The Oak Ridge Boys Remember Joe Bonsall On First Anniversary Of His Death, “One In A Million”
The Oak Ridge Boys pay tribute to late member Joe Bonsall. (Photo by Tim Mosenfelder/Getty Images)
The Oak Ridge Boys Pay Tribute To Joe Bonsall
The Oak Ridge Boys are honoring the memory of their longtime bandmate and friend Joe Bonsall.
The group took to social media to share a tribute post on the one-year anniversary of Bonsall’s passing. In it, they wrote:Â
“One in a million. Sending our love to Joe’s family on this difficult anniversary.”
They then asked fans to reply and share their favorite song of his.
Bonsall had been a member of the legendary country group for over 50 years before announcing his retirement from performing in early 2024.
He shared the news with fans in a statement regarding his health struggles.
“Many of you know I have been battling a slow onset (over 4 years now) of a neuromuscular disorder. I am now to a point that walking is impossible so I have basically retired from the road. 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.”
After he stepped away, singer Ben James joined the Oak Ridge Boys to take on Bonsall’s parts and help the group continue performing during their farewell tour.
Just a few months later, Bonsall passed away on July 9, 2024. Prior to his death, he hadn’t publicly shared the specific neuromuscular disorder he had been battling for several years.
It was later confirmed that he died from complications related to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).Â
RELATED: REMEMBER JOE BONSALL OF THE OAK RIDGE BOYS WITH PERFORMANCE OF HIS FAVORITE HYMN
The Oak Ridge Boys are still out on the road continuing their farewell tour with dates currently scheduled through the end of 2025.
Last October, the group released their 32nd studio album, Mama’s Boy, which was their first release since the loss of Bonsall.
