Joe Bonsall, a 50-year member of the Oak Ridge Boys, died at home on Tuesday at age 76, in Hendersonville, Tennessee, from Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) complications. “I don’t think they anticipated the end being quite so near because he was still calling and texting people as of last week,” said Mr. Bonsall’s publicist, Jeremy Westby.
Mr. Bonsall had announced his ALS diagnosis on X at the time of retirement. He had been battling a slow onset since 2020.
“I am now to a point that walking is impossible so I have basically retired from the road,” Mr. Bonsall wrote. “It has just gotten too difficult.
It has been a great 50 years and I am thankful to all the Oak Ridge Boys band crew and staff for the constant love and support shown to me through it all. I will never forget and for those of you who have been constantly holding me up in prayer I thank you and ask for you to keep on praying.” The band’s greatest hits include “You’re The One” and “Dream On.
” Ben James, 28, of Hickory, North Carolina, was introduced as Mr. Bonsall’s replacement in the Oak Ridge Boys’ Farewell Tour on Dec. 30, 2023.
Mr. James told The Epoch Times that it’s impossible to fill Mr. Bonsall’s shoes.
“Everybody’s got their own pair of shoes and Joe’s cannot be replaced,” he said. “He had that specific sound that only a kid from Philly who grew up the way he did could have. You could hear it in his vocals and it’s just amazing.
” “Joe was one of a ki.
