Oak Ridge Boys Honor Joe Bonsall In Heartwarming & Faith-Based Music Video

Joe Bonsall Of The Oak Ridge Boys Died On July 9th

The Oak Ridge Boys are remembering their late bandmate Joe Bonsall with the release of a brand-new music video.

Bonsall passed away on July 9 at the age of 76. A statement announcing the tenor singer’s death read:

“Joseph S. Bonsall (76) of Hendersonville, Tennessee passed on to Glory on July 9, 2024, from complications of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis [otherwise known as ALS or Lou Gehrig’s disease]. He leaves behind his precious wife, Mary Ann, daughters Jennifer and Sabrina, granddaughter Breanne, grandson Luke, two great grandsons, Chance and Grey, and a sister, Nancy. He is preceded in death by his parents Joseph S. Bonsall Sr. and Lillie Bonsall.”

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In lieu of sending flowers, fans can honor Bonsall by donating to The ALS Association or The Vanderbilt Medical Center ALS and Neuroscience Research Center in his memory.

Bonsall sang on many of the Oak Ridge Boys’ greatest hits, including “Bobbie Sue,” “American Made,” and “Elvira.”

The Oak Ridge Boys Remember Joe Bonsall’s Oustanding Performance On “Promised Land”

Shortly after news broke about Bonsall’s death, the Oaks reshared their powerful song about heaven. Titled “Promised Land,” the group recorded the song for their 2021 album Front Porch Singin’.

Bonsall sang most of the song on his own, with his bandmates only chiming in to sing background vocals near the end. It opens with the following lines that now seem almost prophetic:

“Don’t weep for me when I’m dead and gone, for I’ll just be going home. Heaven’s light will shine on me. It will lead me to Eternity.“

“Promised Land” was written by country singer-songwriter Ashley Monroe at the request of the Oaks’ Duane Allen. “I loved it immediately and sent it to [their producer] Dave Cobb,” Allen told PEOPLE.

Allen said “magic happened” when they entered the studio to record the track. “Dave voiced Joe in a lower key than normal so he could almost talk this message,” he recalled. “I feel that David captured Joe’s heart and soul.”

The Oaks’ Richard Sterban added, “With Dave Cobb’s great production, it will be a way for us to remember Joe for a long time.” He also said the song “is a great example of Joe Bonsall’s ability to capture the message of a great song and communicate that message to the listener.“

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William Lee Golden echoed his bandmates’ comments:

“Joe Bonsall’s haunting performance seems pre-destined,” he said. “Dave Cobb has a unique ability to pair the right songs with the right vocals. ‘Promised Land’ is another Joe Bonsall-treasured masterpiece.”

Watch The Oaks’ New Video Tribute To Their Late Bandmate

In tribute to Bonsall, the Oak Ridge Boys debuted a new music video for “Promised Land” on Thursday (July 25). The heartwarming video opens with a clip of Bonsall singing “Promised Land” a cappella while his bandmates watched in awe.

Then, Bonsall paused to gush about the song’s beauty. “Boy I tell ya, it was a blessing to sing the song, hope you enjoy it,” he said with a smile.

Throughout the rest of the video, photos and footage of Bonsall flash across the screen as “Promised Land” plays. The video ends where it began, with the Oaks talking about the song and how it was almost a “Joe Bonsall solo.” Then, the screen fades to black and reads, “Joe has left the building.”

Ben James, the singer who stepped up to fill Joe’s spot in the group upon his retirement in January 2024, told PEOPLE:

“[The video for ‘Promised Land’] is so very moving. It makes me smile to think that Joe is now with the one he loved to sing about. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again — nobody can get the message of a song across like Joe Bonsall.“

Head below to watch the Oak Ridge Boys’ touching tribute to Joe Bonsall in their new music video for “Promised Land.”