Richard Sterban, the Oak Ridge Boys singer known for the deep bass refrain in “Elvira,” died Saturday, November 14. He was 83.
His family and the group said he died in Hendersonville, Tennessee, from complications of bronchitis and pneumonia following a prolonged cancer illness, according to the Associated Press.
During his more than five decades with the quartet, the group recorded 17 No. 1 country singles. He entered the Country Music Hall of Fame with his bandmates in 2015.
He is survived by his wife, Donna, daughters Lauren and Tori, sons Rich, Doug and Chris, eight grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren.
His Family’s Statement and His Cancer Diagnosis
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“We appreciate all of your love, support, and prayers,” his family said in the statement shared by the group.
In a September 25, 2025, statement on the Oak Ridge Boys website, Sterban said he had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer that March. He expressed confidence in his doctors and hoped to be back on the road within several months.
He had been away from touring since mid-May, following an appearance at the Academy of Country Music Awards. Aaron McCune and Tim Duncan filled in on bass while he focused on his health.
Why Sterban Left Elvis Presley’s Backup Group
Born April 24, 1943, in Camden, New Jersey, Sterban grew up in nearby Collingswood and began singing in Sunday school at six. His voice changed from soprano to tenor and then bass by eighth grade. He later studied music at Trenton State College.
He moved to Nashville to sing with J.D. Sumner and the Stamps Quartet, which backed Elvis Presley. He left that job in late 1972 to join the Oak Ridge Boys. “I wanted to be in the best vocal group in the world,” Sterban said, according to the obituary released by his representatives.
Lead singer Duane Allen and baritone William Lee Golden were already in the group. Tenor Joe Bonsall arrived the following year, completing the lineup that would lead its move from gospel into country music.
“Elvira” Took His Bass Voice to Pop Radio
The quartet’s country breakthrough came with “Y’all Come Back Saloon,” which reached No. 3 in 1977. Its 1981 recording of “Elvira” topped the country chart and climbed to No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100.
“Elvira” also earned the group the 1982 Grammy for Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group With Vocal, according to the Recording Academy. The Oak Ridge Boys won five Grammys overall, four during Sterban’s membership.
Other hits included “Bobbie Sue” and “American Made.” The group placed 34 singles in the country Top 10, toured with Johnny Cash and contributed vocals to Paul Simon’s “Slip Slidin’ Away.” Their honors also included induction into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame in 2000 and membership in the Grand Ole Opry in 2011.
Sterban Returned to the Opry During His Final Year
On January 30 and 31, 2026, Sterban rejoined his bandmates at the Grand Ole Opry to sing “Elvira,” receiving standing ovations. “Having Richard on stage with us again was one of God’s greatest blessings,” Allen said afterward.
PEOPLE reported that his last public appearance was at the Country Music Hall of Fame’s Medallion Ceremony on October 18 in Nashville, which he attended with Donna. He also sang on several tracks of the group’s Buried Treasures album, released October 30.
In a tribute, Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum CEO Kyle Young said: “Richard Sterban was a musical bridge builder. He used his unmistakable bass voice to connect commercial country music to its deep gospel roots.”
