Longtime Oak Ridge Boys Member Joe Bonsall Passes Away at 76 After Battle with ALS

Joe Bonsall, longtime member of the Oak Ridge Boys, surpassed away today, July 9, on the age of 76. Bonsall, who retired in January after a four-year war with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), turned into a loved determine in the song network.

His family announced his loss of life thru a spokesperson.

This sad news follows the latest demise of Rusty Golden, the 65 yr old musician son of The Oak Ridge Boys’ William Lee Golden, on July 1. Both Golden and Bonsall resided in Hendersonville, Tennessee.

Bonsall joined the Oak Ridge Boys in 1973, and his tenor vocals have become a key detail of the organization’s hits like “Elvira” and “Bobbie Sue.” The Oak Ridge Boys, who have offered over 41 million information, won five Grammys, and were inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2015, began as the Oak Ridge Quartet in 1943 and transitioned from bluegrass to gospel and united states of america tune over the decades.

Bonsall changed into also a member of the Grand Ole Opry and was inducted into numerous Halls of Fame, consisting of the Philadelphia Music Hall of Fame, the Gospel Music Hall of Fame, and the Vocal Group Hall of Fame.

His memoir, “I See Myself,” is ready to be released in November. This could be Bonsall’s eleventh e-book, including to his repertoire that includes a four-part children’s series titled “The Molly Books” and a 2003 e-book about his dad and mom, “GI Joe and Lillie.”

In their assertion, the Bonsall family stated, “Joe cherished to sing. He loved to study. He loved to write. He cherished to play banjo. He cherished working on the farm. And he loved the Philadelphia Phillies. But Jesus and his family constantly came first—and we are able to see him again at the Promised Day.”

Born on May 18, 1948, Bonsall reflected on his retirement in advance this yr, pronouncing, “Many of you realize I have been combating a gradual onset (over four years now) of a neuromuscular disorder. I am now at a factor in which walking is impossible, so I have basically retired from the road. It has simply gotten too hard. It has been a great 50 years, and I am grateful to all of the Oak Ridge Boys, band, crew, and team of workers for the steady love and help shown to me via all of it. I will never forget about, and for the ones of you who’ve been constantly conserving me up in prayer, I thanks and ask on the way to maintain on praying.”

Bonsall also expressed help for his substitute within the institution: “There is a young man named Ben James singing for me out there, and he needs your love and encouragement.”

Joe Bonsall is survived via his wife Mary Ann; daughters Jennifer and Sabrina; granddaughter Breanne; grandson Luke; first rate-grandsons Chance and Grey; and a sister, Nancy. He turned into preceded in loss of life by means of his dad and mom Joseph S. Bonsall Sr. And Lillie Bonsall.

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