Southeast Missouri State University student publication

Oak Ridge Boys choose River Campus venue as a stop on their U.S. tour

Monday, October 1, 2012
The Oak Ridge Boys will perform at 8 p.m. on Oct. 12 at the Donald C. Bedell Performance Hall. Submitted photo

The Oak Ridge Boys are a country-gospel singing group that has performed for nearly 70 years. The group has undergone many changes in both its style of music and its band members, evolving from gospel to country and changing members over 30 times.

The Oak Ridge Boys started as a gospel group and began playing regularly for the Grand Ole Opry in 1945. Over the years the Oak Ridge Boys have been named one of the top crowd-drawing gospel groups in the nation.

The group has 12 gold, three platinum and one double platinum album as well as one double platinum single.

They have had more than a dozen No. 1 singles and over 30 top 10 hits.

They have won nine GMA Doves, four Country Music Association Awards, four Academy of Country Music Awards, a Grammy Award and have played for five different presidents.

Today's band members William Lee Golden, Richard Sterban, Duane Allen and Joe Bonsall joined together in 1973.

They will perform at 8 p.m. Oct. 12 at Southeast Missouri State University's Donald C. Bedell Performance Hall.

Box Office Manager Ellen Farrow said the Oak Ridge Boys' management team approached the university because they were interested in including the smaller and more intimate setting that the River Campus offers in their U.S. tour.

Although the concert takes place over fall break, Farrow said ticket sales are not suffering.

"[We are expecting] more of a middle-aged crowd. There hasn't been that many student tickets sold, but we have sold over 500 tickets with ongoing sales, which is more than half the house," Farrow said.

Tickets are available at the River Campus box office and range from $49 to $55.

Students with a Southeast ID receive 50 percent off those prices.

"We did sell orchestra seats for $75, which are currently all sold, and those ticket holders will have the opportunity to meet with the band after the performance," Farrow said.

Sophomore accounting major Sarah Stoverink is planning to attend the show with her family.

"I heard about the concert through the portal," Stoverink said. "I saw them when I was younger, but I'm really excited to go again for the bonding opportunity with my family and to see why my mom likes them so much."

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