Remembering Joe Bonsall: Country Stars Pay Tribute to a Legend
Blake Shelton, Trace Adkins, Terri Clark and more took time to remember the late Oak Ridges Boys member with touching tributes.
Joe Bonsall; Photo by Daniel Tommasino
On Tuesday, July 9, the country music community suffered a devastating loss with the passing of Joe Bonsall, a longtime member of The Oak Ridge Boys.
Bonsall, 76, passed away due to complications of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). He retired from touring earlier this year to focus on his health, and sadly he succumbed to the disease.
As a beloved member of The Oak Ridge Boys, the Grand Ole Opry, the Country Music Hall of Fame, the Philadelphia Music Hall of Fame, the Gospel Music Hall of Fame, and the Vocal Group Hall of Fame, Bonsall’s death shook the country music community.
Many took to social media to share their condolences and express their sadness surrounding his passing. Artists such as Blake Shelton, Travis Tritt, Terri Clark, and more remembered Bonsall as an incredible singer and entertainer, but also as a kind and genuine person with a big heart and a big smile.
Bonsall will be greatly missed. Scroll down to see how country stars are remembering the late Joe Bonsall.
“I’m heartbroken to hear of my friend Joe Bonsall’s passing. I’ve NEVER seen Joe when he wasn’t smiling and completely full of life. He absolutely loved singing like no one I ever met. My thoughts and prayers are with his family and his @oakridgeboys brothers. We all lost a special person today.” Blake Shelton
“Joe Bonsall was one of the kindest people I ever met. He was a rock star, and he was a wonderful human being. RIP Joe.” – Trace Adkins
“We lost the great Joe Bonsall of the @oakridgeboys and country music is crying today. Joe was a real friend, and someone I looked up to not only as an artist, but as a man. He’s left a legacy of incredible music, and endless accounts of his kind heartedness.” – John Rich
“Heartbreaking to hear of the passing of our friend @joebonsall today. We will all sure miss his big smile and contagious joy. That amazing voice and spirit he shared with the world will now be front and center of a heavenly choir. Prayers go out to his family and @oakridgeboys brothers.” – Big Kenny
My heart is heavy this morning after hearing that my friend @oakridgeboys tenor @joebonsall has passed away at the age of 76. Joe had amazing talent and a wonderful personality and he will be missed terribly by everyone who knew him. Joe is with our Lord Jesus now and that brings me some comfort. My heartfelt condolences go out to Joe’s wife, Mary Ann, his children and all his extended family. RIP” – Travis Tritt
“OMG!!!! I can’t believe we lost one of the greats as a singer entertainer and a person, Joe Bonsall !! Man growing up listening to the oaks!! Love all them guys the lord needs him in choir !!!! Brother go rest easy!!!!” – Eddie Montgomery
“He was amazing talent ….friend ….and legend. The world of country music lost a great talent ….but the angels in heaven gained an incredible voice.” – Billy Ray Cyrus
“The world has lost a familiar and beloved voice. Heaven welcomes another tenor to the Choir. See you there, Joe.” – Dennis Quaid
“So saddened by the news of the passing of Joe Bonsall …he was such gentleman and truly one of the kindest and most hard working men in music. His heart and energy will be dearly missed. Sending love and prayers to friends and family” – Terri Clark
“I’m saddened by the loss of my friend of close to 50 years, Joe Bonsall. For so many years he was the high voice with The Oak Ridge Boys who I toured with almost every year of my career. Joe and I would have conversations on the road sometimes before a concert and sometimes afterwards about the crowd, the music and who we are as Americans. My family sends prayers to the Bonsall Family and The Oak Ridge Boys. We will miss you, Joe!” – Lee Greenwood
“Along with the rest of the world I was saddened this morning to learn of the passing of the multi-talented Joe Bonsall. Joe was a great singer, the consummate performer, and a dear friend. We not only had country music in common, but he loved baseball just as much as I do, and we had many friendly discussions as to which was the better team…his Philadelphia Phillies or my Atlanta Braves. I won’t say any money ever changed hands, but I won’t deny it either. I will think of Joe and miss him with every high note I hear sung and every crack of the bat that echoes across the summer skies. Rest in peace, my friend. You were truly one-of-a-kind.” – Bill Anderson
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to The ALS Association or to the Vanderbilt Medical Center ALS and Neuroscience Research Center.
Lauren Jo Black is a longtime country music journalist, editor, host, and media personality whose work has helped shape the conversation around country music for nearly two decades. As the current Editor-in-Chief of Country Now, she has become one of the genre’s most respected voices, interviewing hundreds of country music’s biggest stars, including Dolly Parton, Garth Brooks, Reba McEntire, Shania Twain, Randy Travis, Luke Bryan, Carrie Underwood, Blake Shelton, Luke Combs, and countless others. Over the course of her career, Black’s written work and interviews have reached billions of country music fans worldwide. A 2009 graduate of the University of Central Florida, Black began her career by founding Country Music Is Love, one of country music’s earliest independent digital publications, which she later sold to a major record label in 2015 before it was rebranded as Sounds Like Nashville. She then served as the publication’s Editor-in-Chief for more than two years. Her work has also appeared in Forbes, and she previously served as the Country Music Expert for Answers.com. Widely recognized for her expertise, Black has appeared as a featured guest on The Bobby Bones Show, BobbyCast, and Scripps News Morning Rush, providing insight on country music’s biggest moments. She has also hosted Country Now Live, a concert series featuring performances from artists including Lady A, Dierks Bentley, Riley Green, Jordan Davis, Dustin Lynch, Gabby Barrett, Brett Young, Jon Pardi, Kip Moore, Chris Young, and more. The series has welcomed thousands of fans in person while reaching millions more online. In addition, she hosted Connect With Country Now, a weekly interview series featuring conversations with rising country stars. Throughout her career, Black has earned a reputation for discovering and championing artists long before they become household names. She has covered Luke Bryan since the early days of his career, beginning when he was writing songs for other artists, including Billy Currington’s No. 1 hit “Good Directions,” before stepping into the spotlight with his debut single, “All My Friends Say” and eventually becoming one of biggest names in music. She also gave Megan Moroney her first opportunity to walk a major red carpet as Country Now’s official guest correspondent at the 2022 CMA Awards. An interview she conducted in 2018 for Forbes.com with Luke Combs that inspired his multi-week No. 1 hit, “Doin’ This.” She has also hosted stages at CMA Fest, moderated an industry panel at Country Radio Seminar, and helped lead important conversations about the evolving landscape of country music media. Beyond journalism, Black has also used her platform to support charitable causes and highlight organizations making an impact. Through Country Now Live, she has helped raise awareness and support for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, while also advocating for animal rescue through Country Now’s Pupdate series, spotlighting organizations including MuttNation Foundation, Wags & Walks, and Proverbs 12:10 Animal Rescue. Black has been recognized as one of Country Aircheck’s Women of Influence and received the 2012 Rising Star Award from the University of Central Florida. She is a longtime member of both the Country Music Association (CMA) and the Academy of Country Music (ACM). After nearly 20 years covering country music, Lauren Jo Black has spent her career telling the stories behind the artists, songs, and moments that have shaped the genre. Her first-ever book, Country Music Forever: An A-to-Z Celebration of Icons, Songs and Stories, brings that same passion and firsthand knowledge to the page, celebrating not only the legendary artists and timeless songs that have become the soundtrack to generations of fans, but also the places, traditions, and cultural moments that have made country music one of the most beloved genres around the world.
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