When The Oak Ridge Boys announced their American Made: Farewell Tour in 2023, it was due to Joe Bonsall‘s deteriorating health, with the hope that Bonsall would be able to fulfill what was thought to be the iconic quartet’s final dates. But now, with the addition of Ben James, William Lee Golden says there are no longer any plans for The Oak Ridge Boys to retire.
“The Oak Ridge Boys are not retiring,” Golden tells CCM Magazine. “It was heart-wrenching for us to say farewell to Joe Bonsall. He was 50 years singing tenor. It’s been close to a year ago when he was really going down faster. But this young man came along. We knew him because he had sang on stage with us in Wheeling, West Virginia one night.”
It was while James was singing with Dailey & Vincent that he had the chance to perform “Elvira” with The Oak Ridge Boys, showing off his impressive vocal skills. A lifelong fan of the Country Music Hall of Fame members, and someone who looked up to Bonsall, he offered his support in any way possible, an offer that The Oak Ridge Boys gladly accepted.