Sonny Thompson


Sonny Thompson, born Alfonso Thompson or Hezzie Tompson, was an American R&B bandleader and pianist, popular in the 1940s and 1950s.

Biography

There is some uncertainty over Thompson's origins, as well as his birth name. Researchers Bob Eagle and Eric LeBlanc indicate that he was born in 1916 in Wilkinson County, Mississippi, but other sources state that he was born in 1923, either in Mississippi or in Chicago.
He began recording in 1946, and in 1948 achieved two number one R&B chart hits on the Miracle label – "Long Gone " and "Late Freight", both featuring saxophonist Eddie Chamblee. "Long Gone", sold in excess of one million copies. The follow-ups "Blue Dreams" and "Still Gone" also reached the R&B chart. By 1952 he had moved on to King Records, where he worked in A&R and as a session musician and arranger. At King, 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 1950s. 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. Songs Thompson wrote included "I'm Tore Down", "Let Them Talk", "Hide Away", "The Stumble", "Three Hearts in a Tangle", "Late Freight", and "Long Gone".
Thompson died in 1989 in Chicago. In 2024 the Killer Blues Headstone Project placed the headstone for him at Homewood Memorial Cemetery in Homewood, Illinois.

Discography

Original 10" shellac (78rpm) and 7" vinyl (45rpm) releases

MIRACLE releases:
  • 108 Sonny's Blues* // Screamin' Boogie ---by Dick Davis and Orchestra featuring Sonny Thompson
  • 109 Memphis Train // Benson Jump ---by Dick Davis and Orchestra featuring Sonny Thompson
  • 123 If I Didn't Have You** // Palmer's Boogie ---by Sonny Thompson Orchestra
  • 124 Tears Follow My Dreams*** // Moon Is On My Side ---by Sonny Thompson with the Sharps and Flats
  • 126 Long Gone // Long Gone + ---by Sonny Thompson with the Sharps and Flats
  • 127 In The Rain** // Just Boogie ---by Sonny Thompson with the Sharps and Flats
  • 128 Late Freight + // Sonny's Return ---by Sonny Thompson Quintet
  • 131 Blue Dreams+ // Blues On Rhumba ---by Sonny Thompson and Orchestra
  • 139 Still Gone // Still Gone ---by Sonny "Long Gone" Thompson and Orchestra
  • 146 Dreaming Again // Backyard Affair ---by Sonny Thompson and Orchestra
  • 148 Sonny Claus Blues* // Not On A Xmas Tree ---by Sonny Thompson and Orchestra
OLD SWING MASTER release:
  • 1011 The Fish // The Fish ---by Sonny Thompson and His Orchestra
KING releases:
  • 4345 Sugar Cane // I'm Coming Back Home To Stay^
  • 4364 After Sundown // Frog Legs
  • 4384 Nightfall // Palmetto
  • 4399 Blues For The Night Owls // Harlem Rug Cutter
  • 4431 Smoke Stack Blues // Uncle Sam Blues*
  • 4438 Long Gone // Long Gone ---reissue of Miracle 126
  • 4446 Gone Again Blues // Jumping With The Rhumba*
  • 4470 Blue Piano** // Sunshine Blues
  • 4488 Mellow Blues // Mellow Blues
  • 4527 I'll Drown In My Tears*** // Clang, Clang, Clang
  • 4541 Let's Call It A Day*** // Blues Mambo
  • 4554 Real, Real Fine // Real, Real Fine
  • 4595 Chloe // Last Night***
  • 4613 Clean Sweep // Insulated Sugar+
  • 4639 Low Flame // Waiting To Be Loved By You***
  • 4657 Let's Move // My Heart Needs Someone+
  • 4678 Pastry // I Hope You Love Me Too+
  • 4698 Things Ain't What They Used To Be // So-o-o Good
  • 4712 Down In The Dumps // I Ain't No Watch Dog++
  • 4718 Single Shot // I'm Beggin' And Pleadin'++
  • 4729 Cotton Ball // Cotton Ball
  • 4746 Cat On The Keys // Cat On The Keys
  • 4791 Behind The Sun // Behind The Sun
  • 4809 First Base // Lonely Moon
  • 4899 I'll Drown In My Tears // Let's Call It A Day ---reissues of King 4527A and 4541A
  • 4992 Low Down // Lost In This Great Big City++
  • 5055 Gum Shoe+++ // Stop, Come See Me++
  • 5396 The Duck Walk // Swinging Shepherd Blues
CHART releases:
  • 611 It's Love, It's Love // Mexico Bound
  • 612 Slow Rock // Slow Rock
  • 618 Bus Ride // Foot Stompin'
  • 620 The Same Old Story // Pay Me Some Attention
  • 630 Bus Ride // Foot Stompin' ---reissue of Chart 618
  • 631 Come On // Big Bad Beulah
  • 633 Juke Joint // Juke Joint
  • 637 Drive In // Drive Out
  • 642 Candy // Candy
  • 645 Hi-Ho // Day Break Blues
  • 648 Caribbean Cruise // Night Watch

    Original 7" vinyl EP releases

  • Sonny Thompson, Vol. 1 -song titles: Mellow Blues ; Sugar Cane // Long Gone ; Real, Real Fine
  • Sonny Thompson, Vol. 2 -song titles: I'll Drown In My Tears ; Let's Call It A Day // Low Flame; Chloe
  • Sonny Thompson, Vol. 3 -song titles: Blues For The Night Owls; Blues Mambo // Clean Sweep; Down In The Dumps
  • Sonny Thompson, Vol. 4 -song titles: Let's Move; Single Shot // Sunshine Blues; Frog Legs
  • Sonny Thompson, Vol. 5 -song titles: Things Ain't What They Used To Be; So-o-o Good // Clang, Clang, Clang; Pastry

    Original 12" vinyl LP releases

  • Moody Blues -song titles: Long Gone ; Long Gone ; After Sundown; Low Down; Blues For The Night Owls; Cotton Ball ; Sunshine Blues; Behind The Sun // Mellow Blues ; So-o-o Good; Pastry; Low Flame; Nightfall; Lonely Moon; Gone Again Blues; Down In The Dumps
  • Mellow Blues For The Late Hours -song titles: Mellow Blues ; Palmetto; Clang, Clang, Clang; Sugar Cane; Cat On The Keys ; Cat On The Keys ; Cotton Ball ; Single Shot // Smoke Stack Blues; Real, Real Fine ; Let's Move; Behind The Sun ; Blues Mambo; First Base; Gum Shoe; Frog Legs

    As sideman

With Howlin' Wolf
  • ''Message to the Young''