Richard Sterban, the Oak Ridge Boys bass singer whose voice became a signature of “Elvira,” died Saturday, November 14, at 83. The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum confirmed his death and posted a tribute from its chief executive, Kyle Young.
Sterban joined the Oak Ridge Boys in 1972 after singing with J.D. Sumner and the Stamps Quartet, which backed Elvis Presley. The Oak Ridge Boys were inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2015.
The group’s 1981 recording of “Elvira,” featuring Sterban’s distinctive bass part, reached No. 1 on the country chart and No. 5 on the pop chart, according to the museum’s history. Nashville, Tennessee, station WSMV also reported the death, citing the museum and a statement from the band.