Sonny Emory facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sonny Emory
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Emory performing in 2012
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| Background information | |
| Born | December 23, 1962 Atlanta, Georgia |
| Genres | R&B, soul, Jazz |
| Occupation(s) | Singer-songwriter, musician |
| Instruments | Drums, percussion |
| Years active | 1983-present |
| Associated acts | Earth, Wind & Fire, Lee Ritenour, George Howard, Bruce Hornsby |
Sonny Emory was born on December 23, 1962. He is an American musician, known for playing the drums and percussion. Sonny is also a singer and songwriter. He used to be a member of the famous band Earth, Wind & Fire. He has also worked with many other well-known artists. These include Bruce Hornsby, Steely Dan, Eric Clapton, and Bette Midler.
Early Life and Music
Sonny Emory grew up in Atlanta, Georgia. He got his first drum set when he was only five years old. He went to Frederick Douglass High School. Later, he studied at Georgia State University. He earned a degree in Jazz and Classical Performance. After college, Sonny started his career as a professional percussionist.
Music Career Highlights
Sonny Emory began his professional music journey in 1987. He played drums on guitarist Bruce Hampton's album Arkansas. He also played on keyboardist Joe Sample's album Roles.
In 1987, Sonny joined the popular band Earth, Wind & Fire. He played on several of their albums. These include Heritage (1990), Millennium (1993), and In the Name of Love (1997).
Sonny also played on the soundtrack for the movie Lethal Weapon 2 in 1989. He performed with famous musicians like Eric Clapton and David Sanborn. He also played on albums for other artists. These include The B-52's' Cosmic Thing (1989) and Phyllis Hyman's Prime of My Life (1991). He also worked with Peabo Bryson on Can You Stop the Rain (1991). And he played on Chic's album Chic-ism (1992).
Sonny continued to work with many jazz artists. He played on George Howard's When Summer Comes (1993). He also contributed to Bobby Lyle's Rhythm Stories (1994) and Everette Harp's Common Ground (1994). He was part of the Urban Knights project on their 1997 album Urban Knights II.
He also worked a lot with guitarist Lee Ritenour. Sonny played on Ritenour's albums Alive in L.A. (1997) and This Is Love (1998). He also played on Steely Dan's album Two Against Nature in 2000. Later, he performed on Miki Howard's album Three Wishes (2001). He also worked on albums by Alex Bugnon and Brian Culbertson.
From 2002 to 2018, Sonny was a member of Bruce Hornsby's band, The Noisemakers.
Teaching Music
Besides performing, Sonny Emory also teaches. He is a professor at Georgia State University. He teaches Applied Percussion to students there.
