RIP Joe Bonsall of the Oak Ridge Boys

[shunlvswx]

Joe Bonsall, Longtime Member of The Oak Ridge Boys, Dies of ALS Complications at 76 (msn.com)

I read Joe Bonsall formerly of the Oak Ridge Boys died today of ALS. He was 76.

He is best known for the song was Elvira. Their very popular song that everybody knows.

He was my favorite Oak. He had so much energy and great stage presence. An amazing tenor voice. He was the baby of the group. The other members are now in 80s with Williams Lee Golden being the oldest at 85. Duane Allen and Richard Sterban are both 81.

I've seen the Oaks in concert many times over the years. The last time I saw him with the Oaks was in February 2019. A late birthday present to me. They came to Mississippi for our state Rodeo in 2022, but I missed that concert. He retired from the group this past January. I just saw a post on X from him 4 days. Who would had thought they would be his last.

This hasn't been a great year for the Oaks. Duane lost his wife a few months ago. Richard lost his mother-in-law around the time Duane lost his wife. William Lee lost his son (who's also a singer) just last week and now Joe's death.

RIP Joe.

[FreyFollower]

I was saddened and shocked to see of Joe Bonsall's passing. By all accounts a great guy who was devoted to children's charities, etc. I saw the Oaks one year in Nashville for Fan Fair. I stepped into Ernest Tubb's record shop (it's tiny) and they were being interviewed by Bill Cody. Joe was the speaker for the group, and remained their livewire and showman while the others really slowed with age. I was really surprised that they were continuing without him. But I first saw them around 1976 when they were just getting country hits. They stopped in our local grocery store for snacks! Prayers for his family and friends. RIP, Joe.

[shunlvswx]

They’ve been touring without Joe since the end of December 2023. They came to my state a day before New Year’s Eve and I was at the concert without Joe. He had just finished their Christmas tour early that month before they came to my state a few weeks later without him.

Joe gave them and the new tenor Ben James (Joe said in an interview that if he had to stop touring, Ben was the right person to take his place. Ben came on stage at an Oak Ridge Boys concert and sang a song with them when he was in another group that open for them) their blessing to continue the farewell tour. Ben James has been singing with them since the end of last year.