tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6344993590139159352.post2539218032892930441..comments2024-03-28T21:22:49.157-04:00Comments on Fayfare's Opry Blog: New Opry Members---Oak Ridge Boysfayfarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00173166778978335059noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6344993590139159352.post-81117069323309575752011-07-10T18:09:09.500-04:002011-07-10T18:09:09.500-04:00We also tend to forget that Duane Allen is an Opry...We also tend to forget that Duane Allen is an Opry in-law since he's married to Norah Lee of the Carol Lee Singers, right? And Herman Harper, their great bass singer for so many years, also was an Oak Ridge Boy.Michaelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01998867386294693956noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6344993590139159352.post-69907608861497644062011-07-10T10:41:02.443-04:002011-07-10T10:41:02.443-04:00Yea, my wife still makes comments about William Le...Yea, my wife still makes comments about William Lee living in a tepee!! And, Richard does look a bit "freaky"!!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6344993590139159352.post-40647012445080057312011-07-09T19:53:19.768-04:002011-07-09T19:53:19.768-04:00Great info, Byron. I also remember the Boys sayin...Great info, Byron. I also remember the Boys saying that a lot of people in gospel music were teed off at them for going "country." For them to do what they did took guts: they could have wound up failing in country AND ruining their gospel connections in the process.<br /><br />By the way, for years, my late mother muttered about William Lee's hair and beard. Now she would be muttering about Richard's hairstyle. We've GOT to do something about that ....Michaelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01998867386294693956noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6344993590139159352.post-22840759702398794832011-07-09T19:42:13.845-04:002011-07-09T19:42:13.845-04:00I know. As much as I like Jimmy Dickens and what h...I know. As much as I like Jimmy Dickens and what he brings to the Opry, he has not been an Opry member for 62 years. But he did join the Opry 62 years ago, if that makes sense.<br /><br />Now a few notes on Wally Fowler; He was born on February 15, 1917 and passed away on June 3, 1994. In his early career, he was a member of the John Daniel Quartet, which he joined in 1935. That group joined the Opry in 1940. Fowler left this group in 1943 and moved to Knoxville. During this time period, he was doing some song writing and had songs recorded by Eddy Arnold, among others. <br /><br />He had a new group, the Georgia Clodhoppers and they recorded on Capital Records in the mid 1940's. He came to Nashville with his group and joined the Opry on September 15, 1945. He continued to record country songs and started his own publishing company, Wallace Fowler Publications. <br /><br />By 1947, his Oak Ridge Quartet, which was his gospel group made up of members of the Georgia Clodhoppers, had gained such a following that he started to devote all his attention and career focus to gospel music. On Friday November 5, 1948, he booked several gospel acts into the Ryman Auditorium for the first of what became many, all-night gospel singing programs. They were broadcast on WSM and became to gospel music what the Opry was to country music. <br /><br />In the 1950's, Wally was one of the biggest promoters of gospel music in the country. But, his son-in-law, gospel musician Larry McCoy said, "Wally was a visionary, but not a very adept businessman." He sold his interest in the Oak Ridge Quartet in 1957 to group member Smitty Gatlin, as forgiveness on a debt. It was Smitty in 1961, who changed the name of the group to the Oak Ridge Boys. Wally still attempted to use the name Oak Ridge Quartet, but in 1965, he was legally no longer allowed to use the name of the group that he founded.<br /><br />Wally would go on to perform with several country groups and have a syndicated televison show. He also performed in Branson and he died near Nashville, drowning while fishing. Many feel he might have suffered a heart attack. <br /><br />As far as the Oak Ridge Boys, Smitty Gatlin remained with the group until 1966. The first member of the present line up to join the group was William Lee Golden, who joined in 1965, with Duane Allen following in 1966. They continued as a very popular gospel group until 1977, when they recorded and released their hit, "Y'All Come Back Saloon."<br /><br />Finally, Wally was instrumental in discovering Patsy Cline. In 1948, Wally Fowler's Oak Ridge Quartet came to Winchester, Virginia and at the time, they were regular performers on Roy Acuff's radio show on WSM. Patsy asked Wally for an audition and he gave it to her. He was impressed and told Patsy's mom that they needed to go to Nashville and have Roy Acuff listen to her. She did.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6344993590139159352.post-66325816955005611112011-07-09T11:33:01.344-04:002011-07-09T11:33:01.344-04:00Byron, I'd like to throw something wild into t...Byron, I'd like to throw something wild into the mix. I have been annoyed at the claim that The Potato has been an Opry member for almost 63 years; he was off from 1957 to 1975, though he was a guest in that period. Well, I'd like to cause an argument: as of August 6, he will no longer be the Opry's senior member! Wally Fowler came to the Opry in 1946, I believe, and his group was the Oak Ridge Quartet. His group split from him, and later he sold the name to one of the singers, who formed the Oak Ridge Boys in 1961. But the "Oak Ridge" name came to the Opry before Jimmy Dickens!<br /><br />Of course that's being ridiculous. But it's a reminder of how steeped in Opry history this group really is.Michaelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01998867386294693956noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6344993590139159352.post-29425812921334574532011-07-09T10:51:45.372-04:002011-07-09T10:51:45.372-04:00A great choice. I'll just echo you!A great choice. I'll just echo you!Michaelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01998867386294693956noreply@blogger.com