Joe Bonsall
Musician · 1948–2024 · Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Joe Bonsall was the longtime tenor of the Oak Ridge Boys, the gospel quartet that crossed over into mainstream country stardom on hits like “Elvira” and “Bobbie Sue.” Over five decades with the group he helped earn Grammy Awards and induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame, and he was also a published author.
Assisted by AI.
Spot something off? Help us fix it.
- Born May 18, 1948, in Philadelphia; died July 9, 2024, in Hendersonville, Tennessee.
- Joined the Oak Ridge Boys as tenor in 1973 and sang with them for roughly fifty years.
- Sang on the group's 1981 crossover smash “Elvira” and the 1982 hit “Bobbie Sue.”
- The Oak Ridge Boys won a Grammy for “Elvira.”
- A prolific author whose books include the family memoir G.I. Joe & Lillie (2003).
- Inducted with the Oak Ridge Boys into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2015.
