Welcome back to Country Music 4 Ever! The country music community lost another member yesterday morning. Joe Bonsall of The Oak Ridge Boys passed away at the age of 76.

The Oak Ridge Boys began as a gospel group. They released their debut single “The Baptism of Jesse Taylor” in 1973. They later began their country music career and had 17 number one songs and 16 other top ten hits. Today I don’t want to focus on The Oak Ridge Boys, I want to focus on Joe.

Joe was born on May 18, 1948, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. In 1967, he moved to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania to join Richard Sterban and The Faith Four. The group eventually moved to Buffalo, New York. Joe continued to perform with the group until he moved to Hendersonville, Tennessee to join the Oak Ridge Boys.

Joe married Mary Ann Bonsall in 1982, and they had two daughters, Jennifer and Sabrina. He also left behind grandchildren, Breanne and Luke, as well as great-grandchildren Chance and Grey.

The Oak Ridge Boys left such an impact on music that they were inducted into the “Country Music Hall of Fame” and the “Gospel Music Hall of Fame.” They also became a member of the “Grand Ole Opry.”

Thanks for reading. I’ll be back soon!