Singer Joe Bonsall dies at 76

Joe Bonsall of the Oak Ridge Boys performs at the Gaylord Opryland Resort in Nashville, Tennessee on November 24, 2021. Bonsall died on July 9, 2024. He was 76 years old.

By Maria Sherman and Kaitlyn Huamani | Associated Press

Joe Bonsall, Grammy Award winner and celebrated tenor of the country and gospel group Oak Ridge Boys, died on Tuesday. He was 76 years old.

Bonsall died from the neuromuscular disease amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, according to a statement from his family.

“Joe loved to sing. He loved to read. He loved to write,” the statement said. “He loved to play the banjo. He loved to work on the farm. And he loved the Philadelphia Phillies. But Jesus and his family always came first – and we will see him again on the promised day.”

Bonsall, a Philadelphia native and resident of Hendersonville, Tennessee, left his gospel group the Keystones in 1973 to join the Oak Ridge Boys, originally formed in the 1940s. He led the band through their golden period in the ’80s and beyond, which included their best-known song, “Elvira” in 1981, their 1982 hit “Bobbie Sue” and “American Made” in 1983. “Elvira” marked a massive crossover moment for the group, reaching No. 1 on the country charts and No. 5 on the all-genre Billboard Hot 100.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a disease that damages nerve cells and connections needed to control muscles during movements such as walking, talking and breathing. Most patients die within three to five years of diagnosis. The disease became known as Lou Gehrig’s syndrome after the star baseball player was diagnosed in 1939.

In September 2023, the Oak Ridge Boys began a farewell tour that was scheduled to last until 2024. But in January, Bonsall announced his withdrawal from the tour because it was too physically demanding for him after a four-year battle with ALS. Ben James, who has performed with Doyle Lawson and Dailey & Vincent, was announced as his replacement.

“I’m at the point now where I can’t walk anymore, so I’ve basically retired from the road. It’s just become too difficult,” Bonsall said at the time of his retirement. “It’s been a great 50 years and I’m grateful to all of the Oak Ridge Boys, the band, the crew and the staff for the constant love and support they’ve given me throughout all of that time. I’ll never forget that, and to those of you who have constantly supported me in prayer, I thank you and ask that you continue to pray for me.”

In June 2022, Bonsall shared on X (formerly Twitter) that he “easily could have died” from the pulmonary embolisms.

His memoir, “I See Myself,” will be published posthumously in November. It is his eleventh book, a collection that also includes the four-book children’s book series “The Molly Books.”

During his five decades with the Oak Ridge Boys, Bonsall was a member of the Grand Ole Opry. He has been inducted into the Philadelphia Music Hall of Fame, the Gospel Music Hall of Fame, the Vocal Group Hall of Fame and the Country Music Hall of Fame.