Joe Bonsall, singer of the Oak Ridge Boys, dies at the age of 76 from the effects of ALS

Joe Bonsall, the longtime tenor singer of the Oak Ridge Boys quintet, which was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame and is a member of the Grand Ole Opry, has died from complications of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. He was 76 years old.

Representatives for Bonsall and the group confirmed his death on Tuesday.

Notably, in addition to his membership in the Country Music Hall of Fame and the Grand Ole Opry, Bonsall has also been inducted into the Philadelphia Music Hall of Fame and the Gospel Music Hall of Fame.

“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. I’ll never forget that, and to those of you who have constantly supported me with your prayers,” Bonsall told The Nashville Tennessean, part of the USA TODAY Network, in January.

The Philadelphia native had already been replaced on tour by bluegrass and gospel singer Ben James alongside Duane Allen, William Lee Golden and Richard Sterban. In November 2022, James performed with the quartet, who, despite performing under the same lineup as Dailey & Vincent, brought him on stage to perform their 40-year-old crossover hit “Elvira.”

“Joe handed me the microphone and said, ‘You have the next verse.’ And I’m not sure I’ll ever get over that moment. ‘Elvira’ was always on repeat growing up. It’s still one of those timeless songs that never gets old,” James explained in a press statement.

Joe Bonsall’s health problems with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis led to his resignation

Bonsall ended his touring career with the group six months ago after 50 years, citing the fact that he had been diagnosed with ALS five years ago.

In a December post, Bonsall described his career as a member of the Oak Ridge Boy, in which he played over 10,000 concerts in amphitheaters, arenas, stadiums and theaters around the world, as a testament to an “amazing phenomenon” that “took on a life of its own” and “left its mark on so many unique places, stories and times.”

He added that the group was “the hottest act for five decades. Four guys who looked like they shouldn’t even know each other created harmonies and had a celebrated career.”

How Joe Bonsall accepted being a member of the Oak Ridge Boys

Bonsall became an Oak Ridge Boy in October 1973, the 30th of 35 artists to perform with the group since its founding in 1947.

For 35 years, the Oak Ridge Boys were a standout Southern gospel quartet with soulful influences. In the mid-1970s, however, the group evolved its image in a more cosmopolitan direction. Dressed in suits by Hollywood fashion designer Harvey Krantz, they began emphasizing “entertainment” over preaching to create a GQ-style country act that was suitable for mainstream pop.

This led to a streak of 14 singles in the top 10 of the Billboard country charts, beginning with “Y’all Come Back Saloon” in 1977, and including songs such as “Elvira” and “American Made,” among many other hits.

This success was marked by moments such as NBC’s 1978 “World’s Largest Indoor Country Music Show,” in which the Oak Ridge Boys performed at the Pontiac Silverdome in Detroit alongside Kenny Rogers, Minnie Pearl, Dottie West and numerous others.

“We’re out there in front of a national audience and 60,000 people are running around the stage singing country music, and then we put on this big gospel ending. It was a feeling I’d never felt before,” Bonsall recalled to The Tennessean.

Joe Bonsall’s other notable career interests

Over the past three decades, the singer has also authored 11 books, including “The Molly Books,” a four-part children’s book series, 2003’s “GI Joe and Lillie” about his parents’ lives during and after World War II, and his upcoming memoir, “I See Myself,” which is still scheduled for release on November 13, 2024.

A press release states about his memoirs:

“In ‘I See Myself,’ Joe Bonsall reflects on the contrasts and crossroads of his life. From growing up in inner-city Philadelphia to sitting on the porch of his log cabin in rural Tennessee. From being in a street gang as a teenager to devoting himself to Christ at a youth camp. From working as a short-order cook to headlining sold-out arenas. And now – from running around the stage at night to being disabled by a neuromuscular disorder that has robbed him of his mobility. Despite the changing circumstances in Joe’s life, however, two things have not changed. His unwavering faith in God. And his ability to inspire others.”

Bonsall’s memoir is currently available for pre-order on Amazon.

At Bonsall’s request, there will be no funeral. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the ALS Association or the Vanderbilt Medical Center ALS and Neuroscience Research Center.

This article originally appeared in the Nashville Tennessean: Joe Bonsall died of ALS: The tenor singer of the Oak Ridge Boys was 76