William Lee
Golden with his ZZ Topish beard is instantly recognizable as the baritone
singer of the Oak Ridge Boys, and his signature voice stands
out on such mega hits as “Elvira,”, “”American Made,” and “Fancy Free”.
As a personal tribute to his musical talent, he was in 1997 inducted
into the Alabama Music Hall of Fame.
On August 28th at the International Airport another side of this renaissance
man will be revealed, his acrylic paintings. In Golden’s own
words, “I am honored to have been chosen by the ‘Arts at the Airport
Organization’ to exhibit my works. This will be the first official
exhibition of my art.” The public is invited to the event, unveiling
William Lee Golden’s 6-piece collection of critically acclaimed paintings,
entitled “The First of Many to Come”.
From Amateur to Pro
Golden is well versed and a connoisseur of great art, however he never
painted a brush stroke until he was contacted by Andrea Conte, wife
of Mayor Phil Bredesen. Golden related, “I was contacted by Andrea
Conte to be part of a charity auction of ‘celebrity
doodles.’ I did a quick black and white sketch of an Indian Tepee,
and I was pleasantly surprised that it sold. The next
year I decided to take it more seriously and try my hand at colors.
I submitted a painting of three Indian drums, and that sold also.”
From then on he was hooked. The Oaks still have an extensive touring
schedule of over 150 days a year. On these trips, William Lee brings
along his acrylic paints and an easel. “Sometimes I’ll just set up
my easel by the motel room and start painting,” commented Golden.
Golden’s Roots
Golden, the son
of a farmer, grew up in the small town of Brewton, Alabama. Music
was in his blood at an early age. Seven year old Golden would
perform on his grandfather’s weekly radio show along with his sister
, Lanette. He soon began singing with various gospel groups and found
an appreciative audience at churches, civic centers and religious
revivals, where events sometimes went from sunset to sunrise. Golden
related, “At these events, the members of the various gospel
groups would get to know each other well. I was very familiar with
the Oak Ridge Boys and they knew who I was. ” So in l964 when the
Oaks had an opening for a baritone singer, he got the phone
call to come to Nashville and audition. The rest is musical history.
Golden’s
Indian Spirituality
Golden commented,
“I have a deep respect for our Native American Indians and their culture.
My heart has deep feelings for their contribution to our land and
goes out to them for their suffering during the time of European colonization.
I was privileged to be introduced to their beliefs by tribal
leaders and medicine men.” During the interview, it became evident
that Native Indian cultural beliefs, their respect and love of mother
earth, their caring of their elders, their deep devotion to family,
have tremendously influenced Golden’s own way of life. This Indian
influence is especially evident thru his painting, many of which have
Indian themes.
Oaks Part of Musical History.
The Oaks represent a tradition that extends back to 1943. The original
group, based in Knoxville, Tennessee, began performing country and
gospel music in nearby Oak Ridge. They called themselves the Oak Ridge
Quartet, and they began regular Grand Ole Opry appearances in the
fall of ‘45. In the mid-fifties, they were featured in Time magazine
as one of the top drawing Gospel groups in the nation. By the late
‘60s, with more than 30 members having come and gone, they had a lineup
that included Duane Allen, William Lee Golden, Noel Fox, and Willie
Wynn.
From the 70’s to the 90’s,
the Oak Ridge Boys became the mega-stars of country music with several
Gold and Platinum albums and 37 chart hits.
Add to that: five Grammy Awards, one American Music Award, four Country
Music Association Awards, four Academy of Country Music Awards, eight
Dove Awards, and induction in the Gospel Music Hall of Fame.
Their recent release, OAK RIDGE BOYS GOLD is a two CD set with a total
of 35 songs featuring hits throughout their career. Their tour dates
and information on this album and others are available at record stores
and on the Oak’s website.
The Oaks
today are on tour for over 150 days of the year with extensive Christmas
dates. Check their websites for dates and locations, but the DATE
YOU DON”T WANT TO MISS is August 28th at Nashville’s International
Airport.
Advice to Other Artists
NMG asked Golden what
advice he has for new artists. He replied, “No matter if it is music,
art, singing, the main thing you must have is passion. Do it because
you love it. If you are into it for the money, then become a banker
so you can handle money every day. Also practice so your art is something
you are comfortable with, and you are prepared for when an opportunity
presents itself, and keep in mind, every day is a learning experience,
and you grow with each experience.” Spoken like a true Renaissance
Man; now we can add to his accolades as a singer, historian and painter
… inspirational spokesperson.
