Sonny Thompson

Sonny Thompson (probably August 23, 1916 – August 11, 1989), born Alfonso Thompson or Hezzie Tompson, was an American R&B bandleader and pianist, popular in the 1940s and 1950s.

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 Mississippior in Chicago.

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" also reached the R&B chart.By 1952 he had moved on to King Records, where he worked in A&Rand 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.

Thompson died in 1989 in Chicago.

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

MIRACLE releases:

• 108Sonny's Blues* // Screamin' Boogie ---by Dick Davis and Orchestra featuring Sonny Thompson (*vocal by Sonny)
• 109Memphis Train // Benson Jump ---by Dick Davis and Orchestra featuring Sonny Thompson
• 123If I Didn't Have You** // Palmer's Boogie ---by Sonny Thompson Orchestra (**vocal by Gladys Palmer; "Palmer's Boogie" is a piano duet between Sonny and Gladys)
• 124Tears Follow My Dreams*** // Moon Is On My Side ---by Sonny Thompson with the Sharps and Flats [Arvin Garrett-guitar/Leroy Morrison-bass/Thurman "Red" Cooper-drums] (***vocal by Browley Guy)
• 126Long Gone (Pt. 1) // Long Gone (Pt. 2)+ ---by Sonny Thompson with the Sharps and Flats (+featuring Eddie Chamblee-tenor sax)
• 127In The Rain** // Just Boogie (AKA "Deadline Boogie") ---by Sonny Thompson with the Sharps and Flats (**vocal by Gladys Palmer)
• 128Late Freight (AKA "Creepin'")+ // Sonny's Return (AKA "House Full Of Blues" or simply "Blues") ---by Sonny Thompson Quintet (+featuring Eddie Chamblee-tenor sax)
• 131Blue Dreams+ // Blues On Rhumba ---by Sonny Thompson and Orchestra (+featuring Eddie Chamblee-tenor sax)
• 139Still Gone (Pt. 3) // Still Gone (Pt. 4) ---by Sonny "Long Gone" Thompson and Orchestra
• 146Dreaming Again // Backyard Affair ---by Sonny Thompson and Orchestra
• 148Sonny Claus Blues* // Not On A Xmas Tree ---by Sonny Thompson and Orchestra (*vocal by Sonny)

OLD SWING MASTER (or simply 'MASTER') release:

• 1011The Fish (Pt. 1) // The Fish (Pt. 2) ---by Sonny Thompson and His Orchestra

KING releases:

• 4345Sugar Cane // I'm Coming Back Home To Stay^ (^vocal by band ensemble)
• 4364After Sundown // Frog Legs
• 4384Nightfall // Palmetto
• 4399Blues For The Night Owls // Harlem Rug Cutter
• 4431Smoke Stack Blues // Uncle Sam Blues* (*vocal by Jesse Edwards)
• 4438Long Gone (Pt. 1) // Long Gone (Pt. 2) ---reissue of Miracle 126
• 4446Gone Again Blues // Jumping With The Rhumba* (*vocal by Jesse Edwards)
• 4470Blue Piano** // Sunshine Blues (**vocal by Royal Trent)
• 4488Mellow Blues (Pt. 1) // Mellow Blues (Pt. 2) (featuring Robert Hadley-tenor sax on both sides)
• 4527I'll Drown In My Tears*** // Clang, Clang, Clang (***vocal by Lula Reed)
• 4541Let's Call It A Day*** // Blues Mambo (***vocal by Lula Reed)
• 4554Real, Real Fine (Pt. 1) // Real, Real Fine (Pt. 2)
• 4595Chloe // Last Night*** (***vocal by Lula Reed)
• 4613Clean Sweep // Insulated Sugar+ (+vocal by Rufus Junior)
• 4639Low Flame // Waiting To Be Loved By You*** (***vocal by Lula Reed)
• 4657Let's Move // My Heart Needs Someone+ (+vocal by Rufus Junior)
• 4678Pastry // I Hope You Love Me Too+ (+vocal by Rufus Junior)
• 4698Things Ain't What They Used To Be // So-o-o Good
• 4712Down In The Dumps // I Ain't No Watch Dog++ (++vocal by Paul Tate)
• 4718Single Shot // I'm Beggin' And Pleadin'++ (++vocal by Paul Tate)
• 4729Cotton Ball (Pt. 1) // Cotton Ball (Pt. 2) (featuring David Bubba Brooks-tenor sax on both sides)
• 4746Cat On The Keys (Pt. 1) // Cat On The Keys (Pt. 2)
• 4791Behind The Sun (Pt. 1) // Behind The Sun (Pt. 2)
• 4809First Base // Lonely Moon
• 4899I'll Drown In My Tears // Let's Call It A Day ---reissues of King 4527A and 4541A
• 4992Low Down // Lost In This Great Big City++ (++vocal by Paul Tate)
• 5055Gum Shoe+++ // Stop, Come See Me++ (++vocal by Paul Tate; +++featuring King Curtis-tenor sax)
• 5396The Duck Walk // Swinging Shepherd Blues

CHART releases:

• 611It's Love, It's Love // Mexico Bound (vocal by The Champions "vocal group" on both sides)
• 612Slow Rock (Pt. 1) // Slow Rock (Pt. 2) (featuring David Bubba Brooks-tenor sax on both sides)
• 618Bus Ride // Foot Stompin' (featuring David Bubba Brooks-tenor sax on both sides)
• 620The Same Old Story // Pay Me Some Attention (vocal by The Champions "vocal group" on both sides)
• 630Bus Ride // Foot Stompin' (featuring David Bubba Brooks-tenor sax on both sides) ---reissue of Chart 618
• 631Come On // Big Bad Beulah (vocal by The Champions "vocal group" on both sides)
• 633Juke Joint (Pt. 1) // Juke Joint (Pt. 2)
• 637Drive In // Drive Out
• 642Candy (Pt. 1) // Candy (Pt. 2)
• 645Hi-Ho // Day Break Blues
• 648Caribbean Cruise // Night Watch

Original 7" vinyl EP releases

• Sonny Thompson, Vol. 1 (King KEP-209, 1952) -song titles: Mellow Blues (Pt. 2); Sugar Cane // Long Gone (Pt. 2); Real, Real Fine (Pt. 2)
• Sonny Thompson, Vol. 2 (King KEP-264, 1953) -song titles: I'll Drown In My Tears (vocal by Lula Reed); Let's Call It A Day (vocal by Lula Reed) // Low Flame; Chloe
• Sonny Thompson, Vol. 3 (King KEP-273, 1954) -song titles: Blues For The Night Owls; Blues Mambo // Clean Sweep; Down In The Dumps
• Sonny Thompson, Vol. 4 (King KEP-274, 1954) -song titles: Let's Move; Single Shot // Sunshine Blues; Frog Legs
• Sonny Thompson, Vol. 5 (King KEP-275, 1954) -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 (Play Only After Midnight) (King LP-568, 1958) -song titles: Long Gone (Pt. 1); Long Gone (Pt. 2); After Sundown; Low Down; Blues For The Night Owls; Cotton Ball (Pt. ?); Sunshine Blues; Behind The Sun (Pt. ?) // Mellow Blues (Pt. ?); So-o-o Good; Pastry; Low Flame; Nightfall; Lonely Moon; Gone Again Blues; Down In The Dumps
• Mellow Blues For The Late Hours (16 Instrumentals) (King LP-655, 1959) -song titles: Mellow Blues (Pt. 1); Palmetto; Clang, Clang, Clang; Sugar Cane; Cat On The Keys (Pt. 1); Cat On The Keys (Pt. 2); Cotton Ball (Pt. 1); Single Shot // Smoke Stack Blues; Real, Real Fine (Pt. ?); Let's Move; Behind The Sun (Pt. ?); Blues Mambo; First Base; Gum Shoe; Frog Legs

As sideman

With Howlin' Wolf

• Message to the Young (Chess, 1971)