Richard Sterban, the bass singer whose low note sat under the Oak Ridge Boys for more than half a century, died Saturday at 83.
The Associated Press reported his death. A family and band statement said he died in Hendersonville, Tennessee, from complications of bronchitis and pneumonia after a long battle with cancer, the Hendersonville Standard reported.
From Camden to the Oaks
Sterban was born in Camden, New Jersey. Before the Oaks, he sang with J.D. Sumner and the Stamps and worked as a backup singer for Elvis Presley, accompanying Presley onstage, the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum notes. He took over as the group's bass singer in 1972.
He and Joe Bonsall had already sung together in the Keystones. The two were inducted into the Philadelphia Music Hall of Fame in 1994. Bonsall, the Oaks' tenor, retired from touring in 2023 and died the next year from complications of ALS.
The Record Everybody Knew
With Sterban in the lineup, the Grammy-winning gospel quartet became a country radio fixture and, for a stretch, a pop one. Billboard counts 47 entries on Hot Country Songs, including 17 No. 1 hits from 1978 through 1990. The Hendersonville Standard places a related tally beside that run: 34 country Top 10 singles, 17 of them at No. 1.
The crossover was 'Elvira,' released in 1981. It reached No. 1 on the country chart and No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100. 'Bobbie Sue' followed in 1982 and reached No. 12 on the Hot 100. 'American Made' came out in 1983. The group also sang backup on Paul Simon's 'Slip Slidin' Away,' toured with Johnny Cash, played American Bandstand and the Grammy Awards ceremony, and performed for presidents, the Associated Press reported. The Oaks won five Grammys and received 23 nominations.
Off the Road, Then Two Nights
Sterban toured regularly until 2025, when his health deteriorated. He had disclosed a pancreatic cancer diagnosis that year. In May 2025, after appearing with the group at the Academy of Country Music Awards, he stepped away from touring, the Hendersonville Standard reported.
The regular tour did not get the last performance. On Jan. 30 and 31, he rejoined the current lineup at the Grand Ole Opry and sang 'Elvira,' Billboard reported. The Oaks had become Opry members in 2011. He had also performed at Nashville's Ryman Auditorium on Dec. 12, 2023.
What the Hall Remembered
The group entered the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2001. In 2015, Sterban and three other members were inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame.
Hall of Fame CEO Kyle Young called Sterban a steady force and a foundational figure in country music, the Associated Press reported. Young said Sterban used his bass voice to connect commercial country to the group's gospel roots, credited him with helping the Oaks reach those 17 No. 1 hits, and said the group had legions of fans around the world.
Sterban is survived by his wife, Donna; daughters Lauren and Tori; sons Rich, Doug and Chris; and 11 grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Funeral arrangements will be announced later.
