The Oak Ridge Boys are L-R Joe Bonsall, Duane Allen, last minute stand-in Michael Sykes and Richard Sterban.
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The Oak Ridge Boys and The Mighty Oaks Band brought an unexpectedly heavy country rock sound with their usual wavy and bright harmonies to Hempstead Hall Friday night, playing 22 songs that included their biggest hits and three cuts from their newest album.
William Lee Golden was not on stage this night. After the first number, a rousing performance of “Everyday,” Joe Bonsall addressed Golden’s absence.
“First thing, let me tell you, he’s okay. He’s doing great. He’s doing fine today. We talked to him before the show and he sends his love,” Bonsall said, explaining that Golden was informed by his doctors earlier in the week that he needed to have a medical procedure and had opted to go ahead and have it Friday.
Bonsall then introduced Michael Sykes, gospel singer and producer, who would be standing in place of Golden. Sykes is a multiple Dove award-winning, Grammy nominated vocalist, instrumentalist, singer and producer. “Nobody knows harmony-singing better than Michael,” Bonsall continued. “He’s even co-produced and produced a handful of albums on us over the years. So nobody knows us better than Michael. So we are ready to sing for you fine folks, if that’s okay with you.”
As the cheers from the near-sellout crowd in the 1,600-seat venue attested, it was definitely okay. The Oak Ridge Boys then launched into a propulsive set in which the faster and dancier songs dominated.
At Richard Sterban’s first bass solo in “American Made,” the crowd roared. “Fancy Free” was slowed down a little compared to the recording, allowing for Duane Allen to infuse his solos with more forlorn pathos. Bonsall informed the audience afterward that it was Allen’s birthday to general cheers and applause.
“Dream On” was a standout, with the harmonies and instrumentation seeming to widen the theater’s space and Sterban’s solo being especially rich throughout. “Come On In” featured a group vocal break that showed the group can still harmonize as well as the Beach Boys or The Eagles ever could.
The Mighty Oaks band brought out a pleasant Byrds-like jangliness on “Beautiful You,” with lead guitarist Darin Favorite inspiring awestricken woos and whistles through several choruses.
Another feature for Sterban was “Mama’s Table,” its elegiac lyrics suiting the older crowd demographic as well as providing a tour de force for Sterban.
Bonsall’s tenor voice got a challenge of its on on the verses of “A Little Love Song,” but swung through the honky-tonk song effortlessly. The jaunty harmony break sent the song aloft, and Ronnie Fairchild’s electric piano provided jaunty filigree that earned him applause.
It was after this number that Bonsall asked the Hempstead Hall attendees to call the Hogs. “That was what we came for,” he said after the call concluded.
Bonsall introduced the band members, including multi-instrumentalist Rex Wiseman who Bonsall said had just recuperated from pneumonia and had now rejoined the tour.
What followed was a trio of heartfelt Gospel songs, “Amazing Grace,” “A Little Talk with Jesus,” and “They Baptised Jessie Taylor,” a song written by Dallas Frazier, who also wrote the Oak Ridge Boys’ colossal 1981 hit “Elvira.” Frazier, Bonsall noted, had died a little over a month ago. The song about Jessie Taylor, Bonsall said, was based on Frazier's own religious conversion. Before their Gospel suite, Bonsall said, “The way the world is now, a little bit of Jesus ain’t gonna hurt nothin’.”
Songs from the 2021 album “Front Porch Singing,” came next. The album, Bonsall said, was composed of songs meant to help lift spirits during the past two years of pandemic. “Life is Beautiful,” “Swing Low Chariot,” and “Love, Light and Healing” did indeed seem to do for the Hempstead Hall crowd what they were meant to.
The high energy songs and best-sellers “Elvira” and “Bobby Sue” featured coiling, inventive guitar bursts from Favorite as well as invigorating singing from the Boys.
The show, having lasted 90 minutes, was convincing testimony the Oak Ridge Boys are still vital and still have a lot of music to make. The next performance on their Front Porch Tour is tonight in Tulsa.
