(ProsperNews.net) – Grammy Award-winner Joe Bonsall has died at age 76. A statement from the singer’s family confirmed he died from complications associated with the neuromuscular disorder Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. The statement said that Bonsall loved singing, reading, and writing and was devoted to the Philadelphia Phillies. “But Jesus and his family always came first,” it said.
Born in Philadelphia in 1948 to military parents who both served in World War II, Bonsall started his singing career with gospel groups before joining the Oak Ridge Boys in 1973. The group enjoyed several hits, including “Elvira” in 1981, “Bobbie Sue” in 1982, and “American Made” in 1983. Mr. Bonsall was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2015. Kyle Young, CEO of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, said, “His tenor voice was high and clear, and his jovial spirit always provided a jolt of energy.”
The Oak Ridge Boys embarked on a farewell tour last September, but in January, Bonsall said his illness had made it too difficult for him to continue and announced his retirement. In a statement at the time, he thanked the band for wonderful years but said he was finding it increasingly difficult to walk and asked his fans to pray for him.
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, causes degeneration of nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. It causes muscle control loss and worsens over time, but its exact cause remains unknown. Medical experts say symptoms begin with twitching and weakness in the arms and legs, swallowing difficulties, and slurred speech. Eventually, it impacts and reduces the ability to speak, move, eat, and breathe. There is no cure.
Roughly 30,000 Americans suffered from ALS in the United States last year. Men are 20% more likely to have the disease than women, and while it is more common in older individuals, it can affect people in their 20s or 30s. The average life expectancy is between two and five years.
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