Legendary country band is shaken by death for the fourth time this year

What has been a brutal year for legendary country band The Oak Ridge Boys took another heartbreaking turn this week.

William “Rusty” Golden, the son of band member William Lee Golden, died on Monday, according to a press release from the band. This comes in a year in which two band members have already lost their wives and another band member had to retire due to health reasons.

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Rusty Golden died at his home in Hendersonville, Tennessee, the press release said.

“This is the hardest thing a father can ever go through,” William Lee Golden said in the press release. “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 in the days ahead. I love you, son.”

Also this year, Norah Lee Allen, the wife of frontman Duane Allen, died on Easter. Allen addressed her death shortly afterwards in a Facebook post.

“Ever since I lost the most beautiful woman I ever met, the love of my life, I find it hard to finish sentences without crying,” he wrote. “I am so grateful to Almighty God that I was able to share 54 years and eight months of the happiest years of my life with her. She was the love of my life.”

Just hours after Allen announced his wife’s death at Easter, it was revealed that Donna, the wife of singer Richard Sterban, had also lost her father.

“Prayers for her family during this time of loss,” said a post on the group’s X page, formerly Twitter. “A pretty memorable Easter… the good news is the promise of eternity with Jesus who conquered death so we can live.”

In addition, Phyllis Carr, the wife of longtime guitarist Donnie Carr, died in March.

And in January, Joe Bonsall, a tenor in the group, announced that he would retire from touring at the age of 75 due to health reasons.