The Oak Ridge Boys Release ‘Elvira’ Music Video Featuring Late Joe Bonsall & Other Surprise Cameos

LEDLAND CENTER, CT - APRIL 10: Country Group The Oak Ridge Boys attend the Kenny Rogers: The First 50 Years award show at the MGM Grand at Foxwoods on April 10, 2010 in Ledyard Center, Connecticut
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The Oak Ridge Boys have released the first-ever music video for their hit song “Elvira.” The song, released in 1981, received a Grammy Award plus won Single of the Year from the Country Music Association and the Academy of Country Music. It is almost hard to believe that the song never got a music video until now, despite it doing so well with fans. The music video is extra special because it is longtime member Joe Bonsall’s last video before he passed away last month.

Not only that, but the band brought on some major cameos in the video including Trace Adkins, Big & Rich, Kid Rock, Andrea Pearson, Ben James, Chase Matthew, Danni Stefanetti, Deborah Allen, Denzel & Angelina Irwin, Hillary Williams, Lorrie Morgan, Ray Stevens, Stephon Riley, T. Graham Brown, Tenille Arts, the Gatlin Brothers, Tico Hernandez and Zach Williams.

Joe Bonsall of The Oak Ridge Boys performs at the Ryman Auditorium on December 12, 2023 in Nashville, Tennessee

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The music video for “Elvira” was filmed at John Rich’s Redneck Riviera bar on Nashville’s Lower Broadway last October. Duane Allen, a member of the band for almost 60 years, admitted, “When they started talking about doing a video of ‘Elvira,’ I wasn’t really on board. It took a while for me to rally around the idea. Then I [realized] what they were doing was really paying tribute to the song, not us, and how that song affected everybody who heard it. [Then], I was gung-ho — because I really feel like once anybody hears that song, it’s just magic.”

Joe Bonsall, Duane Allen, William Lee Golden and Richard Sterban of The Oak Ridge Boys are seen at The Grand Ole Opry on November 18, 2022 in Nashville, Tennessee

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The video’s director, Brandon Wood, added, “My goal since working with the Oak Ridge Boys has been to help them expand their reach to younger demographics through creative means of promoting their new albums and releases. It just made sense that our group of unsuspecting karaoke singers would be a group of influencers, with respectable audiences of their own.”

In other exciting news, the Oak Ridge Boys continue to travel around the country on their American Made Farewell Tour. Ben James took over for Bonsall in early 2024 after he announced his retirement. Check out their tour dates here on their updated website.

>> The Oak Ridge Boys Announce Farewell Tour

 

Watch the music video below and share your thoughts on it in the comments:

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