Sonny Terry In-depth Biography
Harmonica player Sonny Terry} was one of the initial bluesmen who crossed over into areas not normally associated with the genre before he came along. Along with his partner, guitarist Brownie McGhee}, Terry} played on numerous folk} recordings with the likes of Woody Guthrie}, developed an acting career showcased on television and Broadway, and never compromised his unique high-pitched penetrating harmonica style called whoppin'.
Sonny Terry} was born Saunders Terrell} on October 24, 1911, in Greensboro, NC. He lost his sight by the time he was 16 in two separate accidents. His father played harmonica in local functions around town and taught Terry} at an early age. Realizing his eyesight would keep him from pursuing a profession in farming, Terry} decided instead to be a blues} singer. He began traveling to nearby Raleigh and Durham, performing on street corners for tips. In 1934, he befriended the popular guitarist Blind Boy Fuller}. Fuller} convinced Terry} to move to Durham, where the two immediately gained a strong local following. By 1937, they were offered an opportunity to go to New York and record for the Vocalion} label. A year later, Terry} would be back in New York taking part in John Hammond}'s legendary Spirituals to Swing} concert, where he performed one of his memorable tunes, "Mountain Blues."} Upon returning to Durham, Terry} continued playing regularly with Fuller} and also met his future partner, guitarist Brownie McGhee}, who would accompany Terry} off and on for the next two decades. McGhee} was initially sent to look after Terry} by Blind Boy}'s manager, J.B. Long}. Long} figured McGhee} might get a chance to play some of the same shows as Terry}. A friendship developed between the two men and following Fuller}'s death in 1941, Terry} and McGhee} moved to New York. The change proved fruitful as they immediately found steady work, playing concerts both as a duo and solo. Terry} became an in-demand session player who started showing up regularly on the records of folk} luminaries including Leadbelly}, Woody Guthrie}, and Pete Seeger}. An acting role was also initiated at this time, in the long-running Broadway production of Finian's Rainbow} in 1946. By the mid-'50s, Terry} and McGhee} began broadening their collective horizons and traveled extensively outside of New York. They released a multitude of recordings for labels like Folkways}, Savoy}, and Fantasy} that crossed the boundaries of race, becoming well-known in folk} and blues} circles performing for black and white audiences. It was also in the mid-50s that Terry} and McGhee} accepted roles on Broadway, joining the cast of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof}, exposing them to an even broader audience. In the early '60s, the duo performed at numerous folk} and blues} festivals around the world, while Terry} found time to work with singer Harry Belafonte} and in television commercials. Terry} was constantly traveling throughout the '70s, stopping only long enough to write his instructional book, The Harp Styles of Sonny Terry}. By the mid-'70s, the strain of being on the road developed into personal problems between McGhee} and Terry}. Unfortunately, they resigned their long partnership, divided by the bitterness of constant touring. Terry} was still being discovered by a younger blues} generation via the Johnny Winter}-produced album Whoppin'} for the Alligator} label, featuring Winter} and Willie Dixon}. Winter} had produced a comeback album for Muddy Waters} (Hard Again}) that helped rejuvenate his career, and he was attempting the same with Terry}. By the '80s, Terry}'s age was catching up with him. He quit recording and only accepted sporadic live appearances. Terry} passed away in 1986, the year he was inducted into the Blues Foundations Hall of Fame. ~ Al Campbell, All Music Guide
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