NEWPORT — Sometimes that old, worn-out shirt in the back of the closet is the most comfortable thing you own.
You slip it on, realize the collar is frayed and there’s a hole under the arm. But it’s your favorite, and geez, it sure feels good to wear it again.
Kind of like a visit from an old friend — it’s familiar.
On Thursday, the Country Concert family — from the Barhost family and the musicians to the vendors and country music fans — can sit back and relax with some old friends when The Oak Ridge Boys help open the 37th annual Country Concert at Hickory Hill Lakes.
“I think we’ve been passed down like an old shirt,” tenor Joe Bonsall joked when asked about The Oaks’ longevity and enduring popularity. “Maybe grandpa liked The Oaks, or mom and dad liked our music. And although we’re not in the mainstream of today’s music, I think we fall into that iconic place where the young kids of country respect us.”
This year, The Oak Ridge Boys — consisting of Bonsall, Duane Allen, William Golden and Richard Sterban — will play a special role in the opening ceremony as they help honor Country Concert co-founder Mike Barhorst.
Barhorst — who co-founded the concert with his wife, Mary Jo — passed away in March.
“It’s a real honor. We go back a ways with the family and the festival. We’ve played there many times, but it’s been a while,” Bonsall said, noting this will be the band’s fifth appearance in Fort Loramie, but the first since 2005. “To be going back after all this time when the family has suffered a loss … that’s pretty amazing. They could have asked anybody, but they came to us, and we’re honored to be a part of it.”
Members of the Country Music Hall of Fame and winners of five Grammy awards, the country and gospel quartet has played for millions of fans over the years and produced iconic hits such as “Elvira,” “American Made” and “Bobbie Sue.”
Bonsall said he and the band take a great deal of pride in the fact that fans of different ages — especially the younger crowd — identify with and enjoy Oak Ridge Boys music.
“At these kinds of festivals, we see a lot of younger people out there and they know our stuff. That’s always amazed me,” he said.
When asked why The Oaks have endured, Bonsall said he pondered that question himself when writing a book last year.
“I think it’s because all these years we’ve tried to do it right and give fans a good show. Maybe we don’t pound quite as hard, but we’re still giving it everything we’ve got. We want to be The Oak Ridge Boys as long as we can get away with it,” he said. “I joined The Oaks in 1973 and we’ve been through just about every aspect of this business you can go through. We’ve made music history together and we’ve been through the ups and downs together. As we have gotten older, I think we appreciate each other even more.
“We’re kind of like a wheel. We’ve always been spokes in that wheel and we keep the wheel turning,” he continued. “Every guy brings a different talent to the table, and for some reason, the four of us mesh.”
While it’s difficult to condense almost five decades of music into one set, Bonsall said The Oaks will hit the highlights and perhaps a little more.
“We’re on for about an hour, so we’ll try to fit in as much music as we can. It’s a fast-paced show with a lot of hits,” he said. “We’ll probably wave the flag a bit and maybe have time for a little gospel, too.”
Bonsall and The Oaks are scheduled to take the stage at 2:45 p.m. Thursday, followed by Jon Pardi (4:30 p.m.), the Charlie Daniels Band (6 p.m.), Justin Moore (8 p.m.) and headliner Blake Shelton at 10 p.m.
For more information about The Oak Ridge Boys or this year’s Country Concert, visit online at oakridgeboys.com and countryconcert.com.
