The Oaks Band (1970-present)

History

The Oaks Band (also known as "The Mighty Oaks Band") accompanies the Oak Ridge Boys on their stage show.

Initially, the quartet traveled with a pianist only (Tommy Fairchild), but as their sound began to evolve in the late 1960's and early 1970's, they began introducing more musicians on stage, starting with a bass player and drummer playing brushes on a snare (Greg Gordon played both bass and some drums as needed, while Don Light also played some brush snare).

By 1970, the group was traveling with a full-time drummer (Mark Ellerbee?) and bass player (Don Breland?). John Rich? joined on electric and steel guitar in 1971, and along with Tommy Fairchild, began recording albums as a separate entity known as The Oaks Band.

In 1972, the Oaks and the Blackwood Brothers "traded" pianists, with Fairchild joining the Blackwoods and Tony Brown coming on board with the Oaks. This lineup recorded two albums together and was often featured during the Oaks' live stage show. They also provided studio backup for the "Light" and "Street Gospel" albums by the Oaks, two of their more highly-regarded albums of the era.

As the Oaks' popularity grew and they began to experiment with different musical styles, the quartet was presented as an 8-person touring unit, with band members getting featured solos in their show. Brown and Rich left the band in 1975, to be replaced by Garland Craft and B. James Lowry?, respectively. They continued to appear on ORB albums, including "Old Time, Down Home, Hand Clappin', Foot Stompin', Southern Style, Gospel Quartet Music" in 1976 for Columbia Records and "Live" in 1977 on the Oaks' Rockland Road Records label. Both albums included Grammy-winning songs.

Lowry would leave the band in 1977. Like Rich, Lowry played both electric and pedal steel guitar. After his departure, studio engineer Skip Mitchell was hired on lead guitar, marking the first time since 1970 that the band didn't include a steel guitar player on stage.

That same year, as the Oak Ridge Boys moved into country music, the band took on more of a support role for the four vocalists, serving primarily as a stage band while the vocal group primarily used session players on recordings. The band would win the Academy of Country Music award for Band of the Year in 1978, beating out the Charlie Daniels Band and Asleep At The Wheel.

The band first expanded in 1979 with Michael Saleem playing double drums with Mark Ellerbee. In 1980, both Ellerbee and Saleem departed, and Fred Satterfield?, formerly with the Downings, was hired on drums. Two other former Downings band members, Pete Cummings? on second electric guitar and Ron Fairchild (son of Tommy Fairchild) on synthesizer, were also hired at this time, bringing the band up to six members and allowing the Oaks to continue to modernize and expand their live shows. Garland Craft left the band in 1981, at which time Ron Fairchild became the sole keyboardist.

Building upon the Oaks' success, the Mighty Oaks Band (as they had come to be known) began working on their own studio material. They hired former gospel child star, Steve Sanders, in 1982 as their lead vocalist, and Sanders began touring with the group as part of the band's feature in the show. Upon Cummings' departure, Sanders began playing rhythm guitar on stage throughout the show. Although the band continued to be featured during the Oaks' shows, another album was never released by the band.

Following the success of their 1982 smash single, "Bobbie Sue," the band hired saxophone player, Dewey Dorough in 1982. Dorough also served as a utility musician, also playing harmonica and percussion. Dorough would stay with the band through 1998, and would be the only saxophonist to play in the band. This lineup would once again win the ACM Band of the Year award in 1986.

In 1987, The Oak Ridge Boys dismissed baritone singer, William Lee Golden from the group, along with band members Skip Mitchell and Don Breland. B. James Lowry would return to the band on electric guitar (although he would not play pedal steel, as he had last time) and Paul Uhrig was hired to play bass. Sanders would move to the baritone position with the group, bringing the total number of band members down to five, although Sanders would continue to play guitar on stage on occasion until his departure from the vocal group in 1995.

Several band members would come and go over the coming years. Dave Watson replaced Paul Uhrig in 1989, while Lowry left in 1991, replaced briefly by Kent Wells before Don Carr was named lead guitarist later that year. Carr would stay with the band for the next 23 years. Watson departed in 1995, with Uhrig returning to the band on bass.

Following the return of William Lee Golden to the vocal group, his son, Chris, joined the Mighty Oaks Band on acoustic guitar throughout 1996, as well as on various television appearances. He would eventually join the band full time on drums in 1998 upon the departure of Fred Satterfield. Also departing in 1998 were Uhrig and Dorough, reducing the size of the band to four musicians for the first time in 20 years. Former Exile lead vocalist (and Duane Allen's son-in-law), Paul Martin, was brought on board to play bass and occasional steel guitar parts. Martin had previously filled in on vocals and electric guitar with the group.

Starting in 1999, stage manager Jeff Douglas began playing rhythm guitar back stage during select songs. He eventually was moved on stage, and would serve double duty as stage manager and rhythm guitarist until his departure from the organization in 2021.

Martin left the band in 2003, replaced briefly by Kyle Tullis before Jimmy Fulbright was hired to play bass guitar. Fulbright has previously replaced Ron Fairchild for a brief period the previous year on keyboards before Fairchild's eventual return.

2004 saw a further expansion of the Mighty Oaks Band when utility player Ryan Pearce was hired on steel guitar and fiddle. He would stay with the group until 2006, when Rex Wiseman took over the utility position. This lineup would remain in place for a number of years, appearing on the Oaks' "A Gospel Journey" live video produced by Gaither Music in 2009.

Fulbright departed the band in 2013, replaced by Scotty Simpson on bass guitar. The following year, Chris Golden left the band, with David Northrup hired as the band's new drummer. Carr would depart the band as well in 2014, to be replaced by Roger Eaton. Both Eaton and Northrup would depart the band in 2019, with Austin Curcurruto being named drummer and Darin Favorite ultimately hired on electric guitar. Ron Fairchild would retire from the band in 2024, to be replaced by former Kingsmen and Palmetto State Quartet pianist, Andrew Ishee.

Discography

1971 The Top 10 By The Top 4 (Superior Records/S-1005): I Know; The King Is Coming; Build My Mansion; If That Isn't Love; The Night Before Easter; The Old Rugged Cross Made The Difference; Put Your Hand In The Hand; He Touched Me; I Find No Fault In Him; There's Something About That Name (Fairchild, Rich, Breland, Ellerbee).

1973 SuperHits (Oak Ridge Boys Records/ORB-2222): Jesus Is The Man For The Hour; He Did It All For Me; It's Alright; I've Got My Heart Set On Heaven; Here's A Song For The Man; One More Day; Jesus Christ, What A Man; Redemption Draweth Nigh; I Am To Blame; These Hands Of Mine (Brown, Rich, Breland, Ellerbee).

1974 Rockland Road (Rockland Road Records/RR-101): Rockland Road; Sands Of Time; Help Me; Testament; You Can Lead Me To Your Water; Must Be A Heavenly Home; Let Me Sing My Own Song; Give Me Just A Little More Time; Joy/If You Love The Lord (Brown, Rich, Breland, Ellerbee).

1977 Planet Time (Signatur Records/SILP 6944): Planet Time; Jesus Wasn't In It For The Dollar; The Shelter; I Could Be Forever; Somebody Lead Me; Alpha And Omega; For Crying Out Loud; Children; All His Love; Heaven is A High Place; Did You (Breland, Ellerbee, Craft, Mitchell, Christine Lakeland). (Lakeland was brought in as a lead vocalist for this project only)