Ralph Ezell, bassist for the band Shenandoah passed away on Dec. 1. He was 54 years old.

Funeral arrangements are set at Stephens Funeral Home, Friday Dec. 7, at 205 N. Street in Union.

A nice video tribute to Ezell is on the band’s Web site www.shenandoaband.com.

Mike McGuire, one of the founders of the group told AllAboutCountry the Ezell was a terrific bass player.

“We traveled many, many miles and we will miss him deeply,” McGuire said. “We are proud to have called him our friend.”

Over their first two years on CBS records, the band scored 5 number one records including “Church on Cumberland Road,” “Sunday in the South,” and “Next to You Next to Me.” But after a lengthy legal battle over the name ‘Shenandoah’ they moved to RCA records. In no time at all they hit again with 4 more number ones including“If Bubba Can Dance” and the heartfelt “I Want to Be Loved Like That.” In 1996 the band was lured by music legend Jimmy Bowen to Capitol Records and it was during this period that Shenandoah’s live shows took on an exciting new dimension and the band produced more chart toppers like “Janie Baker’s Love Slave,” and the Grammy award winner, “Somewhere In The Vicinity of the Heart.”