And you know, from now to
the end of this year, our schedule as a gang buster.
Speaker 1 (10:38):
So it was just looking you guys are everywhere.
Speaker 2 (10:40):
We're looking forward to it. And like I said, we're
now booking days next year. So so this you never
know how things will happen in life, but you this,
this may be. This may not be the last time
you and I talk. I hope that hope that's the case.
I do too.
Speaker 1 (10:57):
I do too Richard sterb and the Oakridge Boys. Go
see them in concert the American Made Farewell Tour and
listen that new album also coming out on October twenty five.
Now quickly before we close, Baseball prediction World Series. You
want to give me a prediction for that for this year?
Speaker 3 (11:12):
Oh wow? You know, Dodgers are looking pretty good, they
really are, you.
Speaker 2 (11:17):
Know, and you imagine that I'd have to say the Yankees.
But you know, if you just it has been proven
over the years, if you can just get that wild
card spot, you could end up you can end up
in the World Series.
Speaker 1 (11:30):
The Raiders last year.
Speaker 3 (11:31):
I mean, yeah, it is possible. So you never know.
Speaker 2 (11:35):
So down the Struts area should be very, very interesting.
Speaker 3 (11:38):
It should be.
Speaker 1 (11:39):
It will be very anyway, great to talk to you,
and hopefully we'll see in person real soon.
Speaker 2 (11:44):
Let me one more time speak for all the Oakridge Boys.
Tell you we're looking forward to coming your way with
our new guy Ben. We're going to have a great time.
This Farewell tour is a celebration of a great career
that we've been able to have, so we want to
celebrate together. So as many people as possible come on
out and celebrate together with the Ocrish Boys.
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