Richard Sterban
Sterban in 2019
Sterban in 2019
Background information
Birth nameRichard Anthony Sterban
Born (1943-04-29) April 29, 1943 (age 80)
Camden, New Jersey, U.S.
GenresCountry, gospel
Occupation(s)Bass singer
Years active1972–present
Member ofThe Oak Ridge Boys
Websiteoakridgeboys.com

Richard Anthony Sterban (born April 29, 1943) is an American singer. He was born in Camden, New Jersey. In 1972, he joined the country and gospel quartet The Oak Ridge Boys, in which he sings bass.

Sterban was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2015 as a member of the Oak Ridge Boys.

Personal life

Born in Camden, New Jersey, Sterban grew up in Collingswood, New Jersey,[1] After graduating from Collingswood High School, Sterban attended Trenton State College (now The College of New Jersey).[2]

Career

Prior to joining The Oak Ridge Boys, Sterban toured with J. D. Sumner and the Stamps Quartet, who were singing backup for Elvis Presley at that time. Sterban ultimately became best known for his "oom-pa-pa-oom-pa-pa-mow-mow" bass solo in the Oak Ridge Boys' 1981 single "Elvira" and sang lead vocals on a select few of the group's songs, including a cover of The Righteous Brothers' hit "Dream On", which was a top-ten hit.

Sterban has recorded public service announcements for NOAA Weather Radio. He served as the voice of The Roadhouse, the classic country Sirius Satellite Radio channel. Sterban was a minority owner of the Nashville Sounds minor league baseball team from 1978 to 2008, along with entrepreneur Larry Schmittou and other country music stars, such as Conway Twitty, Larry Gatlin, and Cal Smith.[3]

Since 2023, Sterban has taken prolonged absences from The Oak Ridge Boys' tours. Aaron McCune, the bass vocalist for Dailey & Vincent, serves as Sterban's designated fill-in.[4] As of September 2023, the band has stated that the issues that led to Sterban's absences have been resolved.[5]

References

  1. ^ DeLuca, Dan. "Today's Walk Of Fame Honorees Include 2 Oak Ridge Boys Just A Couple Of Philly-area Country Boys", The Philadelphia Inquirer, April 28, 1994. Accessed March 10, 2011. "Bonsall grew up in the Harrowgate section of Philadelphia, near the Tioga Street el stop; Sterban was born across the river in Camden and grew up in Collingswood."
  2. ^ Lloyd, Jack. "Sturdy Oaks And A Country Boy From Phila.", The Philadelphia Inquirer, February 22, 1991. Accessed November 13, 2013. "The remaining member of the Oaks, Richard Sterban, is a native of Camden who graduated from Collingswood High School and attended Trenton State College."
  3. ^ Woody, Larry (1996), Schmittou: A Grand Slam in Baseball, Business, and Life, Nashville: Eggmann Publishing Company, pp. 64–65, ISBN 1886371334
  4. ^ Aaron McCune Keeps Bass Singing Alive with Oak Ridge Boys, Dailey & Vincent. Saving Country Music. February 3, 2023. Retrieved September 20, 2023.
  5. ^ Watts, Cindy (September 19, 2023). "The Oak Ridge Boys Announce Farewell Tour". CMT. Retrieved 2023-09-21.
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