Sonny Rhodes
Sonny Rhodes (born Clarence Edward Smith on November 3, 1940 in Smithville, Texas ) is an American blues singer, bassist and lap steel guitar player.
biography
Rhodes was born the sixth and last child of a tenant couple in Smithville, Texas. He got his first guitar for Christmas when he was eight, but it wasn't until he was twelve that he began to turn to the blues . In the late 1950s he performed with his first band, Clarence Smith & the Daylighters, in Smithville and nearby Austin . He cited T-Bone Walker , Pee Wee Crayton and BB King as his musical influences . After graduating from high school, he joined the Navy, where he was stationed in California. Here he worked on the radio and as a disc jockey on naval ships. At this time he learned to play bass guitar, which he also played as an accompanist for Freddie King and Albert Collins . After his time in the Navy, he recorded albums for various record companies, including his own company, Rhodesway Records. In 1976 he came to Europe and recorded records for various companies, but was not very successful. In 1989 he played his Cigarette Blues for the documentary "Living Texas Blues" (directed by Les Blank , Alan Govenar).
Other work
- Rhodes recorded the theme song (The Ballad of Serenity) for the American TV series Firefly - Der Aufbruch der Serenity .
- He has performed six times at the San Francisco Blues Festival, the Musicamdo Jazz and Blues Festival 2005 and the Fresno Blues Festival 2007.
Awards
Eleven nominations for the Blues Music Awards
Discography since the early 1990s
- 1991 Disciple of the Blues
- 1992 Livin 'Too Close to the Edge
- 1994 The Blues Is My Best Friend
- 1995 Just Blues
- 1996 Won't Rain in California
- 1996 Out of Control
- 1997 I Don't Want My Blues Colored Bright
- 1997 Born to Be Blue
- 1997 In Europe
- 1999 Blue Diamond
- 2001 Good Day to Sing & Play the Blues
- 2009 I'm Back Again Feelin 'Good
Individual evidence
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Rhodes, Sonny |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Clarence Edward Smith |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | American blues guitarist and singer |
| DATE OF BIRTH | November 3, 1940 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Smithville, Texas |