At the Grand Ole Opry on Wednesday, veteran Country artist Vince Gill honored Joe Bonsall of the Oak Ridge Boys.
Following the news of the passing of the iconic Oak Ridge Boys member just a day before his Opry performance, Gill knew he had to pay tribute through song. He took a moment to share a few heartfelt words about their friendship.
"I wanted to sing a couple of songs tonight in memory of my sweet friend Joe Bonsall," Gill told the Opry crowd. "We were friends for 42 years. He was the high singer in the Oak Ridge Boys for all those years. My heart's broken for him and his family."
Gill then performed a cover of the Oak Ridge Boys' "Leaving Louisiana in the Broad Daylight," penned by Rodney Crowell. After the performance, Gill shared with the audience that it was his first time singing the song without Bonsall by his side.
Following that, Gill transitioned into performing the Oak Ridge Boys' iconic hit, "Elvira." The song, perhaps the Oak Ridge Boys's most widely known, is noted for featuring Bonsall's signature tenor as the lead vocal. The whimsical tune was the perfect counterbalance to the more somber "Leaving Louisiana in the Broad Daylight".
The veteran singer-songwriter posted a brief clip of his cover of "Elvira" on Instagram."Remembering Joe Bonsall of @theoakridgeboys," Vince Gill wrote alongside the footage. "Vince Gill is a class act for sure with the voice of an angel . Beautiful tribute," one fan wrote in the comments.
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Vince Gill Also Paid Tribute to Joe Bonsall with His Own Signature Song
Meanwhile, Gill played a signature song of his own as another tribute to Bonsall.
Following Keith Whitley's death in 1989, Gill began composing what would eventually become "Go Rest High." However, he did not complete the song until years later, after the passing of his own brother, Bob, in 1993.
Gill released "Go Rest High" in 1995. Since then, he has performed the song in tribute to numerous country legends who have passed away, including the recently deceased Toby Keith.
Now, "Go Rest High." was played for Bonsall.
As Vince Gill performed "Go Rest High" on the Opry stage, images of Bonsall flickered across the screen in tribute. Audience member Bonnie Kauk Kosmicki captured the poignant performance in a full video, which she later shared on Facebook.
