West Hollywood, CA February 27, 2010 -- When the Oak Ridge Boys look out into the audience, they often see three generations of families all enjoying their music at the same time. Now when those same audiences watch the stage, they sometimes see three generations in The Oak Ridge family.

Thirteen-year-old fiddler Elizabeth Golden has started making occasional guest appearances with the group, becoming a sentimental highlight when she joins them. Elizabeth is the granddaughter of vocalist William Lee Golden and daughter of drummer Chris Golden. Her debut walk-on with the Oaks was in Chattanooga the day after Thanksgiving as three generations of Goldens all performed on “Ozark Mountain Jubilee.”

“It was so exciting,” Elizabeth says, recalling that first performance. “You get a little bit of butterflies whenever you get on stage, but after you start playing it comes naturally.”

“Naturally” is the right word because music is in her genes. In addition to her father and grandfather’s roles in the Oaks, her great-great-grandfather, Lee Rush Golden, played fiddle on a gospel radio show he hosted in Brewton, Alabama. “That show is where my dad got his start,” Chris says, “going on Granddaddy Golden’s radio show playing ‘I Saw The Light’ and some of that stuff when he was just a kid.”

Elizabeth began playing the fiddle at age 10. She recently was one of 80 students from 350 schools selected for the Mid-State Orchestra’s violin section. Despite her clear abilities, she isn’t commiting to music just yet as her life’s vocation.

“I’m having fun with it right now,” Elizabeth says. “We’ll see what the future holds.”

“I am so amazed at how she has excelled on the instrument,” William Lee says. “Thank God for kids—and grandkids, too!”

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