Joe Bonsall, celebrated tenor in the Oak Ridge Boys, dies at 76

Joe Bonsall, Grammy award winner and celebrated tenor of the nation and gospel group the Oak Ridge Boys, died Tuesday. He was 76.

Bonsall died from problems of the neuromuscular dysfunction Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, based on a press release from representatives of his household.

“Joe cherished to sing. He cherished to learn. He cherished to write down,” the assertion learn. “He cherished to play banjo. He cherished engaged on the farm. And he cherished the Philadelphia Phillies. However Jesus and his household at all times got here first — and we’ll see him once more on the Promised Day.”

A Philadelphia native and resident of Hendersonville, Tennessee, Bonsall left his gospel group the Keystones in 1973 to affix the Oak Ridge Boys, which initially fashioned within the Nineteen Forties. He noticed the band via its golden interval within the ’80s and past, which included its signature 1981 tune, “Elvira,” its 1982 hit “Bobbie Sue” and 1983’s “American Made.” “Elvira” marked a large crossover second for the group, reaching No. 1 on the nation chart and No. 5 on Billboard’s all-genre Scorching 100.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS, is a illness that damages nerve cells and connections which can be vital to regulate muscular tissues for actions similar to strolling, speaking and respiration. Most sufferers die inside three to 5 years of a analysis. The sickness turned referred to as Lou Gehrig’s illness after the star baseball participant was identified in 1939.

In September 2023, the Oak Ridge Boys launched into a farewell tour that was scheduled to final into 2024. However in January, Bonsall introduced his retirement from touring, saying it was too tough for him bodily after a four-year battle with ALS. Ben James, who has carried out with Doyle Lawson and Dailey & Vincent, was introduced as his substitute.

“I’m now at some extent the place strolling is unattainable, so I’ve principally retired from the highway. It has simply gotten too tough,” Bonsall mentioned on the time of his retirement. “It has been an incredible 50 years, and I’m grateful to all of the Oak Ridge Boys, band, crew, and workers for the fixed love and help proven to me via all of it. I’ll always remember, and for these of you who’ve been always holding me up in prayer, I thanks and ask so that you can carry on praying.”

In June 2022, Bonsall shared on X, previously Twitter, that he “might have simply died” after struggling pulmonary embolisms.

His memoir, “I See Myself,” can be launched posthumously in November. It’s his eleventh e-book, a set which incorporates the four-part youngsters’s collection, “The Molly Books.”

Throughout his 5 a long time with the Oak Ridge Boys, Bonsall was a member of the Grand Ole Opry. He was inducted into the Philadelphia Music Corridor of Fame, the Gospel Music Corridor of Fame, the Vocal Group Corridor of Fame and the Nation Music Corridor of Fame.

“For 50 years, Joe Bonsall was the Oak Ridge Boys’ sparkplug. He was as thrilling a performer as any who ever hit a gospel or nation stage,” Kyle Younger, CEO of the Nation Music Corridor of Fame and Museum, mentioned in a written assertion. “His tenor voice was excessive and clear, and his jovial spirit at all times offered a jolt of vitality, instantly rousing audiences to return on in and take a load off. He actually lightened our cares each time he sang.”

John Wealthy of nation music duo Huge & Wealthy shared a remembrance on X. Nation music is crying right this moment,” he wrote. “Joe was an actual pal, and somebody I regarded as much as not solely as an artist, however as a person. He’s left a legacy of unimaginable music, and countless accounts of his form heartedness.”

Nation musician Travis Tritt additionally posted a tribute to Bonsall on X, writing, “Joe had wonderful expertise and a beautiful persona and he can be missed terribly by everybody who knew him.”

Bonsall is survived by his spouse, Mary Ann; daughters Jennifer and Sabrina; sister Nancy; granddaughter Breanne; grandson Luke; and nice grandsons, Probability and Gray.