Joe Bonsall, who was a long-time member of The Oak Ridge Boys, passed away yesterday. He was 76 years old and battled for four years with the neuromuscular disease ALS.
(Above: Joe Bonsall on the Oak Ridge Boys Facebook page.)
Joe joined the Oaks in 1973 and his high harmonies really soared on hits like “Bobby Sue” and “Elvira”
The Oak Ridge Boys had an incredible 31 studio albums, and 56 singles plus went on to win five Grammys and were inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2015.
Joe was a member of the Grand Ole Opry . . . the Philadelphia Music Hall of Fame . . . the Gospel Music Hall of Fame . . . and the Vocal Group Hall of Fame
Tributes to Joe have been coming in from all over the Country music world. (Here are thoughts from Trace Adkins . . . Blake Shelton . . . . Travis Tritt . . . and more.
Back in 1986 when I was at CKPE-FM” Cape Country” in Sydney we ran a promotion called the “Oak Ridge Express!” We took listeners on an Acadian Lines bus from Sydney to Halifax to see the Oak Ridge Boys and BJ Thomas at the Halifax Metro Centre., my first “Metro Centre” concert.
(Above: Yup, that’s 19-year-old Ian on an Acadian Lines Bus Halifax bound.)
(Above: B.J. Thomas the opener for the Oak Ridge Boys at the Metro Centre in Halifax.)
For more click HERE.
Rest easy and thanks for the music.
-Ian
Credits: Ian Robinson photos and Oak Ridge Boys Facebook.)
