Ten On Ten – Oak Ridge Boys

Where does one start when looking at the recording career of the Oak Ridge Boys?  This was by far the toughest ten on ten feature to date.  During their Gospel music years, the Oak Ridge Boys released some of the best quartet recordings you’ll find in Southern Gospel music.  I started with the group’s 1958 Cadence LP featuring Tommy Fairchild, Smitty Gatlin, Herman Harper and  Ronnie Page.  All Gospel recordings released since 1958 was looked at for this ten on ten feature.

The Oak Ridge Boys have upwards of 50 all Gospel recordings in their discography.  When weeding out all the compilation or albums of previously released music, this ten on ten feature still had to rank 35 albums to determine the ten best.  Here is what I determined to be the Oak Ridge Boys best.

The top 10 albums of the Oak Ridge Boys are:

1. Performance (1971)
2. Light (1972)
3. Sky High (1975)
4. From The Heart (2001)
5. Jesus Christ, What A Man (1971)
6. You’ll Never Walk Alone (1962)
7. International (1970)
8. The Solid Gospel Sound Of (1966)
9. It’s Happening (1969)
10. I Wouldn’t Take Nothing For My Journey Now (1965)

• Trying to determine the #1 album for the Oak Ridge Boys was nearly impossible.  I kept going back and forth on the top three but when a decision had to be made I ranked the group’s 1971 live recording Performance as the pinnacle of the group’s career.
• Light from 1972 was the top ranked (#2) studio album by the Oak Ridge Boys.  ”I Don’t Why Jesus Loved Me”, “I Should Have Been Crucified”, “It Won’t Be Long” and “Jesus Is The Man For The Hour” all highlighted this recording.  Willie Wynn, Duane Allen, William Golden and Noel Fox was the vocal line-up for this recording.
• Sky High (ranked #3) showcased the country sound and production that would come just two years later when the Oak Ridge Boys transitioned to the mainstream country music market.  Released in 1975 for Columbia Records, Sky High gave the listener great songs such as “Plant A Seed”, “Rhythm Guitar”, “Sailing Toward Home”, “That’s Just Like Jesus” and “There Must Be A Better Way”.
• While the late ’60′s/early ’70′s was the strongest of the Oak Ridge Boys career, one can’t overlook the great music the group brought in the early to mid ’60′s.  The 1962 recording You’ll Never Walk Alone ranks #6 while the 1966 recording The Solid Gospel Sound ranks #8.
• The Oak Ridge Boys held a fairly steady line-up of some of the best talent to ever grace a Southern Gospel music stage.  Willie Wynn held down the tenor position upwards of 15 years before Joe Bonsall joined around 1974.  Herman Harper was one of the finest bass singers in Southern Gospel music and could be heard with the group until 1968.  He was followed by two other great bass singers in Noel Fox and Richard Sterben.
• Before becoming the front man and larger than life personality with the Kingsmen, Jim Hamill spent some time singing for the Oak Ridge Boys as did future Gaither Vocal Band alum Gary McSpadden.
• Don’t discount the current group still releasing quality Southern Gospel material.  Evidenced by the fact that their 2001 recording From The Heart ranks #4 among the best albums in the Oak Ridge Boys discography.  ”First Step To Heaven”, “I Know What Lies Ahead”, “If Not For The Love Of Christ”, “Show Me The Way To Go”and “Write Your Name Across My Heart” all anchor this recording.
• The Oak Ridge Boys contributions to Southern Gospel music is too often overlooked because of their move to mainstream country music.  The group was black listed in the mid 1970′s by many other groups within the Southern Gospel music industry at that time.  I firmly believe if the Oak Ridge Boys remained in Southern Gospel music they would be held in the same regards as groups like the Statesmen and Cathedrals when talking about industry defining groups.
• There is no forgotten gem or album that should be forgotten with this week’s ten on ten.  There is not a bad album in the group’s discography.  While some are better than others, each recording highlights some of the finest quartet singing you’ll get in Southern Gospel music.
• With such a great list of albums, here are a few that didn’t make the top ten but still deserve a mention:  A Great Day (1967); Thanks (1969); The Oak Ridge Boys (1974); Go Out To The Program (1961); With Sounds Of Nashville (1963); New Horizons (1968); Street Gospel (1973) and Old Fashioned Down Home Hand Clappin’ Foot Stompin’ Southern Style Gospel Quartet Music (1976).

***NEXT UP ON TEN ON TEN:  BRIAN FREE & ASSURANCE***

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