Sonny Terry facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sonny Terry
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Sonny Terry 1981 in New Zealand
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Saunders Terell |
| Born | October 24, 1911 Greensboro, Georgia |
| Died | March 11, 1986 (aged 74) Mineola, New York |
| Genres | Blues, Piedmont blues, Folk blues |
| Occupation(s) | Musician |
| Instruments | Harmonica, vocals, |
| Years active | 1940s–1980s |
| Associated acts | Brownie McGhee |
Sonny Terry (born October 24, 1911, in Greensboro, Georgia; died March 11, 1986, in Mineola, New York) was a famous American blues musician. He was blind and played the harmonica. Sonny Terry was known for his exciting blues harmonica style. He often added vocal sounds like whoops and hollers to his music. He could also make his harmonica sound like trains and fox hunts.
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Life Story of Sonny Terry
Sonny Terry was born Saunders Terrell. His father was a farmer and also a musician. He taught young Saunders how to play the harmonica. When Sonny was 16 years old, he became blind. Because he could no longer work on the family farm, he started to focus on music. He developed a special harmonica style. This style included singing parts and shouts, and he was very good at making train sounds with his harmonica.
In 1938, Sonny Terry played at the famous Carnegie Hall in New York City. This was part of the first From Spirituals to Swing concert. In the same year, he recorded music for the Library of Congress. Even though he was known as a folk blues artist, he also played a faster style called jump blues with a band.
From 1941 to 1982, Sonny Terry often performed with the guitarist Brownie McGhee. They were a very popular duo. He also played with many other famous folk and blues musicians. These included Woody Guthrie, Leadbelly, Pete Seeger, and Big Bill Broonzy.
In the 1980s, Sonny Terry started to slow down his career because of his age. He only played a few concerts. He passed away in 1986. In that same year, he was honored by being added to the Blues Hall of Fame.
Sonny Terry's Music Albums
A discography is a list of all the music an artist has released. Here are some of Sonny Terry's main albums and collections.
Main Albums
- California Blues
- On the Road
- Sonny Terry's Harmonica and Vocal Solos
- 1958 Sonny Terry's New Sound
- 1960 Sonny's Story
- 1963 Sonny Is King
- 1965 Sonny Terry
- 1976 Black Night Road
- 1976 Harmonica Blues
- 1976 Sonny Terry's Washboard Band
- 1984 Whoopin'
Music Collections
- 1991 The Folkways Years, 1944-1963
- 1995 Whoopin' the Blues: The Capitol Recordings, 1947-1950
- 1996 Complete Recordings 1938-1945
See also
In Spanish: Sonny Terry para niños
