One year ago today was a heartbreaking loss for the country music community. On July 9, 2024, The Oak Ridge Boys‘ Joe Bonsall passed away from ALS. He was 76 years old at the time. Bonsall announced in early 2024 that he was retiring, while The Oak Ridge Boys were on their American Made: Farewell Tour, hand-picking Ben James to take his…
The Oak Ridge Boys faced an unfathomable loss earlier this year, when Joe Bonsall passed away, after a lengthy battle with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, a neuromuscular disorder commonly known as ALS. The disease had been affecting Bonsall’s mobility for a few years, with Bonsall staying on the road as long as he could, even as the disease progressed. After…
When The Oak Ridge Boys announced their American Made: Farewell Tour in 2023, it was due to Joe Bonsall‘s deteriorating health, with the hope that Bonsall would be able to fulfill what was thought to be the iconic quartet’s final dates. But now, with the addition of Ben James, William Lee Golden says there are no longer any plans…
When The Oak Ridge Boys‘ Joe Bonsall announced he was retiring from touring at the start of 2024, he said it was because he was “battling a slow onset (over four years now) of a neuromuscular disorder,” which Bonsall shared when explaining his decision to come off of the road. Bonsall passed away on July 9 from complications of…
One year ago today was a sad day for the country music community. On September 19, 2023, The Oak Ridge Boys announced their American Made: Farewell Tour, marking the end of an era that spanned generations. “We are doing a farewell tour because we owe it to our fans to say goodbye,” William Lee Golden said at the time….
When Ben James joined The Oak Ridge Boys, he had some shockingly big shoes to fill. The 28-year-old took the place of Joe Bonsall, who retired from touring at the end of 2023, due to his deteriorating health. Generations apart from William Lee Golden, Richard Sterban and Duane Allen, the three longtime members of The Oak Ridge Boys, James…
The Oak Ridge Boys‘ American Made: Farewell Tour might go on a lot longer than they originally intended. It was in September of 2023 that the iconic group announced they were embarking on their final tour, which Duane Allen now reveals was largely because of Joe Bonsall and his ongoing battle with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, commonly known as ALS….
The Oak Ridge Boys are honoring the late Joe Bonsall with their new video, out now. The four-man group just released a video of “Promised Land,” a song Bonsall sang the vocal on, and was included on their 2021 Front Porch Singin’ album. “Promised Land,” written by Ashley Monroe, was a departure for The Oak Ridge Boys, with Bonsall singing…
It’s only July, but the country music community has already dealt with several losses. Whether it was illness or something sudden, we will be mourning the passing of these five extraordinary people for a long, long time. 1. Joe Bonsall News of Joe Bonsall‘s death shocked the country music community. Bonsall was a member of The Oak Ridge Boys…
Vince Gill is mourning the loss of his good friend, Joe Bonsall. Bonsall, a member of The Oak Ridge Boys for 50 years, passed away on July 9, from complications from ALS. Gill honored Bonsall at his recent Grand Ole Opry performance, offering a touching tribute to the country music icon. “I wanted to sing a couple of songs tonight…
