Did Mike Smith play with the Oaks? [Edit: Wrong again]

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Jerry Overstreet
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Did Mike Smith play with the Oaks? [Edit: Wrong again]

Post by Jerry Overstreet »

Watching a Hee Haw earlier this week. Judging by the wardrobe, long hair etc. I'm thinking this must have aired early 70s.

Steel player on a Zum that also sat on guitar during one of their spots.

It's been a long time, and I can't remember everybody that Mike played with, but I'm thinking it was him on this show. Long hair and a wood grain Zum.

Duane had shoulder length hair and chops, WL Golden had dark hair, and I believe the other front member besides Sterban was blonde haired Willie Wynn.

Does this sound right? Are you out there to comfirm or deny this Mr. Miguel?

EDIT: it's not a Zum...it appears to be a Marlen. I'm probably wrong about the steeler too. It might be Burt Reynolds! Not! Feel free to ID him though.

I found a clip on youtube here: https://youtu.be/QLcoHLP5uyE
Last edited by Jerry Overstreet on 2 Aug 2020 6:36 am, edited 1 time in total.
Steve Hinson
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Post by Steve Hinson »

Jerry,Mrs.Hinson saw ORB on"Hee Haw"this week and told me our friend John Rich was playing steel and guitar with them.

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Jerry Overstreet
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Post by Jerry Overstreet »

Thanks Mr and Mrs. Hinson. Mystery solved. Sorry Mike.

I have to admit I am not familiar with John Rich the steel player. He sounds great in these videos. I found some information here and there online. I clipped some of it here:

The poster comments:
"The pedal steel player on this song is John Rich (not to be confused with John Rich of "Big & Rich" fame). He played steel and electric guitar for the Oaks for several years, and later with William Lee Golden's band."

You only catch a couple brief glimpses of him in that clip, but there's another video which starts right off with John Rich sitting behind his pedal-steel, playing a guitar -

Wikipedia says John Rich was in the Oak Ridge Boys from '72-'75.
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Darvin Willhoite
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Post by Darvin Willhoite »

I saw the Oaks a couple of times when John Rich was with them. I also have an Oaks Band album that he was on, they sounded really good.
Darvin Willhoite
MSA Millennium, Legend, and Studio Pro, Reese's restored Universal Direction guitar, as well as some older MSAs, several amps, new and old, and a Kemper Powerhead that I am really liking. Recently added a Zum D10, a Mullen RP, and a restored blue Rose, named the "Blue Bird" to the herd. Also, I have acquired and restored the plexiglass D10 MSA Classic again that was built as a demo in the early '70s. I also added a '74 lacquer P/P, with wood necks.
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