Oak Ridge Boys singer William Lee Golden is mourning the loss of his son, William "Rusty" Golden, who died Monday at age 65 at his home in the Nashville suburb of Hendersonville, Tennessee.
The Country Music Hall of Famer confirmed the news in a statement published by Taste of Country.
"This is the hardest thing ever for a father to have to face," the music icon said in the statement. "I love my family more than anything. Rusty was a great musician, a talented songwriter, and a wonderful son. We appreciate your thoughts and prayers for the days ahead. I love you, son."
Golden was born on January 3, 1959, in Brewton, Alabama, Billboard reported.
At 13, he played drums for The Rambos and composed his first song using his grandmother's poem. An Elton John concert in 1972 inspired him to learn piano, and by 17, he toured with Larry Gatlin as a keyboardist. He also contributed to studio albums, including Gatlin's "Love Is Just a Game" (1977) and Marty Stuart's "Pilgrim" (1999).
A few years later, Golden founded The Boys Band, releasing their debut album with tracks like "Runner" and "Don't Stop Me Baby (I'm on Fire)," which made it onto the Billboard Hot 100. The group disbanded in 1984.
That same year, Golden received an RIAA Gold record for his songwriting on "Bobbie Sue" by The Oak Ridge Boys, which inspired him to collaborate with Marc Speer. In 1985, they formed Golden Speer with Golden's brother Chris Golden as lead vocalist. By 1986, the group became The Goldens, and they released charting singles like "Put Us Together Again" and "Sorry Girls."
They moved to Capitol/SBK Records in 1990 and released "Rush For Gold," featuring hits like "Take Me Back (To the Country)." Golden later focused on gospel music, writing songs and releasing solo albums.
In 2020, he and Chris joined William Lee Golden for the family band William Lee Golden and the Goldens, which released "Country Roads, Old Country Church Gospel," and "Southern Accents." Last year, William "Rusty" Golden was named Keyboard Player of the Year at the Josie Music Awards.
Zoe Papadakis ✉
Zoe Papadakis is a Newsmax writer based in South Africa with two decades of experience specializing in media and entertainment. She has been in the news industry as a reporter, writer and editor for newspapers, magazine and websites.
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