The Oak Ridge Boys Are the Newest Members of the Country Music Hall of Fame. So Whatever Happened to the Georgia Clodhoppers?
Millions of country music fans around the world have enjoyed a special night of music with the Oak Ridge Boys. One of country music's most honored and awarded groups (Two ACM awards, four CMA awards, eight GMA Dove awards, five Grammy's), the Oaks are the newest members of the country music Hall of Fame.
And to think they were once the Georgia Clodhoppers.
Huh??
No, I'm not disrespecting the Oaks, they really were the Georgia Clodhoppers. No, not Joe, Duane, Richard and William Lee. It was before those boys. Waaay before!
The original core group that would eventually evolve into the Oak Ridge Boys actually began back in the 1940's and, yes, they were affectionately known as the Georgia Clodhoppers. Formed in Knoxville, Tennessee by Wally Fowler, the group performed so often back in those days at the World War II nuclear plant in Oak Ridge, Tennnessee that finally they decided to change their name to, say it with me gang:
The Oak Ridge Boys!
The current members that we know (and love and play at KXRB) have been 'Oaks' for decades.
William Lee Golden first joined the group in 1964 (I don't think he had his signature beard yet!). Duane Allen joined up in 1966, Richard Sterban (Oom Papa Mow Mow) became an Oak in 1972, while Joe Bonsall became a member a year later in 1973.
From the Georgia Clodhoppers to country and gospel music immortality as the Oak Ridge Boys. Welcome to the newest members of the country music Hall of Fame and, OK, here we go, everyone sing along to "Elvira!"
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