Medal of Honor Recipient and Congressional Medal of Honor Society President Harold A. Fritz (second from left) presents The Oak Ridge Boys with the society’s Bob Hope Award for Excellence in Entertainment.
Photo by: Tommy Lawson Photography
After five GRAMMY Awards, nine GMA Dove Awards, an induction into The Grand Ole Opry and a forthcoming induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame, The Oak Ridge Boys have been presented with yet another distinction — the Bob Hope Award for Excellence in Entertainment by the Congressional Medal of Honor Society – recognizing their work with The American Legion. The group accepted the award on August 8 at the Nashville Salutes Gala surrounded by 25 Medal of Honor recipients.
In September 2014, The Oak Ridge Boys joined forces with The American Legion to help raise awareness and support for better detection and treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder among U.S. military servicemen and women, and veterans. Through the partnership, The Oak Ridge Boys have also assisted with improving the VA benefits process, as well as the education and career opportunities that are available to veterans once they return to civilian life.
The Nashville Salutes Gala honored 25 living recipients of the Medal of Honor and served as a catalyst for the Middle Tennessee Character Development Program (CDP), whose goal is to develop the values required of every citizen among the youth of America. At the conclusion of the CDP presentation The Oak Ridge Boys took the stage and sang a heartfelt rendition of “Thank God for Kids.”
The award, named after famed entertainer Bob Hope and the work he performed to start the USO Tours, was conceived to honor entertainers who have demonstrated a commitment to the U.S. military through film, literature or music. Past recipients include Billy Ray Cyrus, Mark Wahlberg, Tom Selleck and Trace Adkins, among others.
ABOUT THE OAK RIDGE BOYS:
The Oak Ridge Boys, who have sold over 41 million units worldwide, are synonymous with “America, apple pie, baseball and gospel and country music.” In addition to their awards and accolades in the country and pop music fields, they have garnered five GRAMMY® Awards and nine GMA DOVE Awards as well as the Mainstream Artist of the Year Award at the ICM Awards. They are members of the GMA Hall of Fame as well as The Grand Ole Opry, and they are recipients of the President’s Award from the Southern Gospel Music Guild. For more information and to view upcoming tour dates for The Oak Ridge Boys, please visit www.oakridgeboys.com.