How Music Can Imitate Real Life

The quintessential all-American band and the farewell tour

I am definitely venturing out of my normal subject matter with this article. Perhaps, the bumps of my current life are giving me whiplash, so this article is a way to escape the harsh reality of my life. Seems like the longer my mom has been gone, the more I miss her. The house feels like a place of mourning for me. Although, being away from the house isn’t that much better. I hate to go to sleep because the dreams start where she is there, which is comforting. The painful part is waking up and realizing it was just a dream. Not sure what is worse, being awake or asleep.

Seems like for the last 3 months, I have been diving into work or I have been trying to relive all the memories with my mom. My mom said as a child I was obsessed with the song “Elvira” by the Oak Ridge Boys. Have to say, I am still obsessed with the song… I don’t really see myself as a connoisseur of the country music genre, but I make the exception when it comes to this quartet. Twenty years ago, my mom and I saw Joe, Duane, William Lee, and Richard in Branson, Missouri. If you haven’t been to Branson, then imagine a smaller scale of Vegas minus the gambling. More of a family friendly locale all along the 76 Strip, once known as a road that doubled as a parking lot with its constant traffic. In the heart of the Strip was the Grand Palace, a beautiful theater that hosted some of the most sought after acts in the country. Being in this theater experiencing the Oak Ridge Boys back then was surreal. It felt larger than life. I feel like I remember my mom and I being at that show like it was yesterday. The years passed and the Grand Palace shut down, and slowly deteriorated… Sadness seemed to fill this place that once was grandeur at its best. Then, it was torn down to make way for an aquarium. It is sad how things change in life, but things seem to always change and be on the move.

After my mom passed, I looked to see if the Oak Ridge Boys would be in Branson. I was sad to learn that they wouldn’t be and that they were on their farewell tour. Like so many things, they aged like that beautiful old music theater, but luckily, they haven’t deteriorated. I found that they were going to appear at a casino in Tulsa, so I booked a ticket. I am not one to gamble in a casino. I guess I have made too many other gambles in life and came on the losing end of those. I would rather not gamble away money.

The show was incredible like those many years ago. The crew was still together with the exception of Joe, who has suffered some health issues and retired early from his brothers in music. He was replaced by a youngster at the age of 28. Geez, he made me feel old. In fact, pretty sure William Lee Golden’s beard alone was older than this newcomer. It was still a great show. And for those couple hours, it was like I was back in Branson with my mom listening to them all over again. I would like to think she was there with me. Maybe, I like the Oak Ridge Boys because they were the quintessential all-American band. Their songs cover all aspects of life. They didn’t have a lead singer. Each of those 4 men were the headliner in different songs. They didn’t need to have egos take over. They were a family.

Their songs embodied life. They celebrated patriotism with “American Made”. They celebrated God with gospel. They sang about heartbreak and soulmates with “I’ll Be True to You”. A song so beautiful that a woman stayed true to the one she loved throughout her life, and then in her death, he discovered what he truly lost. You had William Lee lead a song celebrating God’s gift to us, children. And then there were the truly beautiful love songs like “Beautiful You” and “You’re the One”. Again, heartbreak was the focus with “Cryin’ Again” and “I Guess It Never Hurts to Hurt Sometimes”. And yes, they even breached the soap opera of a love triangle with “Trying to Love Two Women”. But one of my favorites was “Touch A Hand, Make A Friend”. I hope that when I die one day that people eulogize me by saying I tried to help people and make an impact on their life. I am not sure how effective I am in that realm but if I helped one person and made a difference in their life, I would feel like maybe I served my purpose in life.

And of course, I will always be grateful for the Oak Ridge Boys for “Elvira”. A feel-good song that makes you tap your toes and clap your hands… And who doesn’t just love Richard singing “Giddy up, oom poppa, omm poppa, mow mow” as the bass of the group. And maybe, when I hear it, I think about my mom… For that alone, it will always be one of my favorite songs and my favorite memories… Love you, momma… I taped this classic just for you…