In a poignant reflection on his life, Joe Bonsall, the beloved 50-year member of The Oak Ridge Boys, shares the profound contrasts and pivotal crossroads that defined his journey. From growing up in inner-city Philadelphia to sitting on the front porch of his log home in rural Tennessee, from hanging with street gangs in his teens to surrendering to Christ at a youth camp, from working as a short-order cook to headlining sold-out arenas, and finally, from running across the stage each night to being sidelined by a neuromuscular disorder that stole his mobility. Despite the ever-changing circumstances, two things about Joe never wavered: his unwavering faith in God and his remarkable ability to inspire others.


A Life of Crossroads: From Philly Streets to Grand Ole Opry

“I’m Joe Bonsall, 50-year member of The Oak Ridge Boys, and I want to thank everybody for being here tonight,” Joe begins, filmed in the spring at his home in Hendersonville. He acknowledges his health challenges: “I made it to 71 years old without one issue health-wise. I was strong. God’s been real good to me, just like he has our whole group. The last several years have been a little more of a challenge. I’ve had this neurological muscular disorder that took me down and made me have to retire.” Yet, his spirit remains unbroken as he praises his bandmates—Richard Sterban, William Lee Golden, and Duane Allen—and young Ben James, who now sings for him on the farewell tour. “We’ve been blessed way beyond our dreams, way beyond our imaginings,” he affirms.

Joe describes his unique approach to writing his autobiography, I See Myself. Instead of a chronological narrative, he jumps between pivotal moments. “I start out with saying, I see myself at a hostel in Gstaad, Switzerland, eating fondue, getting ready to tape a TV show with The Oak Ridge Boys. And I describe what that was like. Then this next chapter, I see myself winning a bicycle at the Midway Theater when I was 9 years old. And I keep going back and forth, to young singing days, to The Oak Ridge Boys, to growing up in Philly, to being in the Hall of Fame. It goes back and forth all the way.” This non-linear approach, favored by publishers and readers, creates a “unique story of a blessed life.”

He credits key individuals, “God-placed people,” for guiding him through life’s crossroads, stating, “Without these people that have stood at my crossroads… I don’t think I’d be here today.” The inspiration for his book’s title, “I See Myself,” came from a dream where he encountered the blue people from Avatar. The tall blue woman tells the main character, “I see you,” not merely seeing his physical presence but seeing inside him, all of him. This resonated deeply with Joe: “I woke up thinking, I see myself. I see myself on the streets. I see myself with the Keystones. I see myself with The Oak Ridge Boys.” This epiphany became the foundation for his heartfelt memoir.


Pranks, Positivity, and a Profound Legacy

The conversation then shifts to cherished memories shared by his bandmates, highlighting Joe’s playful spirit and profound positive influence.

Richard Sterban fondly recalls a recurring prank he played on Joe: “I love to scare him.” During bus tours, when everyone was supposedly asleep, Joe would get up to use the bathroom. Richard, in the lower bunk, would wait for Joe to jump down, then slip into Joe’s top bunk. When Joe returned, half-asleep, and stretched out his legs, Richard would “come right at it like that,” making Joe “come unglued.” Richard also remembered lying in the hallway in the dark, startling Joe as he emerged from the bathroom. Joe, in turn, exacted his revenge, with Richard citing a remote-controlled spider that lit up and jumped onto Joe’s bed as “probably the best one.” “It was endless,” Richard laughs, “I love to play with him, he was my favorite person for that.”

William Lee Golden emphasizes Joe’s unwavering positivity: “Joe was a positive influence, not only on us, but everybody else that was around.” Regardless of personal struggles, Joe was “always upbeat and a positive person on stage,” an infectious attitude that “made everybody else feel at ease.” William Lee also highlights Joe’s deep commitment to family: “Joe was a family guy, he loved his family, and they inspired him and gave him, they lit him up, his light.” He concludes, “There’s a lot of things that we still miss about Joe… I’m just thankful that we had 50 years together to work together, to sing together, and to be in harmony together.”

William Lee further elaborates on Joe’s incredible vocal talent, particularly his ability to interpret a song. He points to “Elvira,” explaining that while the song had been released by other artists like Dallas Frazier, Kenny Rogers, and Charlie Rich, it was Joe and Richard Sterban who truly made it a phenomenon. “When Ron Chancey brought that to the studio, and he wanted Joe to sing the lead on it, and then he wanted to make ours different, he wanted Richard to do the ‘Oom Papa Mow Mow,’ and it was Ron Chancey’s idea to change it up there way. But it was a song that… when Joe Bonsall and Richard Sterban took the song, is what made it what it is.” “Elvira” became a signature song for The Oak Ridge Boys and remains one of Nashville’s top-selling singles. William Lee praises Joe’s “raw, rock feel to his voice,” which “fit perfect with The Oak Ridge Boys and the strong harmony that we always had.” He cherishes the time they spent together as a four-part harmony group, calling them “some of my most treasured and cherished memories in life.”

Duane Allen recounts his long friendship with Joe, predating their time in The Oak Ridge Boys. Duane had formed The Keystone Quartet in New Jersey, while Joe had his family group, The Faith Four. They met performing concerts together. Duane recalls working a job selling men’s clothing at Gimbels department store in Philadelphia, and Joe would visit him, spending time talking about music and dreaming of singing together, never imagining they’d both join The Oak Ridge Boys. Duane joined first, with Joe following a year later, leading to a “great long career together.” Duane echoes William Lee’s sentiments about Joe’s positive nature: “He was a very upbeat kind of a person. If you were having a bad day, just get around Joe for a few minutes, oh, you would start laughing, you would forget about what was bringing you down and you would smile. He was very infectious that way, and he is sorely, sorely missed.”

The playful spirit of Joe, even at home, is highlighted by a story from his wife, Mary Ann, and daughter, Sabrina. Knowing Joe was getting a special batch of red, pink, baby blue, and yellow Converse sneakers, they decided to play a prank. Before he got home from the road, they used bleach and a Q-tip to create polka dots all over his new shoes, then put them back in their boxes. Joe, unsuspecting, later showed them off on the road, telling everyone, “Look what they made special for me!” They kept the secret from him for years.

Joe Bonsall’s life, marked by profound shifts and unwavering faith, continues to inspire through his music and the cherished memories of those who knew him best.