The Oak Ridge Boys were in a funky, frisky holiday groove Friday during a sold out show at The Sharon. But they still found a way to express the real meaning of Christmas with their Southern gospel roots.
“We’re in The Villages, how cool is that,” Joe Bonsall of the Oaks told the crowd. “We’ve never been here but we heard of y’all. We know all about The Villages.”
The fun was just beginning, because on this night, the Oaks proved that boys will be boys. Consider:
William Lee Golden got into a beard match with Santa.
Richard Sterban, who sang backup for Elvis, covered a couple of the King’s Christmas songs.
Duane Allen was dodging snowflakes while singing “White Christmas.”
And Bonsall was in a playful mood with a crowd that seemed a bit timid.
“Are there rules here,” he asked. “How come you’re not taking pictures? We’re rebels. We expect you take pictures. Because when you take pictures and tweet them to us, we tweet them all over the world. How cool is that?”
The Oaks have sold over 40 million records and were inducted into The Country Music Hall of Fame in 2015. This is the 27th year for the group’s Christmas show.
It is divided into two parts. The first featured the Boys’ big hits. After intermission, the second part focused on Christmas songs and spiritual numbers.
“The regular Oak Ridge Boys songs get your blood running,” Bonsall said. “We don’t want to come out and sing ‘Silent Night’ and have some dude yell out: ‘Hey, do Elvira.’
“Don’t worry. We’ll sing ‘Elvira.’ It’s the law in this state and every state. If we don’t sing it, we get busted.”
The Oaks opened the first set with their glossy, hard-driving country sound. The first few songs were vintage Oak Ridge Boys – “Everyday,” “Gonna Take A Lot of River,” “American Made,” and “Come On In.”
The Oaks have been together nearly five decades but exquisite four-part harmony is still going strong. Sterban’s magnificent, deep bass seems to be the anchor that gives this quartet its edge.
He went deep on a couple Elvis’ holiday treats: “Blue Christmas” and “Here Comes Santa Claus.”
Bonsall talked about the Oaks early days.
“We’re going to go back to 1977 and our first hit: ‘Y’all Come Back Saloon,’” he said. The song that launched the Boys had a sassy country beat, with a little blues mixed in.
The mood was more serious on “Thank God For Kids.” Golden sang that one with power and even tossed in a lyric at the end: “And thank God for grandkids, too,” as the crowd roared with approval. Golden also added emotion to the ballad, “There’s Nothing Between Us (But Love Anymore).”
The first set ended with a blistering version of “Elvira.” House lights were turned up as the people in the audience sang along. The Oaks were romping about the stage, acting as cheerleaders leading the sing-a-long.
Christmas music dominated the second half of the concert.
It began with an Oak Ridge Boys hoedown on “Christmas Time’s A Coming.” Golden was so moved by this song he started dancing on the stage.
“We call that the hillbilly jig,” Bonsall cracked.
Next up was a countrified sing-a-long on “Jingle Bells.” Snowflakes feel from the ceiling of The Sharon stage as the Oaks and Allen offered some delectable harmony on “White Christmas.”
The mood turned warm as a log glowing in the fireplace on “A Christmas Love Song.” But the Boys brought back a festive atmosphere on a delightful country-swing number, “Christmas Cookies.”
Bonsall felt it was time to bring out a guest.
“Santa Claus is real,” he said. “How many of you believe it.” The people roared with approval and before you could say “Oom Papa Mow Mow,” the fat dude in the red suit was on stage with the boys.
Santa seemed fixated on Golden’s beard. The two stood close together in a battle of the beards, and it seemed Golden topped St. Nick.
Later, the Oak Ridge Boys turned serious as they gathered four rocking chairs and sat down by a fireplace. Each talked about what happened over the past year and what they were grateful for this Christmas season.
They followed that with some powerful Southern gospel and holiday hymns.
“This was a wonderful concert; I’ve known the Oak Ridge Boys for 20 years,” said Bill McGlashan, who, with his wife Mary, moved to The Villages about a month ago.
The couple used to live outside of Nashville. “I used to have a cigar store and Richard (Sterban) loves cigars. He came into the store and we got to know each other. They’re great on stage, but they’re also great off stage.”
Mary agreed: “They’re just everyday people. They’re down to earth and easy to get along with.”
But it’s the music that makes the Oaks special.
“They’ve still got that great Southern gospel harmony,” Bill McGlashan said. “They’ve been around a long time but still sound good. Everybody knows their songs.”
“I never get tired of hearing them sing,” said Guy Jenkins, who attended the concert with his wife, Debbie. “The Oak Ridge Boys have a unique blend of voices,” he added. “You can’t beat them.”
The Oaks also meld a variety of styles.
“Listen to them and you hear, gospel, country and rock and roll,” Guy Jenkins said. “It has been that way since I first saw them a long time ago, and it’s still that way today.”
