BLAKE Shelton has mourned the death of his friend, Joe Bonsall, with a touching tribute.
Joe was part of the country and gospel band, The Oak Ridge Boys, from 1973 to 2024.
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Blake Shelton, seen performing with the Oak Ridge Boys at the 2016 CMT Awards, shared a heartbreaking tribute to Joe BonsallCredit: Getty
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Joe Bonsall, seen here at the Grand Ole Opry in 2022, died on July 9, 2024, after battling ALS for four yearsCredit: Getty
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Blake Shelton shared a post on his Instagram Stories on July 9 and said that he was heartbroken and lost a special friendCredit: Instagram/blakeshelton
On Tuesday, Blake, 48, shared a photo of him singing with The Oak Ridge Boys on stage.
The exact date and location of the photo is unknown.
“I’m heartbroken to hear of my friend Joe Bonsall’s passing,” he wrote on his Instagram Stories.
“I’ve NEVER seen Joe when he wasn’t smiling and completely full of life.”
“He absolutely loved singing like no one I ever met,” Blake went on.
“My thoughts and prayers are with his family and his @theoakridgeboys brothers. We all lost a special person today.”
Blake released the song Doing It to Country Songs featuring The Oak Ridge Boys in 2016.
REST IN PEACE
Joe died on July 9 at the age of 76.
His cause of death was complications from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease.
ALS is an incurable neuromuscular disease that affects voluntary muscles in the body.
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The singer told fans about his diagnosis in January 2024, after battling the disease for four years.
Joe had a wife named Mary Ann, two daughters, Jennifer and Sabrina, two grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.
“Joseph is also the author of 11 books including his latest, a memoir entitled I See Myself, which releases in November,” a press release from a spokesperson in the Bonsall family read.
“Joe loved to sing. He loved to read. He loved to write. He loved to play banjo.”
I’ve NEVER seen Joe when he wasn’t smiling and completely full of life.
Blake Shelton
“He loved working on the farm. And he loved the Philadelphia Phillies. But Jesus and his family always came first—and we will see him again on the Promised Day,” the statement went on.
Joe announced his retirement from the band during his diagnosis announcement.
TIME WITH THE BAND
Aside from Joe, The Oak Ridge Boys also consists of William Lee Golden, Richard Sterban, and Duane Allen.
Some of the band’s most famous songs include Elvira, Come On In, Leaving Louisiana In The Broad Daylight, and Bobbie Sue.
The Oak Ridge Boys won five Grammy Awards and was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2015.
None of the remaining members are the original members of the band.
Curly Kinsey, Lon “Deacon” Freeman, Wally Fowler, and Little Johnny New all founded the group.
The Oak Ridge Boys are currently on their American Made: The Farwell tour, which is on the road until December 8.
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Blake Shelton and The Oak Ridge Boys, posed together for the 2016 CMT Awards, just weeks after they released the song Doing It to Country Songs togetherCredit: Getty
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The Oak Ridge Boys, performing here in 2019, in Tennessee, are a country and gospel band that was formed in 1943Credit: Getty
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Joe Bonsall, performing here at the Grand Ole Opry in 2020, retired from touring in January 2024Credit: Getty
