Exclusive: The Oak Ridge Boys Announce New Album and Debut New Video, “Brand New Star”
Photo courtesy of the artist
Legendary Tennessee country/gospel group The Oak Ridge Boys have announced the details of their forthcoming album, 17th Avenue Revival, out on Mar. 16 via Lightning Rod Records / Thirty Tigers.
Paste can also share the Grammy-winning band’s new video for “Brand New Star,” in which they perform the track in Nashville’s historic RCA Studio A, where the likes of Willie Nelson, Dolly Parton and The Beach Boys have recorded. The track features a bouncy rhythm, simple, airy acoustic guitar, country instrumentation and twangy bluegrass vocals, which are especially moving and magical when the whole band joins in.
The Oak Ridge Boys’ new album was produced by Dave Cobb (Jason Isbell, Sturgill Simpson), who also produced the group’s 2009 album, The Boys Are Back. For the new album, Cobb wanted the group to revisit their gospel music roots, taking influence from the early days of rock ‘n’ roll and spiritual, African-American gospel music. Also under Cobb’s direction, during the band’s recording of the album, there was no vocal stacking and very few overdubs.
“Having been in The Oak Ridge Boys for almost 52 years,” says Duane Allen, “it can be difficult for me to imagine a place where we have not been. However, Dave Cobb had that vision, and the result is 17th Avenue Revival.”