Blake Shelton paid tribute to his late friend Joe Bonsall, who passed away recently. Joe was a longtime member of The Oak Ridge Boys, a celebrated country and gospel group, from 1973 until his death in 2024.
On Tuesday, Blake, 48, shared a heartfelt photo on his Instagram Stories of himself performing alongside The Oak Ridge Boys. While the exact details of the photo’s location and date are unclear, Blake expressed his sorrow over Joe’s passing, saying: “I am deeply saddened to learn of the passing of my friend Joe Bonsall”.
He fondly recalled: “I have never seen Joe without a genuine smile on his face. He loved singing more than anyone I’ve ever met”. Blake extended his thoughts and prayers to Joe’s family and fellow bandmates, stating: “Today, we have all experienced the loss of someone truly important”.
In 2016, Blake and The Oak Ridge Boys collaborated on the song “Doing It to Country Songs”. Joe’s death was attributed to Lou Gehrig’s disease, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a progressive condition affecting voluntary muscle control, which has no known cure. Fans became aware of Joe’s struggle with the illness in January 2024, four years after he announced his condition and retirement from the band.
Joe is survived by his daughters, Jennifer and Sabrina, from his marriage to Mary Ann, as well as two grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. The Bonsall family shared in a statement that Joe authored 11 books, with his memoir, I See Myself, scheduled for release in November. He cherished his time at the farm and was a devoted fan of the Philadelphia Phillies, but emphasized that his faith and family were his greatest priorities.
The Oak Ridge Boys, consisting of Joe, Richard Sterban, Duane Allen, and William Lee Golden, are famous for hits like “Elvira”, “Come On In” and “Bobbie Sue”. The band was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2015 and has won five Grammy Awards. As the group embarks on a farewell tour that will last for about a few month, they reflect on their legacy, despite the original lineup no longer being intact. Joe’s love for music, reading, and writing, along with his skills on the banjo, will be fondly remembered by fans and loved ones alike.
Amazing Gesture, Watch People Spend Hours Standing In The Rain If Their Stem Cells Were A…
With all of the negativity in the worId today, it’s easy to forget that there are still good people out there who are doing kind things for one another. That’s why it’s so great that a story is going viral this week that is renewing our faith in humanity in a huge way!
Oscar Saxelby-Lee is a 5 year-old boy from Worcester, England who is fighting for his Iife after being diagnosed with a rare form of can-cer called T-cell acute lymphoblastic Ieukemia, which has put his life in danger.
The can-cer has given Oscar a variety of health problems, as it has caused immature white blood cells to flood his system.
Doctors have told Oscar’s parents that he only has three months to Iive unless he can find a stem cell donor. Luckily for Oscar, he had some very good people around him who were going to do whatever they could to save his life.
Laura Senter, Oscar’s teaching assistant, was devastated when she Iearned about his diagnosis. She went right to the school, where teachers ended up organizing a massive event in search for a stem cell donor for Oscar.
The organizers behind the event made a public announcement, calling on anyone between the ages of 17 and 55 to come and register as donors.
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