Joe Bonsall, Oak Ridge Boys Singer, Dead at 76 [Video]

The singer and author, best known for his 50-year run in the country and gospel vocal quartet The Oak Ridge Boys, died in Hendersonville, Tennessee, on Tuesday from complications of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), according to a press release.

Bonsall was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to parents Joseph S. Bonsall Sr. and Lillie Bonsall. He sang in different gospel music groups, including The Faith Four and The Keystone Quartet, in the state and later in New York until he moved to Tennessee in 1973 to join the Oaks, according to his website. 

The Oak Ridge Boys have seen members come and go since its formation in 1943. Current members are Duane Allen, William Lee Golden, Richard Sterban and Ben James, who replaced Bonsall when he retired in January. Bonsall’s tenor vocals and high harmonies can be heard on the group’s many hit songs, including “Elvira” and “Bobbie Sue.”

The Oak …