Former Oak Ridge Boys
singer dead in apparent suicide
Steve Sanders, a former lead singer for the popular country group the Oak
Ridge Boys, died Wednesday, apparently from a self-inflicted gunshot to
the head,
police said. He was 45.
"It appears to be a suicide," Cape Coral police spokesman Angelo Bitsis
said.
He said officers were called to Sanders' home in a middle-class
neighborhood of Cape Coral, a small town on Florida's west coast just
outside Fort Myers, at about 1 a.m. EDT Wednesday.
"We got a call from his wife that he had shot himself," Bitsis said. "They
(officers) found him in the bathroom with a gunshot wound to the head.
There is no evidence of foul play."
Bitsis said Sanders' wife, Janet, was able to offer no reason her husband
would take his own life.
Sang 'Lucky Moon,' others
Sanders joined the Oak Ridge Boys as rhythm guitarist in 1981 and
replaced William Lee Golden as baritone singer in 1987. He sang lead on
three of the band's top singles, "Gonna Take A Lot Of River," "No Matter
How High," and "Lucky Moon."
The group is best known for its 1981 hit "Elvira."
Sanders, who was born in Richland, Georgia, sang gospel tunes as a child.
At age 12 he began an acting career in which he played the role of Jody
Baxter in the Broadway musical "The Yearling," and also performed on the
"Ed Sullivan Show."
After the musical closed, he played a role in an Otto Preminger movie
"Hurry Sundown" and appeared on the television series "Gunsmoke" and the
ABC drama "Noon Wine" with Jason Robards and Olivia de Havilland.
Left band for personal reasons
When Sanders left Oak Ridge Boys in November 1995, a spokeswoman
for the group said Sanders felt personal problems were affecting the band.
The problems involved a four-year battle with his first wife, Mary Milbourne
Sanders, over child support. In 1994 Steven and Janet Sanders went to
court to charge Mary Sanders with malicious prosecution, libel and slander.
Four years earlier, Sanders' ex-wife had charged Janet Sanders with criminal
trespass and assault for allegedly taunting her at her workplace.
The Oak Ridge Boys evolved from a World War II-era band called the
Oak Ridge Quartet based in Nashville, Tennessee.
During the past three decades they have been one of the most popular U.S.
country music groups, winning numerous music industry honors and giving
command performances for European royals and three U.S. presidents.
Copyright 1998 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.
Janet Sanders, Steve's widow, had his body cremated in
Florida. She also opted for no memorial service.
McDougal had requested an opportunity to sit with her
fathers body prior to the cremation. That request was
denied.
The family is expecting members of the Oak Ridge Boys to
attend the service. Sanders son, Sevran, 21, is also
expected to attend the service and be part of the memorial.
The two children, Gaylea and Sevran had been at the center
of legal battles between Steve and his ex-wife Mary for
many years.
Sanders shot himself one week ago at his home in Cape
Coral, Fla.
In lieu of flowers the family has asked that donations be sent
to The Steve Sanders Scholarship Fund for the music
industry, Volunteer State Community College, 1480
Nashville Pike, Gallatin, Tenn. 37066.
Steve who was born in Richland, Georgia, was propelled into the
limelight as a child star singing gospel music, billed as 'Little Stevie
Sanders.' He later appeared on Broadway in The Yearling, and in
the 1967 film Hurry Sundown starring Faye Dunaway. Later,
Steve traveled overseas with Mylon Lefevre and Stevie Winwood,
before joining The Oaks Band.
During Steve's tenure as an Oak Ridge Boy, the group recorded
country hits such as Gonna Take A Lot Of River, No Matter How
High, and Beyond Those Years. Prior to joining the group's front
rank in 1987, he spent five years playing rhythm guitar with The
Oaks Band.
Words are inadequate to express the shock and grief shared by
everyone in The Oak Ridge Boys organization, his many friends in
the entertainment industry, and the thousands of fans he leaves
behind. He will always be remembered for his awesome talent and
longstanding friendship.
A memorial service for Steve has been
scheduled for Thursday, June 19, 1998, 7PM at
the McKendree United Methodist Church in
downtown Nashville. This service is open to the
public. In lieu of flowers, the family has asked
that contributions be made to the sholoarship
fund outlined below.
A Steve Sanders Scholarship fund has been
created at Volunteer State Community College
in Gallatin, TN.
For more information, call 615/452-8600.
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