Putting truth to the viral rumors, Joe Bonsall, tenor singer for fifty years for The Oak Ridge Boys, has officially announced his plans to retire from touring. During a Saturday, December 30th concert in Greenville, Mississippi, Duane Allen, William Lee Golden, and Richard Sterban introduced Ben James to an enthusiastic audience at a Mississippi resort appearance.
Bonsall shares this message with his legion of Oak Ridge Boys Fans:
"Many of you know I have been battling a slow onset (over four years now) of a neuromuscular disorder. I am now at a point where 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. There is a young man named Ben James singing for me out there, and he 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!!!"
Ben James was no stranger to The Oak Ridge Boys, being introduced to them in 2022 during a concert in Wheeling, West Virginia, where Daily & Vincent were also on the bill.
“Joe handed me the mic and said, 'You've got the next verse,’ James said. “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.”
The Oak Ridge Boys are planning a full touring calendar for The Oak Ridge Boys American Made Farewell Tour. They anticipate returning to the studio with Grammy-winner Dave Cobb in late January, their fifth pairing with the legendary super-producer.
About The Oak Ridge Boys:
The Oak Ridge Boys have sold over 41 million units worldwide and are synonymous with “America, apple pie, baseball, and country music.” In addition to their awards and accolades in the country music field, the Oaks have garnered five GRAMMY® Awards, nine GMA DOVE Awards, and two American Music Awards. The group, Duane Allen, Joe Bonsall, William Lee Golden, and Richard Sterban, members of the prestigious Country Music Hall of Fame (2015 Inductees) and the Grand Ole Opry (since 2011)—is known worldwide as one of recording history’s most extraordinary musical successes. They have charted single after single and album after album—gold, platinum, and double-platinum, and more than 30 Top 10 hits, including No. 1 chart-toppers “Elvira,” “Bobbie Sue,” “American Made,” and “Y’All Come Back Saloon,” among dozens more.