Richard Anthony Sterban (born April 29, 1943) is an American singer. He was born in Camden, New Jersey. In 1972, he joined the country and gospel quartet The Oak Ridge Boys, in which he sings bass.
Sterban was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2015 as a member of the Oak Ridge Boys.
Personal life
Born in Camden, New Jersey, Sterban grew up in Collingswood, New Jersey, After graduating from Collingswood High School, Sterban attended Trenton State College (now The College of New Jersey).
Career
Prior to joining The Oak Ridge Boys, Sterban toured with J. D. Sumner and the Stamps Quartet, who were singing backup for Elvis Presley at that time. Sterban ultimately became best known for his "oom-pa-pa-oom-pa-pa-mow-mow" bass solo in the Oak Ridge Boys' 1981 single "Elvira" and sang lead vocals on a select few of the group's songs, including a cover of The Righteous Brothers' hit "Dream On", which was a top-ten hit.
Sterban has recorded public service announcements for NOAA Weather Radio. He served as the voice of The Roadhouse, the classic country Sirius Satellite Radio channel. Sterban was a minority owner of the Nashville Sounds minor league baseball team from 1978 to 2008, along with entrepreneur Larry Schmittou and other country music stars, such as Conway Twitty, Larry Gatlin, and Cal Smith.
Since 2023, Sterban has taken prolonged absences from The Oak Ridge Boys' tours. Aaron McCune, the bass vocalist for Dailey & Vincent, serves as Sterban's designated fill-in. As of September 2023, the band has stated that the issues that led to Sterban's absences have been resolved.