Richard Sterban, the Oak Ridge Boys bass singer whose distinctive voice helped turn “Elvira” into a crossover hit, died November 14 in Hendersonville, Tennessee. He was 83.
His family and the band said he died from complications of bronchitis and pneumonia after a long battle with cancer, the Associated Press reported. Hendersonville had been his home for more than 50 years, according to FOX 17 Nashville.
“It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of our partner and brother, Richard Sterban,” the group wrote on Facebook in an announcement reported by FOX 17.
Sterban joined the quartet in 1972 and remained a familiar presence through decades of recording and touring, before health problems forced him to step away from the road in 2025.
His career encompassed gospel, country and pop, with performances remaining central across more than five decades.
From Elvis Presley to a signature country hit
Before joining the Oak Ridge Boys, Sterban sang backup for Elvis Presley. The move brought him into a vocal group whose recordings would bridge gospel traditions, commercial country music and pop audiences.
His most recognizable contribution came on the group’s 1981 recording of “Elvira.” The bass refrain, “oom poppa mow mow,” gave the song a memorable contrast to the quartet’s higher voices and became closely associated with Sterban himself.
“Elvira” reached No. 1 on the country chart and No. 5 on Billboard’s all-genre Hot 100, AP reported. That crossover success helped carry the group beyond its country audience without losing the vocal harmonies at the center of its sound.
Sterban also took the lead on the group’s 1979 version of “Dream On,” originally recorded by the Righteous Brothers. FOX 17 reported that the recording reached No. 7 on Billboard’s country chart and No. 1 in Canada.
The quartet’s other chart-toppers included “Bobbie Sue,” “American Made,” “Gonna Take a Lot of River” and “No Matter How High.” Altogether, the Oak Ridge Boys placed 34 singles in the country Top 10, including 17 No. 1 hits, FOX 17 reported.
Awards, gospel roots and a final Opry return
The group won five Grammy Awards and received 23 nominations, according to AP. Its appearances ranged from American Bandstand and the Grammy ceremony to performances for presidents and audiences at the Grand Ole Opry.
The Oak Ridge Boys also toured with Johnny Cash and supplied backing vocals on Paul Simon’s “Slip Slidin’ Away,” illustrating how their harmonies traveled across different corners of American popular music.
Their honors included induction into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame in 2000, the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2001 and the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2015. They became Grand Ole Opry members in 2011.
Country Music Hall of Fame CEO Kyle Young said Sterban connected commercial country music with its gospel roots, describing him as a “steady force and a foundational figure in country music,” AP reported.
Born in Camden, New Jersey, Sterban also entered the Philadelphia Music Hall of Fame in 1994 alongside fellow Oak Ridge Boys singer Joe Bonsall. The two had previously sung together in the Keystones. Bonsall died in 2024.
Sterban stopped touring in May 2025 for health reasons. However, he returned to the Grand Ole Opry on January 30 and 31, 2026, joining the Oak Ridge Boys to sing “Elvira,” FOX 17 reported.
Family remembers singer and longtime Tennessee resident
Away from performing, Sterban was a lifelong baseball enthusiast. He invested in the Nashville Sounds when the minor-league club began play in 1978 and remained a part owner for 30 years, according to FOX 17.
He is survived by his wife, Donna; daughters Lauren and Tori; and sons Rich, Doug and Chris, AP reported. The report also listed 11 grandchildren and great-grandchildren among his survivors.
“We appreciate all of your love, support, and prayers,” his family said in a statement carried by FOX 17. “Please continue to lift us up in this difficult time, we find comfort knowing that he is currently face to face with Jesus.”
Funeral arrangements had not been announced in FOX 17’s report. The family’s statement asked supporters to continue praying as they mourned the singer whose bass voice became one of the Oak Ridge Boys’ defining sounds.
