This was sad news to see when I got home from work today: Joe Bonsall of the Oak Ridge Boys died the other day, after a battle with Lou Gehrig’s Disease.
The Oak Ridge Boys weren’t huge in my household, but I do remember that my father liked their sound and some of their songs a great deal. The Oak Ridge Boys really did vocal harmony incredibly well, and with Bonsall’s tenor voice rising above the rest, you always knew that’s who you were listening to. (Well, his tenor rising above and Richard Sterban’s bass diving below.)
I can’t say that I’m super familiar with the Oak Ridge Boys, but there are two of their songs that I do count among my favorite songs of all time. First is likely their biggest hit, “Elvira”, which dominated country radio for a few years in the early 80s. This performance may not be the best in terms of sound or video quality, but I love the 70s-80s vibe here: this is from the old variety show that Barbara Mandrell and her sisters hosted, and the variety-show aesthetic of the time is on full display here. You can just tell these guys are enjoying the hell out of themselves. (And note, in the early going, the guitarist just over Bonsall’s left shoulder. That’s how you get into what you’re doing.)
The other song (I’m pretty sure I’ve featured both of these songs before on this site, but not for quite a while) is one of my favorite songs set in a bar ever. The melody and the lyrics just do something magical here; I can picture the scene in my mind almost perfectly…the bar’s dark lighting, the scents of beer and cigarette smoke, the signs and mirrors on the wall, the pinball machine over there in the corner that nobody’s playing, and the little stage where this lovely woman whose messy-haired beauty isn’t the least bit lessened by her years and mileage, and the patrons watching her sing…with one watching her more lovingly than most, I suspect.
Here is “Y’all Come Back Saloon”. Bonsall isn’t the featured singer here like he was on “Elvira” (along with Sterban in the famous “papa-ooo-mow-mow” parts), but his tenor is still unmistakable.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ggrGlVEe6pI
Thank you for the music, Mr. Bonsall, and condolences to those who knew and loved you. Your music meant a lot, to a lot.
