When Ben James joined The Oak Ridge Boys, he had some shockingly big shoes to fill. The 28-year-old took the place of Joe Bonsall, who retired from touring at the end of 2023, due to his deteriorating health.
Generations apart from William Lee Golden, Richard Sterban and Duane Allen, the three longtime members of The Oak Ridge Boys, James is thrilled to be part of the iconic group, and still amazed at the opportunity he has been given.
“They take care of me,” James tells Whiskey Riff. “I love sitting around and listening to their stories, just hanging out with the band. It’s pretty unreal when you step out there and look over and see Duane and William Lee and Richard. And in my mind, Joe is still up there.”
Perhaps ironically, it was Bonsall who first gave James the opportunity to sing with them, on their iconic song, “Elvira,” which also happened to be the first time James saw The Oak Ridge Boys perform live. On the road at the time with Dailey & Vincent in 2022, it’s a moment that will forever be etched in James’ mind.
“Joe handed me the mic and said, ‘You’ve got the next verse,'” James recalls. “And I’m not sure I will ever get over that moment. ‘Elvira’ was always on repeat when I was growing up. It’s still one of those timeless songs that never grows old.”
Bonsall quietly battled what he described as a neuromuscular disorder for more than four years, before announcing at the end of 2023 that his health was prohibiting him from continuing to tour. When announcing the news, Bonsall encouraged fans of The Oak Ridge Boys to support James in his new role.
“There is a young man named Ben James singing for me out there, and he needs your love and encouragement … his sound is different than mine, but he brings a ton of talent to the table!” Bonsall said at the time. “The Oak Ridge Boys will finish the Farewell Tour without me, but rest assured, I am good with all of it! God’s Got It!!!”
Bonsall passed away on July 9, from ALS. The Oak Ridge Boys launched their American Made: Farewell Tour in 2023, with the hopes that Bonsall would be able to finish the dates. It was Bonsall who invited James to take his spot in the group permanently.
“‘[Bonsall said], ‘I’m going to do my best to make all the Christmas dates. If I make the Christmas dates, I’m going to try my best to make all the dates you put in the book for [2024],’” Allen recalls to Billboard. “Well, we got to the last Christmas date, we carried him off stage, we put him in a wheelchair, and he said, ‘I’m done.’ And the next morning, he called Ben James, and said, ‘I’m done. The position is yours. Put your singing britches on.’”
Now that Bonsall has passed away, the group hints they may be on the road for a lot longer than they originally intended.
“I believe the Eagles are on their third farewell tour, so we can at least do our first farewell tour and end it at the end of ’25,” Allen says. “I think we’re going to probably try to work as many dates as we can and get to the places we’ve not been able to cover this year. We need the audience and we need to say thank you to all of them. The date book keeps filling up. I guess that’s God saying, ‘It’s not time yet, so keep singing.’”
The Oak Ridge Boys just announced the release of a new album, Mama’s Boys, out on October 25. The 10-track record, the first with James singing in place of Bonsall, includes their “I Thought About You, Lord,” a collaboration with Willie Nelson, which is out now.
See a track list for Mama’s Boys below. Pre-order the record, and find all of The Oak Ridge Boys’ music and upcoming shows at OakRidgeBoys.com.
Mama’s Boys’ Track Listing:
01. That’s The Way Mama Made It
02. Mama’s Boys
03. Mama’s Teaching Angels How To Sing
04. Ever With Me
05. Her Voice
06. Mama Sang For Me
07. Come On Home
08. I Thought About You, Lord (Feat. Willie Nelson)
09. Sweetest Gift
10. Divine Witness