Joe Bonsall, Longtime Member Of The Oak Ridge Boys, Dies At 76

• Joe Bonsall passed away on July 9 at the age of 76.
• His death follows a prolonged struggle with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).
• Bonsall sang with The Oak Ridge Boys since 1973, although recently retired from touring because of his condition.

On July 9, Joe Bonsall passed away. He was 76 when he died following a years-long battle with ALS, and ultimately died of complications related to the neurological disorder. News of his passing comes from a press release shared by his management team on Tuesday.

Bonsall was a tenor vocalist who sang for the country and gospel quartet The Oak Ridge Boys. He performed with the band since 1973, but in January announced his retirement from touring as he contended with worsening ALS symptoms. Bonsall requested no funeral plans be arranged, but instead that well-wishers donate to the Vanderbilt Medical Center ALS and Neuroscience Research Center or the ALS Association.

Joe Bonsall has passed away

“Many of you know I have been battling a slow onset (over 4 years now) of a neuromuscular disorder,” Bonsall announced on Twitter back in January. “I am now to a point that walking is impossible so I have basically retired from the road. It has just gotten too difficult… There is a young man named Ben James singing for me out there and he needs your love and encouragement … his sound is different than mine but he brings a ton of talent to the table! The @oakridgeboys will finish the Farewell Tour without me but rest assured I am good with all of it! God’s Got It!!!”

Tributes have already begun pouring in from all areas of the music industry, across multiple genres but especially within the world of country music. Sarah Trahern, CEO of the Country Music Association mourned, “When I think of the Oak Ridge Boys and their place in Country Music history, the image of Joe with his huge smile and boundless energy comes to mind so clearly. His commitment to serving others while developing Country Music into a worldwide sensation will never be forgotten and our industry has been made better because of him.”

She concluded, “Today, we lost an incomparable energy and voice in music. He will be missed greatly by all who were fortunate to know him.”

Forging a place in country music history

Joe Bonsall was born on May 18, 1948, originally calling Philadelphia, Pennsylvania home. But by the time he was four, Bonsall was singing to his heart’s content, and by his mid-teens, he “fell in love with Southern Gospel music harmony,” according to the band’s website.

The Oak Ridge Boys had not yet hit their stride when Bonsall joined in, but within the next decade, they were releasing hits like 1984’s “American Made” and invited into the Grand Ole Opry. They were also inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame; Bonsall also earned induction into the Philadelphia Music Hall of Fame, Vocal Group Hall of Fame, and the Gospel Music Hall of Fame.

The announcement from his management team paints a picture of a man of well-rounded talents, and indeed, Bonsall also authored 11 books, including the memoir I See Myself: Musings and Memories of a Blessed Life, set to release in November.

“Joe loved to sing. He loved to read. He loved to write,” reads his team’s statement. “He loved to play banjo. He loved working 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 is survived by his sister, Nancy, wife Mary Ann, daughters Jennifer and Sabrina, grandson Luke, granddaughter Breanne, and great-grandsons Chance and Grey. Rest in peace, Joe Bonsall.