Born on This Day in 1948, the Author and Tenor Singer Who Completed the Classic Oak Ridge Boys Lineup

On this day (May 18) in 1948, Joe Bonsall was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He joined the Oak Ridge Boys in the early 1970s, before they began their dominance of the country music charts. Bonsall was the face and spokesman of the group for five decades. He also sang lead on some of their most iconic songs. For instance, he took the lead on “Elvira,” “Bobbie Sue,” and “American Made.”

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Bonsall started singing when he was around four years old. His passion for performance only grew over time. Then, as a teenager, he discovered Southern Gospel music. After singing with the Keystones in the Northeast, he relocated to Tennessee and joined the Oak Ridge Boys in 1973.

Joe Bonsall Finds Country Star Status with the Oak Ridge Boys

When Joe Bonsall joined the group, they had been together in one form or another for 30 years. They had also become one of the biggest Southern gospel groups in the United States. They were on the verge of crossing over to country music when he signed on and completed their classic lineup.

A few years after Bonsall joined the Oak Ridge Boys, they began working with Jim Halsey, who helped them break into country music. According to the Country Music Hall of Fame, he knew they were one hit away from being the genre’s next superstars. Finally, in 1977, they proved him right. “Y’all Come Back Saloon” reached No. 3 on the Hot Country Songs chart. The next year, they topped the chart for the first time with “I’ll Be True to You.” In 1979, they were back at No. 1 on the country chart with “Leaving Louisiana in the Broad Daylight.”

The Oaks found the peak of their chart success in the 1980s. They sent 15 singles, including “Elvira,” “No Matter How High,” “Little Things,” “American Made,” and “Love Song,” to the top of the chart. They released 29 singles between 1980 and 1989. Four of those missed the top 10.

With Bonsall in the fold, the Oak Ridge Boys won four Grammys, four ACM Awards, and four CMA Awards. Additionally, they were inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame in 2000. Fifteen years later, they joined the Country Music Hall of Fame.

[RELATED: 3 Timeless Oak Ridge Boys Hits Featuring Joe Bonsall’s Lead Vocals]

Bonsall Was Also an Author

Joe Bonsall was an avid writer who published several books. His career as an author began in 1977 when The Molly Books, a four-part children’s book series, was published. Six years later, G.I. Joe and Lillie: Remembering a Life of Love and Loyalty hit shelves. The book was about his parents, who both served in World War II.

Bonsall also wrote multiple books about his life and career. Those books include Ont he Road with the Oak Ridge Boys, The Oak Ridge Boys: An American Journey, and his memoir, From My Perspective. He also wrote two books of Christmas short stories, Christmas Miracles and An Inconvenient Christmas.

“My life has been simple,” Bonsall said. “I go out there and try to sing the best I can and give them physically and mentally everything I’ve got. When it’s done, I go back to my room or the bus, eat some pizza or sushi, call my Mary, get on my Apple laptop, do a little writing, and say to myself, ‘Hey, I’ve done what I’m supposed to be doing, and I feel great about it.’”

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