On this day (July 9) in 2024, Joe Bonsall died from complications of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) in Hendersonville, Tennessee, at the age of 76. He joined the Oak Ridge Boys four years before they became one of the biggest groups in country music. Moreover, he sang lead on some of the group’s most popular and successful songs, including “Elvira.” He was also an author who penned children’s books, novels, and memoirs.
Raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Bonsall began singing when he was around four years old. Then, he found Southern gospel music when he was a teenager. The harmonies hooked him as much as the message, and his path was set. Soon, he joined a gospel group called the Keystones and performed in the Northeast before becoming a member of the Oak Ridge Boys in 1973.
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Joe Bonsall Completed the Classic Oak Ridge Boys Lineup
Not long after Bonsall joined the group, they had a brief and unsuccessful flirtation with pop music. Then, according to the Country Music Hall of Fame, they began with promoter Jim Halsey, who urged them to cross over to country music. After hearing them perform, he knew they could be the genre’s next big thing. Halsey was right.
In 1977, the Oaks scored their first country hit with “Y’all Come Back Saloon,” which reached No. 3 on the Hot Country Songs chart. Later that year, “I’ll Be True to You” became their first No. 1 single. They went on to notch a total of 34 top 10 hits. Seventeen of those went to No. 1.
Joe Bonsall sang lead vocals on some of their most popular songs. He led “Leaving Louisiana in the Broad Daylight,” “Bobby Sue,” and the Oaks’ signature hit, “Elvira.”
After more than four decades with the group, Bonsall announced his retirement in January 2024.
Bonsall’s Other Endeavors
Joe Bonsall was an avid writer. His first published works came in 1997 in the form of a four-book children’s series called The Molly Books. Five years later, he published G.I. Joe and Lillie: Remembering a Life of Love and Loyalty about his parents, who both served in World War II, according to a biography.
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His other published works include From My Perspective, On the Road with the Oak Ridge Boys, and Christmas Miracles. Before he died, Bonsall wrote a memoir titled I See Myself, which was released in November 2024.
Through his writing, songwriting, and singing, Joe Bonsall touched the hearts of countless readers and listeners. The Oak Ridge Boys likely wouldn’t have risen to prominence without him.
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