William Lee Golden
Encyclopedia
William Lee Golden a native of Brewton, Alabama
, is an American country music
singer. Between 1965 and 1987, and again from 1995 onward, he has been the baritone singer in the country music group The Oak Ridge Boys
.
with his wife, Brenda, and their son, Solomon (b. Aug. 10, 2001). He has three older sons, Rusty (b. Jan.3, 1959), Craig and Chris (b. 1963), and six grandchildren. His mother, poet Rutha May Golden, died in 2008.
as a solo artist to record an album titled American Vagabond, which included two chart singles. In 1990, he moved to Mercury Records
and released "Louisiana Red Dirt Highway".
Sanders left the group in 1995 and Golden returned on New Year's Eve of the same year.
. The Federal-style
structure was built in 1786, then called "Pilot's Knob," on a military outpost by American Revolutionary War
Captain James Franklin. After the war, he was awarded a land grant to the property.
During the Civil War
, the Plantation became a station camp for Confederate
soldiers. In order to protect their valuable gold and silver from approaching Union
soldiers, the occupants buried the metals in the ground surrounding the house. This gold was later discovered during renovation of the home in 1976.
The area has been struck twice by tornado
s; once in 1892 and again on April 6, 2006. Originally a two-story building, the second story was removed by the first tornado. Repairs were made leaving it as a single-story home. Following the second tornado, the home's architecture was restored, adding a second-story.
and Capitol Records
between 1988 and 1991. They also played in his road band during his solo career.
Brewton, Alabama
Brewton is a city in Escambia County, Alabama, United States. At the 2000 census the population was 5,498. The city is the county seat of Escambia County.-History:...
, is an American country music
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
singer. Between 1965 and 1987, and again from 1995 onward, he has been the baritone singer in the country music group The Oak Ridge Boys
The Oak Ridge Boys
The Oak Ridge Boys are an American country and gospel vocal quartet.The group was founded in the 1940s as the Oak Ridge Quartet. They became popular in southern gospel during the 1950s...
.
Personal life
Golden lives in Hendersonville, TennesseeHendersonville, Tennessee
Hendersonville is a city in Sumner County, Tennessee, United States, on Old Hickory Lake. The population was 51,372 at the 2010 census. Hendersonville is part of the Nashville Metropolitan Statistical Area and is located 18 miles northeast of downtown Nashville. The city was settled around 1784 by...
with his wife, Brenda, and their son, Solomon (b. Aug. 10, 2001). He has three older sons, Rusty (b. Jan.3, 1959), Craig and Chris (b. 1963), and six grandchildren. His mother, poet Rutha May Golden, died in 2008.
Career
Golden joined The Oak Ridge Boys (then a Southern Gospel group) in 1964. Golden is widely known for his waist length beard and hair, and has become one of the most recognizable faces in the entertainment industry. Golden was voted out of The Oak Ridge Boys in 1987, as the other three members wanted to change the band's image. He was replaced by Steve Sanders, but stayed with MCA RecordsMCA Records
MCA Records was an American-based record company owned by MCA Inc., which later gave way to the larger MCA Music Entertainment Group , of which MCA Records was still part. MCA Records was absorbed by Geffen Records in 2003...
as a solo artist to record an album titled American Vagabond, which included two chart singles. In 1990, he moved to Mercury Records
Mercury Records
Mercury Records is a record label operating as a standalone company in the UK and as part of the Island Def Jam Motown Music Group in the US; both are subsidiaries of Universal Music Group. There is also a Mercury Records in Australia, which is a local artist and repertoire division of Universal...
and released "Louisiana Red Dirt Highway".
Sanders left the group in 1995 and Golden returned on New Year's Eve of the same year.
The "Golden Era Plantation"
Golden's home is called The "Golden Era Plantation." Built in 1786, it is recognized as the oldest brick home in Sumner County, TennesseeSumner County, Tennessee
Sumner County is a county located in the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of 2000, the population was 130,449. Its county seat is Gallatin, but its largest town is Hendersonville...
. The Federal-style
Federal architecture
Federal-style architecture is the name for the classicizing architecture built in the United States between c. 1780 and 1830, and particularly from 1785 to 1815. This style shares its name with its era, the Federal Period. The name Federal style is also used in association with furniture design...
structure was built in 1786, then called "Pilot's Knob," on a military outpost by American Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
Captain James Franklin. After the war, he was awarded a land grant to the property.
During the Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, the Plantation became a station camp for Confederate
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
soldiers. In order to protect their valuable gold and silver from approaching Union
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
soldiers, the occupants buried the metals in the ground surrounding the house. This gold was later discovered during renovation of the home in 1976.
The area has been struck twice by tornado
Tornado
A tornado is a violent, dangerous, rotating column of air that is in contact with both the surface of the earth and a cumulonimbus cloud or, in rare cases, the base of a cumulus cloud. They are often referred to as a twister or a cyclone, although the word cyclone is used in meteorology in a wider...
s; once in 1892 and again on April 6, 2006. Originally a two-story building, the second story was removed by the first tornado. Repairs were made leaving it as a single-story home. Following the second tornado, the home's architecture was restored, adding a second-story.
Personal life
Golden has two sons: Rusty and Chris Golden, who recorded as The Goldens for Epic RecordsEpic Records
Epic Records is an American record label, owned by Sony Music Entertainment. Though it was originally conceived as a jazz imprint, it has since expanded to represent various genres. L.A...
and Capitol Records
Capitol Records
Capitol Records is a major United States based record label, formerly located in Los Angeles, but operating in New York City as part of Capitol Music Group. Its former headquarters building, the Capitol Tower, is a major landmark near the corner of Hollywood and Vine...
between 1988 and 1991. They also played in his road band during his solo career.
Albums
| Year | Album | US Country | Label |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 | American Vagabond | 53 | MCA |
| 2000 | My Life's Work | self-released |
Singles
| Year | Single | Chart Positions | Album | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Country Hot Country Songs Hot Country Songs is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States.This 60-position chart lists the most popular country music songs, calculated weekly mostly by airplay and occasionally commercial sales... |
CAN Country | |||
| 1986 | "Love Is the Only Way Out" | 53 | 58 | American Vagabond |
| "You Can't Take It with You" | 72 | 52 | ||
| 1990 | "Louisiana Red Dirt Highway" | — | — | single only |
Guest singles
| Year | Single | Artist | US Country Hot Country Songs Hot Country Songs is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States.This 60-position chart lists the most popular country music songs, calculated weekly mostly by airplay and occasionally commercial sales... |
Album |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | "Tomorrow's World" | Various artists | 74 | Single only |