Joe Bonsall Bows Out of Oak Ridge Boys Farewell Tour
The Oak Ridge Boys announced they would be going on a farewell tour in September of 2023 that would last into 2024. For 50 years, it’s been Joe Bonsall, Duane Allen, William Lee Golden and Richard Sterban comprising the Hall of Fame band whose history goes all the way back to 1947 as a gospel quartet. But due to health issues, Joe Bonsall is having to bow out, officially retiring from the road.
“I am now at a point where walking is impossible, so I have basically retired from the road. It has just gotten too difficult,” Bonsall said in a statement. “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.”
Joe Bonsall has been battling against the onset of an unnamed neuromuscular disorder for a number of years. When Saving Country Music saw The Oak Ridge Boys perform in 2023, Bonsall was forced to sit on a stool for the entire show, and needed assistance getting on and off of the stage.
For The Oak Ridge Boys, this marks the end of an era. Bonsall joined the quartet in 1973 after singing with the Gospel group The Keystones previously. His signature tenor helped set the table for The Oaks’ Hall of Fame run that saw them mint a dozen #1 songs in country, along with their success in Gospel. Many considered Bonsall the de facto leader of the band, and he was often the most vocal member on stage between songs.
As The Oak Ridge Boys continue their farewell tour, Bonsall will be replaced by singer and songwriter Ben James. The 27-year-old has been a part of Doyle Lawson and Quicksilver in the past, as well as Dailey & Vincent who have close ties to The Oaks. Ben James is also a solo artist, releasing the album Wonderland in 2023. James was introduced to The Oaks during a 2022 concert in Wheeling, West Virginia where he sang with them while touring in Dailey & Vincent.
“Joe handed me the mic and said, ‘You’ve got the next verse,’” James recalls about his first time singing with the band. “And I’m not sure I will ever get over that moment. ‘Elvira’ was always on repeat when I was growing up. It’s still one of those timeless songs that never grow old.”
Another Dailey & Vincent member, bass singer Aaron McCune, has filled in for Richard Sterban in The Oaks upon occasion as well.
“[Ben James] needs your love and encouragement … his sound is different than mine, but he brings a ton of talent to the table! The Oak Ridge Boys will finish the Farewell Tour without me, but rest assured, I am good with all of it! God’s Got It!!!,” says Joe Bonsall.
Joe played his final show on December 17th at the Egyptian Theatre in Dekalb, Illinois. The first Ben James appearance with The Oak happened on December 30th at Harlow’s Casino Resort in Greenville, Mississippi. The 2024 Oak Ridge Boys Farewell Tour dates can be seen below.
TOUR DATES:
Jan 20: The Grand 1894 Opera House – Galveston, Texas
Jan. 21: The Grand 1894 Opera House – Galveston, Texas
Feb. 2: Boot Barn Hall (Gainesville) – Gainesville, Ga.
Feb. 11: San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo – San Antonio, Texas
Feb. 29: Florida Strawberry Festival 2024 – Plant City, Fla.
March 2: Montgomery Performing Arts Centre – Montgomery, Ala.
March 15: Foxwoods Resort Casino – Ledyard, Conn.
March 16: American Music Theatre – Lancaster, Pa.
March 17: American Music Theatre – Lancaster, Pa.
March 23: Sugar Creek Casino – Hinton, Okla.
April 4: Oxford Performing Arts Center – Oxford, Ala.
April 5: City of Morganton Municipal Auditorium – Morganton, N.C.
April 6: Alabama Theatre North – Myrtle Beach, S.C.
April 10: Clay County Agricultural Fair – Green Cove Springs, Fla.
May 17: Peoples Bank Theatre – Marietta, Ohio
May 18: The Oak Ridge Boys American Made Farewell Tour – Defiance, Ohio
June 7: Hartville Kitchen – Hartville, Ohio
June 8: Hartville Kitchen – Hartville, Ohio
Sept. 15: Kansas State Fair – Hutchinson, Kansas
January 3, 2024 @ 12:37 pm
Well.. at least they didn’t pull a Rascall Flatts on us….
January 3, 2024 @ 2:09 pm
?
January 4, 2024 @ 5:52 am
Rascal Flatts cancelled their farewell tour back in 2020 & made no attempt at rescheduling it…
January 3, 2024 @ 2:42 pm
Wow. That’s too bad. I think I’m gonna snag tickets to see them at the American Music Theatre in Lancaster, PA when they roll through. I’ve seen them a bunch of times and they never suck. American Icons.
January 5, 2024 @ 9:06 pm
I was supposed to see Pride there. Then COVID hit.
January 3, 2024 @ 2:50 pm
Truly it can be said, Joe Bonsall gave everything he could, to his music career and his fans. Take a bow man, you earned it, brother, you are a legend! Thanks for the music and we won’t forget you. Enjoy that retirement knowing your music legacy is secure.
January 3, 2024 @ 3:22 pm
He’s 75, which, to me, doesn’t seem terribly old. But, neuromuscular disorders are nasty. He can proud of a stellar career. Job well done, and praying for him.
January 3, 2024 @ 3:28 pm
I hate reading this. Joe’s health has greatly deteriorated over the last year, and it’s heartbreaking watching him struggle physically. He was always quite active when younger and was the heart and soul of the Boys on stage. He’s also the only ORB still in his 70s.
Hopefully this is not a terminal disease and he’s able to enjoy the rest of his life in a normal fashion.
I hate to say it but the others really need to consider if another year is worth it. Fans will miss Joe immensely and it’s not unreasonable to expect the other members may miss dates due to their own health challenges. As Trigger said, Richard has missed a lot of dates also. The other two have missed some, just not as many. The Oaks deserve a good send off, not a year of replacement members popping in and out.
In an ideal world Joe would come back for the last show but that may no longer be possible.
January 3, 2024 @ 4:03 pm
Sad to see Joe not be able to finish out the farewell tour that’s gotta be tough on him to make that call. I’m glad to see Ben get the spot who has one of the best voices I’ve ever heard live. His first album is also fantastic.
January 3, 2024 @ 4:19 pm
The last time that the Oaks played the Opry, he had his arms over the should Duane and someone else on either side of him to help him get to his mic where he sat to perform. It’s disconcerting when you see a dynamo like Joe unable to walk. It just sounds like he’s not up for having paying customers seeing him half-carried or wheeled onto the stage.
Aside from being an all-time great act, The Oaks are an all-time class act. They will be leaving a great legacy as artists and as people.
January 3, 2024 @ 6:28 pm
I wish Joe all the best and prayers for him. I read that the Oaks will still be recording another new album. Any word on if Joe will be part of the project or Ben James? I just watched a video of Ben singing on YouTube and he sounds very similar to Jimmy Fortune of Statler Brothers fame.
Also want to say that when the current group retires, I wonder if they will continue on with four new members? They could have Ben James as tenor singer, Aaron McCune as bass singer, William Lee Golden’s son Chris either as lead or baritone singer, and another member to make them a quartet. Maybe Duane Allen’s son Paul Martin? Paul was formerly with Exile and was also a member of the Mighty Oaks Band.
January 3, 2024 @ 6:58 pm
I would hope Joe would be on the final album. With all due respect to Ben, nobody wants an ORB album with only three Oaks. If Joe’s health does not allow him to record they should scrap the project.
The idea of a continuation is interesting but in my opinion it is best to retire the act and not dilute their legacy. The gentlemen you mentioned are all extremely talented and can make their own music. Golden has a side family group already going and I can see him continuing that as long as he’s able.
Hindsight is 20/20 but it’s a shame they didn’t have a farewell tour when all 4 were healthy. The guys sound good but it is a bit painful to see them struggle physically on stage.
The Oaks, like the Statlers, are a class act and they will leave a very positive legacy and many devoted fans.
January 3, 2024 @ 6:32 pm
I was in Branson for the final show of the Oak Ridge Boys in their theater. Joe was carried out on stage and sat on a stool for the entire show. You could see he was in pain. The rest of the boys are not in the best of health. They sound different, but did put on a good show (short) but still entertaining.
I have seen them for 50 years, always a great show.
It is time for them to retire and enjoy their final years.
January 3, 2024 @ 10:33 pm
I’m bummed about that–I got tickets to see them in Lancaster, which will be a 3-plus hour drive and overnight stay–but I can’t blame Joe. I knew that he’s been bringing a stool on stage.
I know that Duane Allen is the captain of the group. But while Duane sings lead the most, he’s always divied the lead parts out, and Joe has some key ones, including on Elvira–even though Sturban is by far the most memorable singer on that song. And Joe usually does the most of the talking for the group. It won’t be the same without him there.
I guess Alan Jackson has a similar condition to Joe’s, but he’s quite a bit younger and hopefully will be able to perform for some more years.
January 3, 2024 @ 10:47 pm
You were the 1st one i thought of today when reading this article.
Was disappointed for you.
Know we all wish the Oak Ridge Boys well.
What a group.
January 4, 2024 @ 6:29 am
Might see you there, Lucky.
January 5, 2024 @ 9:06 pm
I might be there too.
SCM legends meetup.
January 4, 2024 @ 5:00 am
It does break my heart to see Joe in such a bad way. I had the opportunity to see them back in ‘97 in Branson. I even got to shake Duane’s hand. Such as the inevitability of life, all things must come to an end. While I wish I could see them one last time, I am often reminded of the phrase remember now as you remembered then. To see a legend push themselves to the point they are physically struggling to perform can be very disheartening. As much as you love them, it can be a very difficult thing to watch. The same thing can be said of wrestlers who you may have idolized as a child but seeing them still perform some 30 years onwards can be as disheartening as well. I wish the Oaks the best of luck and Joe a happy retirement. I have always loved their music.
The last question, who’s gonna fill their shoes? the Statlers have retired, the oaks are retiring, and the only similar groups that come to mind are Dailey & Vincent, and Brothers of the Heart. I would love to see a new quartet act come around that has the sweet twill like Lew DeWitt of the Statlers and the rich booming bass of Richard Sterban. I suppose time will only tell.
January 4, 2024 @ 9:27 am
There is a country vocal group called 4Runner or 4 Runner. They had a hit back in 1995 called “Cain’s Blood.” They regrouped about a year ago. You should give them a listen. They have a website and a Facebook page. Here are the links for both:
https://4runner-music.com/
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100088679410095
January 4, 2024 @ 8:20 pm
Thank you for the reply. I am aware or 4Runner. I have heard “Cain’s Blood” and it is a good song. The group to me doesn’t have quite the harmony blend of the Oaks and Statlers, I have also listened to several gospel quartets over the years as well and even amongst them there are some that have real deep bass singers come to mind. J.D. Sumner comes to mind. Also, the tenor before Joe took over the oaks had a unique blend for the group at the time. “Freedom for the Stallion” is an underrated song of theirs before their country heyday. I would love to find a singer out there who has the same twill in his voice as Lew DeWitt. There has never been a finer tenor voice ever in music than his. As much as I love Jimmy and Joe, no one has ever topped Lew in my opinion. I will have to check out some of 4Runner’s latest material. If you haven’t heard Brothers of the Heart I do recommend a listen to.
January 4, 2024 @ 9:12 pm
@TXB–Brothers of the Heart are fine, but they’re just a cover band. They’re not big enough to have songs that are “theirs.”
[Still, I think it was good for Jimmy Fortune that the Statler Brothers retired when they did, rather than hanging on another decade. It gave him a chance to go off on his own while he was young enough to establish himself, and he seems to have done alright.]
January 4, 2024 @ 6:27 am
He and the Oak Ridge Boys will be much missed. I hope his health improves. They have always been one of my favourite groups. I saw the band a few years back and Hoe was not well enough to appear and there was a stand in. It was still a great show,.
January 7, 2024 @ 3:37 pm
The Oaks management team has posted that scammers have posed as Joe online and reached out to fans for help. Beware.