Sonny Thompson
Encyclopedia
Sonny Thompson was an American
R&B
bandleader
and pianist
, popular in the 1940s and 1950s.
Born Alfonso Thompson in Centreville
, Mississippi
, he began recording in 1946, and in 1948 achieved two #1 R&B
chart
hits
on the Miracle label
– "Long Gone (Parts I and II)" and "Late Freight", both featuring saxophonist
Eddie Chamblee. The follow-ups "Blue Dreams" and "Still Gone" were smaller hits.
By 1952 he had moved on to King Records
. There, he had further R&B Top 10 successes with the singer
Lula Reed, the biggest hit being "I'll Drown in My Tears
" (Thompson married Reed sometime in the early 1950's). He continued to work as a session musician
, and to perform with Reed into the early 1960s. He also had success as a songwriter
, often co-writing with blues
guitarist
, Freddie King
.
Thompson died in 1989 in Chicago
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
R&B
Rhythm and blues
Rhythm and blues, often abbreviated to R&B, is a genre of popular African American music that originated in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predominantly to urban African Americans, at a time when "urbane, rocking, jazz based music with a...
bandleader
Bandleader
A bandleader is the leader of a band of musicians. The term is most commonly, though not exclusively, used with a group that plays popular music as a small combo or a big band, such as one which plays jazz, blues, rhythm and blues or rock and roll music....
and pianist
Pianist
A pianist is a musician who plays the piano. A professional pianist can perform solo pieces, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers, solo instrumentalists, or other performers.-Choice of genres:...
, popular in the 1940s and 1950s.
Born Alfonso Thompson in Centreville
Centreville, Mississippi
Centreville is a town in Amite and Wilkinson Counties in the U.S. state of Mississippi. The population was 1,680 at the 2000 census. It is part of the McComb, Mississippi Micropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
, Mississippi
Mississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
, he began recording in 1946, and in 1948 achieved two #1 R&B
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States.The chart, initiated in 1942, is used to track the success of popular music songs in urban, or primarily African American, venues. Dominated over the years at various times by jazz, rhythm and blues, doo-wop, soul,...
chart
Record chart
A record chart is a ranking of recorded music according to popularity during a given period of time. Examples of music charts are the Hit parade, Hot 100 or Top 40....
hits
Hit record
A hit record is a sound recording, usually in the form of a single or album, that sells a large number of copies or otherwise becomes broadly popular or well-known, through airplay, club play, inclusion in a film or stage play soundtrack, causing it to have "hit" one of the popular chart listings...
on the Miracle label
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
– "Long Gone (Parts I and II)" and "Late Freight", both featuring saxophonist
Saxophone
The saxophone is a conical-bore transposing musical instrument that is a member of the woodwind family. Saxophones are usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mouthpiece similar to that of the clarinet. The saxophone was invented by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in 1846...
Eddie Chamblee. The follow-ups "Blue Dreams" and "Still Gone" were smaller hits.
By 1952 he had moved on to King Records
King Records (USA)
King Records is an American record label, started in 1943 by Syd Nathan and originally headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio.-History:At first it specialized in country music, at the time still known as "hillbilly music." King advertised, "If it's a King, It's a Hillbilly -- If it's a Hillbilly, it's a...
. There, he had further R&B Top 10 successes with the singer
Singing
Singing is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
Lula Reed, the biggest hit being "I'll Drown in My Tears
Drown in My Own Tears
"Drown in My Own Tears" is a 1956 Blues single, written by Henry Glover and released by the singers Ray Charles & Dinah Washington on the Atlantic & EmArcy record labels respectively....
" (Thompson married Reed sometime in the early 1950's). He continued to work as a session musician
Session musician
Session musicians are instrumental and vocal performers, musicians, who are available to work with others at live performances or recording sessions. Usually such musicians are not permanent members of a musical ensemble and often do not achieve fame in their own right as soloists or bandleaders...
, and to perform with Reed into the early 1960s. He also had success as a songwriter
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
, often co-writing with blues
Blues
Blues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre that originated in African-American communities of primarily the "Deep South" of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads...
guitarist
Guitarist
A guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...
, Freddie King
Freddie King
Freddie King , thought to have been born as Frederick Christian, originally recording as Freddy King, and nicknamed "the Texas Cannonball", was an influential African-American blues guitarist and singer. He is often mentioned as one of "the Three Kings" of electric blues guitar, along with Albert...
.
Thompson died in 1989 in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
.