When it was announced that The Oak Ridge Boys would get a weekly variety show on TNN, buzz immediately began. Comparisons to "rival" group, The Statler Brothers, started almost immediately, as they, too, had a very successful show on the same network for many years. What made this show different, however, was the STYLE.
The Oaks have been playing Las Vegas for decades, so it was only natural that the show take place there. The Las Vegas Hilton provided the stage for this ground-breaking show, where they first worked for Johnny Cash in 1975 (bass singer Richard Sterban actually worked there in 1970-72 with Elvis Presley!).
What really set this show apart from the Statlers', however, was the caliber of guest stars. Musical guests ranged from country stars of the day (including Tim McGraw, Collin Raye, and Jo Dee Messina), classic country stars like Kenny Rogers, Roy Clark, and Merle Haggard, pop idols like Englebert Humperdink, the Captain and Tennile, Lou Rawls, and even Little Richard! They also had top Vegas acts like Penn & Teller, comedians that included Rip Taylor and Blue Collar star Bill Engvall, and stage shows from Cirque Engeneaux, the Living Statues, and even a New York street/break dancing group! What really hurt this show was the fact that it debuted just as TNN was being shifted in ownership and programming. When CBS/Viacom took over, less and less country music was being shown, with the name changing from "The Nashville Network" to "The National Network," and eventually, "Spike TV." From what I understand, ratings were continually high for the show, but because of CBS's programming changes, it got lost in the shuffle and never quite found a home.
All in all, a well-done, fast-paced variety show that was fun to watch!!
The Oaks have been playing Las Vegas for decades, so it was only natural that the show take place there. The Las Vegas Hilton provided the stage for this ground-breaking show, where they first worked for Johnny Cash in 1975 (bass singer Richard Sterban actually worked there in 1970-72 with Elvis Presley!).
What really set this show apart from the Statlers', however, was the caliber of guest stars. Musical guests ranged from country stars of the day (including Tim McGraw, Collin Raye, and Jo Dee Messina), classic country stars like Kenny Rogers, Roy Clark, and Merle Haggard, pop idols like Englebert Humperdink, the Captain and Tennile, Lou Rawls, and even Little Richard! They also had top Vegas acts like Penn & Teller, comedians that included Rip Taylor and Blue Collar star Bill Engvall, and stage shows from Cirque Engeneaux, the Living Statues, and even a New York street/break dancing group! What really hurt this show was the fact that it debuted just as TNN was being shifted in ownership and programming. When CBS/Viacom took over, less and less country music was being shown, with the name changing from "The Nashville Network" to "The National Network," and eventually, "Spike TV." From what I understand, ratings were continually high for the show, but because of CBS's programming changes, it got lost in the shuffle and never quite found a home.
All in all, a well-done, fast-paced variety show that was fun to watch!!