The Oak Ridge Boys Share Tribute to Late Band Member Joe Bonsall in New Video for ‘Promised Land’
The Oak Ridge Boys shared a new video tribute for their beloved song “Promised Land” in honor of their late bandmate Joe Bonsall. Bonsall died earlier this month from complications of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Not only did Bonsall originally sing the song like no one else could but the lyrics — “Don’t weep for me when I’m dead and gone, for I’ll just be going home” — lovingly pay tribute to the late singer.
The group, now comprised of Richard Sterban, Duane Allen, William Lee Golden and their newest member Ben James, created the music video featuring memories from the history of the Oak Ridge Boys.
James shared, “[The video] is so very moving. It makes me smile to think that Joe is now with the one he loved to sing about. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again — nobody can get the message of a song across like Joe Bonsall.”
Photo by Jon Mir
The Oak Ridge Boys originally released the song back in 2021, written by country artist Ashley Monroe. Allen said about the inspiration for the song, which came months after his wife Norah Lee Allen died, “I called Ashley Monroe and asked her to write a song for our Front Porch Singin’ album. Within a few days Ashley sent ‘Promised Land.’ I loved it immediately and sent it to [producer] Dave Cobb.”
Photo by Jarret Gaza
Not only will bandmates and fans remember Bonsall through the music, but he also wrote a memoir before he died that will be released in November. The book, titled I See Myself: Musings and Memories of a Blessed Life, opens up about his upbringing, his faith and his history with the Oak Ridge Boys. What do you think of the new video?
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