Joe Bonsall Interview
-Interviewed on May 4th 2015
For over forty years,
the inspirational Country & Gospel renderings of Joe Bonsall,Duane
Allen, William Lee Golden and Richard Sterban, have perpetually and affectionately
delivered positive, wholesome, and enj
In our last
interview in
March of 2014, Joe Bonsall,
the legendary tenor of the Oak Ridge Boys was brimming with exciting news …
news that included their jubilant 40th anniversary as a group together and the
upcoming release of their first live album ever entitled … Boys Night Out on
Cleopatra Records. ‘The Boys’ had also returned from sea on their
annual Oak Ridge Boys Rally-at-Sea aboard the Celebrity Reflection,
and of course their touring schedule which has been extraordinarily relentless
for over the past four decades.
In my recent interview with Joe, he was still brimming
with exciting news, and 2015 would prove that the group is as busy as ever! The
Oak Ridge Boys continue to persevere and instill their amazing success into
America’s hearts. Probably the biggest news ever in their illustrious 40+ year
career is the news that the group will be inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame …
class of 2015. The official induction will take place later this year during a
medallion ceremony in Nashville. Congrats guys!
You want more? The Oak
Ridge Boys recently released their critically-acclaimed CD entitled ‘Rock of Ages, Hymns and Gospel
Favorites, an awe-inspiring
collection of classic hymns that also features Merle Haggard and The Isaacs.
On May 1st
Harvest House Publishers released Joe Bonsall’s (5) star
review novel entitled …
The Oak Ridge Boys
also began a rather
lengthy tour of the U.S. this month.
2016 will continue
where 2015 left off … On January 16th thru 23rd the Oak’s will be sailing the
high seas on the Holland America Westerdam Cruise Line to perform onboard
for ‘The Country Music Cruise.’ The incredible music
lineup stars… Kenny Rogers, Randy Owen, lead singer of Alabama, The Oak Ridge Boys, Mel Tillis, Kathy Mattea, B.J.
Thomas, The Bellamy Brothers, Johnny Lee, Shenandoah featuring Marty
Raybon, Jamie O’ Neal, Riders In The Sky, Deborah Allen, Quebe Sisters, Chuck
Mead & His Grassy Knoll Boys, Host Lorianne Crook, Deborah Evans Price,
Elvis Tribute Artists … and more to be announced!
The
Oak Ridge Boys have sold over 41-million records. The group has scored 12
gold, three platinum, and one double platinum album—plus one double platinum
single—and had more than a dozen national Number One singles and over 30 Top
Ten hits.
Joe
Bonsall and I discussed
their upcoming induction into the ‘Country Music Hall of Fame,’ the Oak Ridge
Boys latest release …‘Rock of Ages, Hymns and Gospel Favorites’,
the Oak’s strong Christian faith and their recipe for success
… and much-much more!
Here’s my recent
interview with singer, author, 40 year plus veteran of the Oak Ridge Boys,and American Patriot
… JOE BONSALL.
Ray
Shasho: How are you doing Joe, where are you at today?
Joe
Bonsall: “Hello my
brother! I’m at home here in Hendersonville, Tennessee.”
Ray
Shasho: Well, the Oak Ridge Boys have a lot going on these days as they
always do …
Joe
Bonsall: “It’s just
amazing to me Ray, I sometimes sit back and I just wonder how the heck we do
it. At our age and to have this Hall of Fame thing, to have two new albums out,
to write this new book on the group like I did, and I can’t even believe I did
it, I thought for sure I wrote all there was to write about the Oak Ridge Boys
eleven years ago with An American Journey but Harvest House Publishing Group
came to me and said, hey man, we want a new book on the Oak Ridge Boys, and we
want you to write it … can you give us something new and fresh? So it’s amazing
Ray how many good things we’ve got going on.”
Ray
Shasho: Joe, congratulations on the exciting news that the Oak Ridge
Boys will be inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame during the Medallion
Ceremony in the fall this year. What were your thoughts after the announcement
was made?
Joe
Bonsall: “It’s the ultimate of all honors! It’s been
about a month now since they told us about it at the ceremony downtown and
we’re actually officially inducted into the Hall of Fame in October. But we are
inductees … I guess like the Governor elect or President elect, you’re not
President yet but you’ve been elected. So we’re inductees, and I’ve got to tell
you man, every once in awhile it hits you like a freight train …the Country
Music Hall of Fame! It’s kind of funny, I finished that book and it just came
out about three weeks ago. I totally finished my writing in January and I wrote
in there, I think we’ve done enough to make it in the Hall of Fame, but I don’t
know, my only hope is if it does happen we’re alive when it does, and doggone
all of a sudden it’s our time. Thank God we are alive to see it happen. I keep
thinking about that plaque coming out with our four faces on it together, as it
has always been and will always be.”
Ray
Shasho: “The Oak Ridge Boys have won
countless awards over the years, I can’t think of another group that may have
earned more.
Joe
Bonsall: “ Maybe ‘Alabama’ has
won the big-big share of awards, I’d have to put them on that same level. We’ve
won all kinds of different awards. In fact, we’ve been spokesmen for the
American Legion and they’re about to give us the Legion Patriot award in
Baltimore on September 2nd.”
Ray
Shasho: Joe, I really enjoyed the ‘Oaks’ recent gospel
release … ‘Rock of Ages, Hymns and Gospel Favorites,’ and I noticed an
appearance by Ban-Joey on “Power in the Blood?”
Joe
Bonsall: “Yea man they let me put a banjo ride in
there, thank God for patient producers. (All laughing) It took awhile to nail
that thing, I have to be honest. Once I started playing it was scatterbrained
all over the place, so they said, well let’s do in sections. (All laughing) I
tell you what Ray, singing the old hymns were really cool, that came out of a
late night phone conversation between Bill Gaither and Duane Allen. Bill said,
the Oaks have recorded a hymn or two over the years but it would be great to
see you guys put your touch on some of the great old hymns. And in our Oak
Ridge Boys way we did that as well as some extra things on there that weren’t
hymns but still fit the format. For instance, Duane Allen had this song called
“Peace Within” for about ten years and we never had a project that it fit on.
Duane said, this would fit that Hymn album so well, it’s up tempo and a blue
grassy kind of thing and then Ben Isaac put the Isaacs Family on it and that
made it a real unique cut.”
Ray
Shasho: Merle Haggard also performed on the track “Sweet Jesus?”
Joe
Bonsall: “That’s another cool story because Haggard
wrote the song for us like two years ago and he sent it to us through Marty
Stuart. Merle said, I wrote a song for the Oak Ridge Boys and asked Marty if he
would give it to us. So what happened was, we were working on that live project
last year … Boys Night Out and the song didn’t fit that format, but as soon as
this hymns album came out, the first thing we thought was, hey, we can do the
Haggard song on here, now let’s get him to sing with us on here, which we did,
and it came out pretty cool.”
Ray
Shasho: A track that I got a little bit emotional with
was “Time Has Made A Change in Me,” such a beautiful and heartfelt song … “Time
has made a change since my childhood days; Many of my loved ones have gone
away, Some I never more in this life shall see, Time has made a change in me.”
Joe
Bonsall: “It’s not a hymn; it’s an old-old gospel
quartet song and Golden wanted to do that. You know what, when I guy comes and
says, I really want to sing “Time Has Made a Change in Me” … you know what, you
let him do it!”
Ray
Shasho: Golden also sounded like he was a little bit choked up by the tune
like I was.
Joe
Bonsall: “He was and I
think it was cool that they kept the version where he was a little bit choked
up because I thought it made all kinds of sense to do so. You know Ray, you
wake up one day and you’re 50, and then the 50’s blow by, and then all of a
sudden you’re 60, and then you see the 60’s blow by, and in my three singing
partners case, they’re already watching their 70’s blow by. I’ve got a
granddaughter who is about to turn 20 years old. How does that even happen? I
said this in the book, and this is thanking God for the health he has given us,
I don’t feel any different onstage looking out my eyeball windows, looking over
my microphone, than I did when I was younger. I may not jump quite as high or
move quite as much, but I’m still singing good and feeling pretty much the same
as I always had …until you go by a mirror.”
“We’ve been asked that
age old question, when are you guys going to retire? I don’t see that happening
here. We’re all progressive and forward thinking guys, we’re planning guys … we
don’t even know how to slow down let alone stop this machine. So to me, it’s
keep on going until God says not to keep on going … Joe ain’t coming to the bus
tonight, he’s dead … that will do it. (All laughing)”
Ray
Shasho: The Oak Ridge Boys are timeless; I’ve
interviewed a lot of great artists who are still touring in their 80’s.
Joe
Bonsall: “Look at Willie
(Willie Nelson), he’s a great example. He’s still out there playing lots of
dates, and Merle (Merle Haggard) goes out and still plays, you know the young
kids are ruling the roost right now but guys like the Charlie Daniels Band, the
Oak Ridge Boys, and the Bellamy Brothers … we still got big crowds to sing to
and a date book filled with dates. So there’s room obviously for everybody. I
remember a few years ago right before Ray Price died, I saw Ray Price sing and
he sang incredibly well, he was well into his 80’s and he sounded as good as
ever (Joe singing … “For the Good Times”). And look at Tony Bennett for crying
out loud.”
Ray
Shasho: William Golden can always launch a second career as the third
frontman with ZZ Top … he’s always had an awesome beard.
Joe
Bonsall: “He’s got the
best beard out there … better than those Duck Dynasty guys … people are always
talking about Golden’s beard and comparing his to ZZ Top and Duck Dynasty’s. He
always keeps it outside the covers so it can breathe; it’s like a living and
breathing entity. (All laughing)”
Ray
Shasho: How’s young Mary Sarah doing these days? I did
an interview with her back in late 2014, she’s very talented and I really
enjoyed chatting with her.
Joe
Bonsall: “You know, she’s doing well, and she keeps
piling it on too. I’d love to see her just breakthrough one of these days
because I just love the girl. I love her parents, her family, and love her and
what she’s about; I think she’s a great young talent that cares … I pull for
Mary Sarah, I follow her closely. Actually her daddy and I keep in pretty close
touch and I’m always getting a text from him when Mary Sarah’s doing something.
So I’m a big supporter.”
Ray
Shasho: Talk about how the group’s strong Christian
faith has helped the Oak Ridge Boys over the years, and has remarkably kept the
group together for over four decades.
Joe
Bonsall: “I have to
give the faith thing a lot of credit for that. All the Oak Ridge Boys kind of
know our place, we know where the blessings come from and who to be thankful
for and thankful to, and everybody was brought up that way. And we were all
brought up with a love for gospel music. I think that love for gospel is what
cements us together. We don’t make our living with gospel music yet we can go
in the arena anytime and be friends with everybody and sing the songs. But
we’ve never been like everybody else and I think that’s another driving force
in the success of the Oak Ridge Boys. We were brought up, if we treated people
right, if we were honest, we honored God in our lives, if we do all these
things and worked hard … God would do good things for us. That’s why the new
book is dedicated to our four mothers, because we each had that kind of
upbringing, and again, I think it’s one of those solidifying factors in our
success and longevity. The most positive thing you could do in your life is to
be a man of faith, and to believe, and to pray, and appreciate God’s blessings
in your life … and that’s what’s important.”
Ray
Shasho: What is the most important thing you’ve
learned all these years as a performer and as a family man?
Joe
Bonsall: “Integrity. In
my book I have a chapter called the ‘ORB Doctrine’ and I think following it in
your personal life, on the road, treating people right and trying to do things
the correct way pays dividends. In my ‘What is Hard and What is Not’ chapter,
to me the only thing I found hard what I did is leaving family. Singing isn’t
hard, heck we sing songs, riding a bus isn’t hard; you get to travel around
with a bunch of guys having fun. My father worked in a factory man… I don’t
work in a factory. I sing songs for a living. The hardest part is those things
you do miss being a travelling person … you miss birthdays, weddings, and
precious moments with your loved ones that will never come back again. To me,
that’s the only thing that’s hard about it.”
Ray
Shasho: Joe, how many cats do you have now?
Joe
Bonsall: “I’ve got seven
right now. One of the ways you keep a marriage together is to know your place …
if we had five cats, I’d be number six. (All laughing) With seven cats, I’m
number eight. If we happened to get an eighth cat, I would drop to number nine.
So just know your place and be happy.”
Ray
Shasho: Joe, it’s always fun and a real pleasure to chat with you, I feel
like your family, and congratulations on being an inductee into the ‘Country
Music Hall of Fame’ Class of 2015!
Joe
Bonsall: “Ray, it’s always an
honor and a thrill to talk to you man, you’re a good dude!”
Purchase the Oak Ridge Boys latest release …
‘Rock of Ages, Hymns and Gospel Favorites ’ at amazon.com
1. In The Sweet By And By
2. Rock Of Ages
3. Sweet Jesus (The Oak Ridge Boys, Merle Haggard)
4. Angel Band
5. There Is Power In The Blood
6. In The Garden
7. Hold To Gods Unchanging Hand
8. I Love To Tell The Story
9. Life s Railway To Heaven
10. Time Has Made A Change In Me
11. Blessed Assurance
12. Father I Stretch My Hands To Thee
13. Farther Along
14. Just A Little Talk With Jesus
15. Peace Within (The Oak Ridge Boys, The Isaacs)
2. Rock Of Ages
3. Sweet Jesus (The Oak Ridge Boys, Merle Haggard)
4. Angel Band
5. There Is Power In The Blood
6. In The Garden
7. Hold To Gods Unchanging Hand
8. I Love To Tell The Story
9. Life s Railway To Heaven
10. Time Has Made A Change In Me
11. Blessed Assurance
12. Father I Stretch My Hands To Thee
13. Farther Along
14. Just A Little Talk With Jesus
15. Peace Within (The Oak Ridge Boys, The Isaacs)
Purchase Joe Bonsall’s
latest novel entitled …
On the Road with the Oak Ridge
Boys: Forty Years of Untold Stories and Adventures
- Available at amazon.com
Very Special Thanks to
Sanford Brokaw of the Brokaw Company
Sanford Brokaw of the Brokaw Company
COMING
UP NEXT … An interview with
guitar legend/singer/producer …
DAVE EDMUNDS (Rockpile) ("I Hear You Knocking")
DAVE EDMUNDS (Rockpile) ("I Hear You Knocking")
And longtime KISS guitarist/singer/songwriter …
BRUCE
KULICK (Grand Funk Railroad)
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journalist/author Ray Shasho at rockraymond.shasho@gmail.com
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