Duane Allen Reveals Poignant Track Dedicated to Late Wife on New Album
Duane Allen, the iconic singer for the Oak Ridge Boys, recently opened up about a deeply personal song on the group’s latest album, Mama’s Boys, which holds a special connection to his late wife, Norah Lee Allen. Norah Lee passed away on Easter Sunday in 2024 after a long illness, leaving a profound impact on Allen.
The Oak Ridge Boys were in the midst of recording Mama’s Boys during Norah Lee’s illness. Allen shared with Taste of Country that one particular track, “Ever With Me,” was incredibly difficult to complete in the studio.
“There’s a song on here called ‘Ever With Me,’ and if you listen closely enough, you can hear the trembling in my voice,” he revealed. Despite the emotional challenge, the band decided to keep that raw take. “We decided to leave it on, because it was real,” Allen added. “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.”
A Song Too Tender for the Stage (For Now)
While Mama’s Boys was released in October 2024 and the Oak Ridge Boys have been back on tour, Allen admits he has no idea when—or if—”Ever With Me” will ever make it into their live set. “We’ve not been able to do that on stage yet, because I’m not sure I can even get through it,” he confessed, highlighting the song’s intense personal significance.
The Country Music Hall of Famers had originally intended to retire in 2024, but they have since reversed those plans and are now looking at a busy touring schedule for the latter half of 2025. They have also indicated that more new music is on the horizon.