Duane Allen Reveals Poignant Reason “Ever With Me” May Never Be Performed Live
Duane Allen, the lead singer of the legendary Oak Ridge Boys, has shared a heartbreaking story behind the song “Ever With Me” from their latest album, Mama’s Boys, revealing why it’s unlikely to ever be a part of their live set.
Allen’s wife of nearly 55 years, Norah Lee Allen, passed away on Easter Sunday in 2024 at the age of 76 after a long illness. The couple had been married since 1969. The Oak Ridge Boys were in the midst of recording Mama’s Boys during her illness, making the recording process for “Ever With Me” particularly challenging for Allen.
“There’s a song on here called ‘Ever With Me,’ and if you listen closely enough, you can hear the trembling in my voice,” Allen told Taste of Country. He explained that the band made a conscious decision to keep that raw, emotional take on the record. “We decided to leave it on… because it was real,” he stated. “I was going through losing my wife during the recording process of that song, and it has a lot of emotion in it. I really like it.”
However, bringing that profound emotion to the stage proves to be a hurdle Allen isn’t sure he can clear. “We’ve not been able to do that on stage yet, because I’m not sure I can even get through it,” he admitted.
Norah Lee Allen was a significant figure in the country music scene herself, described in her obituary as a “luminary.” She performed for over 40 years at the Grand Ole Opry, having honed her skills with the Stuart Sisters Trio and the Legendary Chuck Wagon Gang.
The song stands as a deeply personal testament to Allen’s enduring grief and love, a studio recording that captures the raw essence of his profound loss.