Music

15 Jul 2024

Diane Warren & Jimmy Jam to Be Honored at 2024 Carousel of Hope Ball

Diane Warren and Jimmy Jam will be honored at the 38th Carousel of Hope Ball on Oct. 5 at The Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, California.

Warren will become the second recipient of the Inspirational Lifetime Achievement Award, an award won in 2016 by Sidney Poitier. Jimmy Jam will be honored with the Brass Ring Award, an award that has previously gone to a wide range of notables, including such music stars as Whitney Houston, Frank Sinatra and Stevie Wonder.

The biennial event will once again bring together VIPs from the film, television, music, and business industries to support increasing awareness of type 1 diabetes, and raise funds for clinical care, prevention, and diabetes research at the Barbara Davis Center for Diabetes.

“I have attended the Carousel of Hope Ball many times and am honored and flattered to have been selected to receive the Inspirational Lifetime Achievement Award and to be part of an event that helps shed light on all the wonderful work being done at the Barbara Davis Center for Diabetes,” Warren said in a statement.

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Jimmy Jam noted that the award has special meaning to him and his family. “My son Max was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at the age of two, so receiving this Brass Ring Award is particularly personal for me,” he said. “Max had previously vowed, ‘I promise to stay in this fight and find a cure for Type 1 diabetes.’ I thank Barbara Davis for keeping that dream alive for Max and our family.”

Warren and Jimmy Jam are among the most successful hitmakers in music history. Both have been inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame (Warren in 2001, Jimmy Jam in 2017). Both are Grammy winners (five for Jimmy Jam, one for Warren). Both are Oscar nominees for best original song (15 for Warren, one for Jimmy Jam). Both are Primetime Emmy nominees, with Warren winning for a song she wrote for CNN’s The Hunting Ground and Jam nominated as one of the music directors of Let’s Go Crazy: The Grammy Salute to Prince. 

Jay Leno and David Foster will again serve as host and music director, respectively. (Foster produced Celine Dion’s 1996 recording of “Because You Loved Me,” the song that brought Warren her only Grammy award to date.) Clive Davis and Quincy Jones will reprise their roles as music chairmen, while George Schlatter returns to produce the show.

The Carousel Balls have raised more than $115 million to date, with proceeds benefiting the Children’s Diabetes Foundation and the Barbara Davis Center for Diabetes. Funds are raised through sponsorships, dinner tickets, a live and silent auction, and contributions.

The 2024 Carousel of Hope Ball is presented by Dexcom, a global leader in real-time continuous glucose monitoring for people with diabetes. Underwriting support is provided by Sanofi. Additional sponsorship is provided by American Airlines and The Beverly Hilton.

15 Jul 2024

Amber Rose to Speak at Republican National Convention in Milwaukee

Amber Rose is among the celebrity speakers slated to take the stage at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, which kicks off on Monday (July 15) and runs through Thursday (July 18).

The 40-year-old model/influencer revealed she was gearing up for a trip to the Milwaukee RNC as a speaker on July 8. “It’s True! I’m speaking at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee #MAGA,” she wrote to X.

Rose has changed her tune over the years since bashing Donald Trump heading into the 2016 election when she threatened to move to Canada and also called him a “f—ing idiot” in an interview with The Cut.

Rose went public with her support of the former president in May when she hailed “Trump 2024” in an Instagram post featuring a photo alongside Donald Trump and his wife Melania.

In July alone, she posted a photo in a bikini rocking the red “Make America Great Again” hat and another featuring a bloodied Trump pumping his fist following the apparent assassination attempt in Pennsylvania over the weekend. Her current IG profile picture even has Donald Trump Photoshopped onto a photo of Eazy E.

Plenty of political was sparked by Rose’s announcement on X revealing her plans to speak at the GOP convention. “Of course… I literally called that this stuff would happen years ago and was called crazy for it. The pendulum is swinging and so many of these celebrities and influencers are jumping on the Trump train/Right-Wing,” one person wrote.

Another bashed her: “And so I said to Trump ‘Of course I will sell out my own community.’”

Other speakers slated to hit the stage include UFC CEO Dana White, country artists Lee Greenwood and Chris Jansen, as well as former Fox News host Tucker Carlson.

According to CNN’s Viktor Blackwell, 50 Cent is scheduled to perform at the RNC at some point this week. “The person cautioned plans could still change, but as of Monday morning, 50 was scheduled to perform at the convention,” he added on X.

15 Jul 2024

Taylor Swift Thanks Milan for Having Her ‘Favorite Crowds Ever’ After Eras Tour Shows

The latest Eras Tour shows marked a new highlight for Taylor Swift. Following her two concerts in Milan, the 34-year-old pop star took to Instagram Monday (July 15) to gush about the crowds at San Siro Stadium — which she went as far as calling some of her career favorites.

“WOW. MILAN,” Swift began her post. “Those were truly 2 of my favorite crowds ever. The passion and generosity you showed us… it was a dream come true to perform for you.”

The “Anti-Hero” singer also shared a carousel of photos from her back-to-back performances in Italy, including one snap of a brand new Fearless era dress that she debuted at her first Milan show Saturday (July 13). “Grazi mille!!” she added. “We’ll be back!! ?? ?”

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Swift’s tenure in the city was full of memorable moments, with the acoustic sections including mashups of “The 1″ and “Wonderland,” “I Almost Do” and “The Moment I Knew,” “Mr. Perfectly Fine” and “Red” as well as “Getaway Car” with “Out of the Woods.” The shows had a couple hilarious blips, though, with the 14-time Grammy winner at one point swallowing a bug on stage.

“I knew it would happen, ’cause there’s so many bugs here tonight,” she told the laughing crowd. “I just need to cough a little bit.”

At another point, Swift’s iconic flower-painted piano suffered a malfunction that necessitated a crew member joining her on the stage to investigate its interior. “You know what, we finally broke it,” she joked. “We have finally broken this thing.”

Luckily, she and her helper were able to get the keyboard back into playing condition. “I did it!” she squealed with a grin after successfully closing its top.

Swift is next slated to perform three consecutive shows in Gelsenkirchen, Germany July 17-20, after which she’ll travel through Hamburg and Munich. Once the European leg of her Eras trek is over, she’ll return to the U.S. and Canada for one final victory lap in November and December.

15 Jul 2024

Selena Gomez & Benny Blanco Reveal Who Said ‘I Love You’ First

Selena Gomez and Benny Blanco are continuing to prove that they’re Hollywood’s cutest couple.

The “Single Soon” star took to TikTok to partake in a couples-themed trend with the producer, in which they answer a series of “Who’s Most Likely To?” questions about their relationship. The duo revealed who eats the most (Blanco), who takes longer to get ready in the morning (Blanco), who is more romantic (both) and more.

Most notably, they revealed who said “I Love You First,” with Gomez smiling wide as she sweetly pointed to herself.

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Gomez first confirmed that she and Blanco were dating on Dec. 7, about six months into their romance. In a reply to fans on Instagram, she wrote that he “is my absolute everything in my heart” and that she is at her “happiest” in the relationship.

The singer and actress soon made their relationship fully Instagram official by giving a spot on her main feed to photos with Blanco, including one in which he hugs her among friends, and one in which she leans back to kiss him. The couple went on the spend New Year’s Eve together, with the Only Murders in the Building actress sharing a photo to her Instagram Stories, in which Blanco has his arms wrapped around Gomez and seems to be giving her a kiss.

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The producer revealed in a recent interview with Howard Stern that having kids with Gomez is “a topic of conversation to me every day.” 

“That’s my next goal, to check the box,” he added on the topic of becoming a father. “I take everything a day at a time and I just know that when I look at her, I just say, ‘I don’t know a world where it could be better than this.’ That’s what I always say to her.”

15 Jul 2024

Zach Bryan Charts 17 Songs From ‘The Great American Bar Scene’ on Hot 100

Zach Bryan has a huge week on Billboard’s charts (dated July 20), thanks to the arrival of his new album, The Great American Bar Scene.

Released July 4 on Belting Bronco/Warner Records, the set debuted at No. 17 on the Billboard 200 chart (dated July 13) after just one day of activity. Following its first full week, it jumps to No. 2 with 137,000 equivalent album units earned, according to Luminate. Nearly all of that sum is from streaming, as the album is slated to be released on CD and vinyl on Oct. 11.

The album earns Bryan his fourth top 10 on the Billboard 200, after American Heartbreak (No. 5 peak in June 2022); Zach Bryan (No. 1, September 2023); and his EP Boys of Faith (No. 8, October 2023).

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On the Billboard Hot 100, Bryan charts 17 songs from The Great American Bar Scene. Here’s a look at all 18 of Bryan’s entries on the latest list (with all but one from the new set; all are debuts except where noted).

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Rank, Title:

  • No. 12, “Pink Skies” (up from No. 13; peaked at No. 6 in June)
  • No. 14, “28”
  • No. 21, “American Nights”
  • No. 22, “I Remember Everything,” feat. Kacey Musgraves (down from No. 19; peaked at No. 1 in September)
  • No. 46, “Better Days,” feat. John Mayer
  • No. 48, “Oak Island”
  • No. 57, “The Way Back”
  • No. 58, “The Great American Bar Scene”
  • No. 61, “Bass Boat”
  • No. 69, “Purple Gas,” with Noeline Hofmann (re-entry; new high)
  • No. 71, “Sandpaper,” feat. Bruce Springsteen
  • No. 73, “Mechanical Bull”
  • No. 74, “Boons”
  • No. 83, “Memphis, The Blues,” feat. John Moreland
  • No. 91, “Like Ida”
  • No. 93, “Northern Thunder”
  • No. 94, “Towers”
  • No. 99, “Funny Man”

(Only two songs from Bryan’s new album aren’t on this week’s chart: “Lucky Enough [Poem]” and “Bathwater.”)

Of Bryan’s 18 entries on the Hot 100, 15 are debuts, upping his career total to 42 career titles. Of those, 19 have reached the top 40 and three have hit the top 10.

Thanks to his featured appearance on the new LP, John Mayer returns to the Hot 100 for the first time since “Outta My Head” with Khalid reached No. 58 in April 2019. He logs his highest rank since “Shadow Days” reached No. 42 in 2012.

Plus, Bruce Springsteen earns his 27th career Hot 100 hit, and first since “Working on a Dream” (No. 95 peak, February 2009). He earns his highest placement on the chart since “The Rising” reached No. 52 in 2002.

Meanwhile, John Moreland achieves his first career Hot 100 entry thanks to his featured appearance on “Memphis, The Blues.” The singer-songwriter, from Tulsa, Okla., has been releasing music for nearly two decades, including 10 studio albums. He has charted three collections on the Americana/Folk Albums chart: High on Tulsa Heat (No. 14 peak in 2016); Big Bad Luv (No. 18, 2017); and LP5 (No. 17, 2020).

15 Jul 2024

Musicians Who’ve Carried the Olympic Torch: BTS’ Jin, John Legend & More

Olivia Newton-John, Will.i.am and Loretta Lynn have also done the honors.

Jin of BTS participates in the Paris 2024 Olympic Torch Relay on July 14, 2024.

Jin of BTS participates in the Paris 2024 Olympic Torch Relay on July 14, 2024.

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Over the decades, tens of thousands of people have served as torchbearers ahead of the biennial Olympic Games. And many of those carefully selected participants have been some of the world’s biggest musicians, from BTS’ Jin in 2024 to John Legend in 2012.  

In the past, Olivia Newton-John, Will.i.am, Loretta Lynn, Lance Bass, Mel C and more have all also accepted the honor of representing their countries by helping to transport the Olympic flame in an on-foot relay from Greece to the site of each Games, a practice that dates back to the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin. The weather-resistant torches that carry the blaze look different each, boasting unique designs that represent the host country of any given year. At the end of the relay – which has included anywhere from a few hundred to several thousand torchbearers through the years – one final person lights the Olympic cauldron to signify the beginning of the historic contest, not to be extinguished until the Games have ended. 

“A modern invention inspired by practices from ancient Greece, the Olympic Torch Relay heralds the start of the Olympic Games and transmits a message of peace and friendship along its route,” reads the Olympics’ website.  

From pop stars to producers, instrumentalists and boy band stars, many a musician has helped carry on the torchbearing tradition of the Olympic Games. Keep reading to see which of your favorite artists have had a hand in Olympic history, plus photos of each star carrying the fateful flame, below. 

15 Jul 2024

Morgan Wallen Returns to Instagram, Announces Hometown Stadium Show in Knoxville

Morgan Wallen will soon have a triumphant homecoming when he performs at the University of Tennessee (UT)’s Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn. later this year as part of his One Night at a Time Tour.

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Wallen is bringing the tour to his hometown show at Neyland Stadium on Sunday, Sept. 22. He’ll be joined by HARDY and his fellow Tennessee native Ernest.

Wallen, an 11-time Billboard Music Award winner, grew up in Sneedville, Tennessee and then moved to Knoxville as a teen. In 2011, he graduated from Gibbs High School, located just outside of Knoxville, and has often nodded to his love of UT’s Tennessee Vols in songs including “Had Me By Halftime” and “Tennessee Fan.”

Wallen — who deleted his Instagram account back in June — reinstated his account just before revealing the news of the upcoming Neyland Stadium show.

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“I’m coming home,” Wallen wrote on Instagram, the text accompanying a video that featured the song “Rocky Top” (one of Tennessee’s state songs, which has also been associated with UT since the 1970s) as well as footage of Neyland Stadium, performance shots of Wallen and images of Wallen wearing an orange Tennessee Vols jersey.

“I’ve had the honor of playing in a lot of college, MLB and NFL stadiums the past two years, but getting to play to my hometown at Neyland Stadium, nothing tops this for a boy from East Tennessee,” he further added in a statement.

Wallen’s collaboration with Post Malone, “I Had Some Help,” is currently at No. 3 on Billboard’s all-genre Hot 100, and previously spent six weeks at the chart’s pinnacle.

Tickets for Wallen’s Neyland Stadium show will go on sale at 11 a.m. ET starting Wednesday, July 17 on the singer’s website.

 
 
 

15 Jul 2024

R&B/Hip-Hop Fresh Picks of the Week: 310babii, Veeze & Rylo Rodrgiuez, BLK ODYSSY & More

As heat wave after heat wave continues to pummel the country, so does the world of politics, which feels suspiciously written by Shonda Rhimes at this point. With the attempted assassination of former President Trump thrusting debate over President Biden’s viability as a 2024 candidate out of the picture, naturally, 50 Cent has found himself in the eye of the storm. The Grammy-winner’s classic “Many Men” has emerged as a semi-ironic anthem of the assassination attempt, earning an acknowledgment from the man himself.

“Trump gets shot and now I’m trending,” he captioned a meme of Trump’s face superimposed over his iconic album artwork for 2003’s Billboard 200-topping Get Rich or Die Tryin’, which landed at No. 11 on Billboard’s Greatest Rap Albums of All Time ranking.

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In other major hip-hop and R&B news, Eminem‘s countless namedrops on his new The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grâce) LP continue to stir up social media conversation, Ice Spice and Central Cee further stoked romance rumors with the release of their new “Did It First” single and Buju Banton performed his first U.S. shows in 13 years at New York’s UBS Arena.

With Fresh Picks, Billboard aims to highlight some of the best and most interesting new sounds across R&B and hip-hop — from 310babii’s latest banger to Veeze and Rylo Rodriguez’s grimy link-up. Be sure to check out this week’s Fresh Picks in our Spotify playlist below.

Freshest Find: Camper feat. Ari Lennox & Jeremih, “War”

Last year, with Coco Jones’ “ICU” and Maeta & Free Nationals’ “Through the Night,” Darhyl “DJ” Camper scored a pair of chart-topping R&B hits that played to the genre’s traditional elements of evocative, soulful balladry. For “War,” his new single with Grammy-nominated R&B stars Ari Lennox and Jeremih, Camper continues to play on those fundamentals. “I ain’t got time to lose with you/ All I know is that I miss you/ Bring grenades to your door/ For your love I’ll go to/ For your love I’ll go to war,” Jeremih sings over Camper’s amalgamation of warbling, gospel-inflected chords and a ’70s soul-evoking bass section. With both singer’s verses playing on the classic benchmarks of romance (“Kept you past your curfew/ Bought you your first of Nikes/ Heard your Daddy don’t like me/ Brother wanna fight me”), these three R&B heavyweights have crafted a song whose reverence for the classics permeates both their lyrics and instrumentation, ultimately making for a song that harkens to the past while feeling distinctly modern by way of their stylish vocal deliveries.

Lexa Gates & Billy Lemos, “I Just Can’t Be Alone”

Lexa Gates is one of the can’t-miss emerging artists coming out of NYC. With an aesthetic as refreshing as she is unique, the Queens-bred singer-rapper blends the adjacent worlds in poetic fashion. On her latest single, “I Just Can’t Be Alone,” Gates vulnerably grapples with a yearning for romance and isolation. “Should I really be a douchebag? I’m indifferent, ha, you mad,” she intones to start the jazzy tune. West Coast fans can hear the soulful track’s live debut when Lex takes the Echoplex stage in Los Angeles on Aug. 14.

310babii, “Pink Whitney”

As the West Coast continues to bask in their summer on top, 310babii is keeping the hits coming. After scoring a topline breakthrough moment with “Soak City (Do It)” and a follow-up hit in “Rock Yo Hips,” the recent high school graduate is ready for a few sips of “Pink Whitney.” “Pink Whitney, said she don’t drink Casa’/ Baby bad, p—y good, put her in Prada/ Bae, I gotta buy you YSL, it’s only right/ She got designer p—y, only right I bought her flight,” he spits over Beatsbyturk’s bouncy production. Less focused on packing the dancefloor with bodies and more occupied with lauding the girl with the “bеst head in the city,” “Pink Whitney” marks a slightly different direction for the rising star — but it still hits.

SoFaygo feat. Don Toliver, “Precision”

Don’t try to play games with SoFaygo because he’ll call out the “bulls–t with precision.” Lil Tecca hops behind the boards to serve up the blistering production that lives in the realm of Playboi Carti’s Whole Lotta Red. “I never ate at Denny’s, I hate to shop at Lenox/ I’m picky with my women,” FayGo rambles. The Cactus Jack artist lets the ladies know anyone riding with him doesn’t need to turn to having an OnlyFans since he’s got the finances taken care of. Fellow Cactus Jack running mate Don Toliver invades the scene and gives a NSFW shout-out to his wifey. “Damn, she got a big booty/ Kali Uchis, I’ma stuff my face in her coochie,” he promises on the raunchy assist. Hopefully, it isn’t the last time this trio joins forces. 

BLK ODYSSY, “Changes”

Ahead of his third studio album — 1-800-FANTASY (due July 19) — BLK ODYSSY has unveiled another single from the project. “Changes,” a jaunty pop-rock-infused jam that evokes the freewheeling feel of Steve Lacy’s Gemini LP, finds BLK ODYSSY lamenting over the different ways love can warp your sense of routine and normalcy. “Can’t take all these changes, thought it would be painless,” he sing-chants, effortlessly capturing the emotional turbulence of heartbreak and how life-altering the end of a relationship can be. With percussion and guitars holding down the rock ‘n’ roll vibes, it’s his melancholy timbre that keeps the soul front and center.

Veeze feat. Rylo Rodriguez, “F****d A Fan”

Someone could write a fascinating book about rappers and their romantic fan escapades. Rylo opens up about having a girl with him at a five-star hotel while Veeze leans on his designer addiction and letting his partner run up unlimited shopping spree tabs with ease. Although, the Detroit rapper knows his luxury taste and spending habits could catch up with him if he doesn’t continue to level up. “My jacket, my pants, it cost me a dime/ I need to go get an endorsement with Sprite,” he admits with some sound financial advice. As for the 4PF rhymer, Rylo doesn’t believe the ride-or-die women are out there for him. “If I had a dollar for every faithful b—h in the world, my account would be empty,” he raps before painting the bizarre visual of a girl wanting him to autograph a Trojan condom. Just press play and enjoy the journey. 

15 Jul 2024

‘Jersey Shore’ Stars Jenni Farley & Mike Sorrentino Travel to Italy for Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour

Gym, tan, Taylor! Jersey Shore stars Jenni “JWOWW” Farley and Mike “The Situation” Sorrentino had an adorable family outing in Milan, Italy, over the weekend to catch Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour show.

The Situation was joined by his wife, Lauren — and the reality TV star commemorated the sweet couple’s night out with a social media photo, in which the duo is seen smiling from their seats at San Siro Stadium. “The Situations are in the building #TaylorSwiftErasTourMilan,” he captioned the post.

Farley, meanwhile, treated her 10-year-old daughter Meilani to the ultimate birthday gift at the show. “The swifties have arrived,” she captioned a group photo from dinner, in which her daughter is seen rocking a “22” music video inspired outfit.

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In planned surprises from Milan that had fans chatting over the weekend, Swift debuted three Eras Tour costumes: new dresses for her Fearless and Tortured Poets eras of the concert on Saturday, and a new gown for the show’s Speak Now moment on Sunday.

Next up on the hitmaker’s Europe itinerary, she’ll get to visit Germany, bringing the summer Eras Tour to the cities of Gelsenkirchen, Hamburg and Munich.

Last month, Swift revealed that she has a planned date for her record-breaking Eras Tour to end. “You know, this is actually the 100th show of the tour,” Swift told the crowd in Liverpool, England. “That blows my mind. That doesn’t feel like a real statistic to me, because this has definitely been the most exhausting, all-encompassing, but most joyful, most rewarding, most wonderful thing that has ever happened in my life, this tour, these moments with you.

“You know, a lot of you were like, ‘Well, how are you going to celebrate the 100th show?’” Swift continued. “And for me, the celebration of the 100th show means this is the very first time I’ve ever acknowledged to myself and admitted that this tour is going to end in December. Like, that’s it.”

The Eras Tour kicked off at Glendale, Arizona’s State Farm Stadium on March 17, 2023, and the final scheduled concert — which will be the 152nd show, if no new dates are added — is set for Dec. 8 at Vancouver, Canada’s BC Arena.

15 Jul 2024

Honoring the Oak Ridge Boys’ Joe Bonsall and the Group’s Crucial Role in Country

The oak is a symbol of strength.

So when Oak Ridge Boy Joe Bonsall, 76, died July 9 of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, formerly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, it came as a shock to many. He was the most active Oak onstage during the bulk of a sturdy, 50-year membership in the group, installed in the Country Music Hall of Fame, the Gospel Music Hall of Fame and the Grand Ole Opry.

Bonsall was a dedicated runner into his 50s and, after that, routinely walked five miles when the bus reached a concert destination, insistent on maintaining his fitness in a touring lifestyle that makes that difficult. He determinedly worked on his farm in Middle Tennessee until recent years, when battles with blood clots and later ALS damaged his physical capabilities.

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“A lot of those ships have sailed,” he told Billboard Country Update in a 2023 interview while celebrating the 50th anniversary of The Oaks’ most successful lineup, and contemplating how the group’s future might unfold.

The Oaks’ history is one of innovation, though many current country artists and executives may not fully grasp the impact that the quartet — including Duane Allen, Richard Sterban and William Lee Golden — had on the genre. In October 1973, Bonsall was the last of that lineup to join the group, which was originally known as The Georgia Clodhoppers and, later, The Oak Ridge Quartet, following its 1945 formation.

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The Oaks experienced several conversions in the decade after Bonsall’s arrival. They moved into country music in the mid-1970s, Bonsall’s tenor soaring over the ensemble as he took command of the closing choruses on the group’s first country hit, “Y’all Come Back Saloon,” in 1977. In 1981, the act evolved further, becoming a leading ambassador for the format during one of its biggest crossover eras with the novelty “Elvira” hitting No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 and high-energy “Bobbie Sue” rising to No. 12. Bonsall’s voice imbued both those singles with a cutting quality, though he was also quite capable of more thoughtful performances, including the tender “I Guess It Never Hurts To Hurt Sometimes,” a lullaby to a late father.

Not that Bonsall was the lone Oak voice. Each of the members took the lead on different releases during their career, amassing 17 No. 1s among 34 top 10 country singles. Teamwork among four voices of distinction was a hallmark of the act.

“That’s been one of the secrets to our success,” Bonsall said. “All four guys can actually sing, and we feature them all on different leads, so the show was not boring.”

The Oaks’ approach to concerts was particularly groundbreaking. A few rock acts, such as KISS and Alice Cooper, employed elaborate staging in the late 1970s, though video screens were not yet invented and multicolor lighting was crude and somewhat random. Most country artists were content to stand behind a microphone and re-create their hits. The Oaks, led by Bonsall’s high-energy personality, were more freewheeling onstage, and they were much more aggressive in securing advanced lighting systems and paying spotlight operators who could hone in on specific locations from near the front of the stage instead of back-of-house light directors with wider, more diffuse effect.

“Even in the gray days, when the Oaks went onstage, we invested,” Bonsall remembered. “I think we borrowed money to buy a huge logo of the Oak Ridge Boys [for a] lighted sign that came down behind us, no matter where we were playing. We were already ahead of it, production-wise.”

The Philadelphia-born Bonsall immersed himself in vocal harmony at a young age, playing with various local groups until he landed in The Keystones, a gospel act that included Sterban, a bass singer who was born in nearby Camden, N.J. In addition to performing, Bonsall promoted concerts in the area, and when he booked The Oaks, he hit it off with both Allen and Golden, who had joined the group in the mid-1960s. The Keystones soon signed with a gospel label, and Allen produced a string of albums for the group. When Sterban left The Keystones to join Elvis Presley’s tour in 1972 as a member of J.D. Sumner & The Stamps Quartet, Bonsall was unable to find a suitable bass vocalist. Instead, he made The Keystones more of a rock-edged ensemble.

After Bonsall joined The Oaks in 1973, that forward-thinking mentality fit their approach as they became a significant country act. Their instrumentation and presentation made them competitive with pop and rock artists on the arena circuit in the ’80s.

“We made sure that we went out there with smoke and lasers and a big set,” Bonsall recalled. “When we’d do ‘Dancing the Night Away,’ man, I could run around on my own ramp. I mean, it was so cool. We had a big production. I don’t know how it compares to the kids today — probably not as much. But for those days, it was big-time production.”

As The Oaks made the inevitable shift from country newcomers to A-list headliners to veteran status, Bonsall expanded into new outlets, writing 11 books and periodically playing banjo with other artists. The group determinedly continued its road-dog lifestyle.

“We don’t even know how to slow down,” said Bonsall last year. “I guess we feel as Christian men that God will tell us. God has guided our career, he’s guided our personal lives and our families. We’ve been very, very blessed. I think God will tell us when it’s time, and he may be whispering in my ear.”

Indeed, Bonsall played his last concert with The Oaks on Dec. 17, announcing his retirement from touring in January. It was a difficult decision — he was completely committed to being one of the mighty Oaks. He recalled a typical encounter at a grocery store:

“Some guy says, ‘Aren’t you one of the…’ ‘Yep, that’s my middle name: of the.’ Our middle names are all ‘of the.’ ”

Bonsall, of the Oak Ridge Boys, chose not to have a funeral. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to The ALS Association or Vanderbilt Medical Center ALS and Neuroscience Research Center.