Sonny James

robert hays · Post by **robert hays** » 21 Oct 2003 5:28 am

I have not heard anything about Sonny James in a long time, does any one know of his status? does he perform anymore? just wondering, he was one of my favorite singers.

C Dixon · Post by **C Dixon** » 21 Oct 2003 6:36 am

I don't recall that he ever used a steel player. Did he?

carl

Jerry Hayes · Post by **Jerry Hayes** » 21 Oct 2003 8:32 am

I saw him in concert once and all he had was an upright bass player, three backup singers, and a guy playing a snare drum standing up. However, he did sound exactly like his records. I don't recall ever hearing any steel on any of his records. I've got and instrumental album by Sonny which is pretty darn good. He was a fine guitar player which I think is unknown to a lot of folks........JH

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Livin' in the Past and the Future with a 12 string Mooney Universal tuning.

Al Johnson · Post by **Al Johnson** » 21 Oct 2003 9:41 am

Jerry, I agree with you on your Sonny James post. Saw him in the '60s, when he was big, same group and put on a great show. Sonny James also played the fiddle. Very friendly with the crowd. Guess he got tired of it all and retired a number of years ago. Must have been smart as well as talented. Al

Alvin Blaine · Post by **Alvin Blaine** » 21 Oct 2003 10:01 am

James Loden has a cattle ranch in Alabama. And he turned 74 years old this past May.

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 21 Oct 2003 3:48 pm

...always thought he was a little too big to be called "Sonny"!

Bill Hatcher · Post by **Bill Hatcher** » 21 Oct 2003 4:12 pm

He played pretty good Martin D45 flat pickin'guitar and had groovy hair.

Don Patterson · Post by **Don Patterson** » 21 Oct 2003 4:57 pm

That beginning lick on "Young Love" sure inspired a lot of us young kids back in '57 or so.

Dr. Hugh Jeffreys · Post by **Dr. Hugh Jeffreys** » 21 Oct 2003 5:40 pm

Sonny James Loden is from Hackelberg, Ala. The Loden family worked on Memphis radio back in the late '40's-50's. After Young Love, he toured for some time. After writing many hits for Rosemary Clooney, he "retired," or went into recluse. HJ

Al Johnson · Post by **Al Johnson** » 21 Oct 2003 6:09 pm

According to a top 40 country hits book. Sonny James had 64 songs on the top 40, from 2/7/53 to 2/12/83. Sonny James had 23 Number 1 hits. Al Johnson

Smiley Roberts · Post by **Smiley Roberts** » 22 Oct 2003 4:10 am

In my collection,I have 5 Capitol "45's" of his,that does have steel on them. They are,obviously,pre-"Young Love".

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Joe Casey · Post by **Joe Casey** » 22 Oct 2003 6:43 am

How come this man is not in the CMA Hall of Fame? The reason he took the name Sonny was because "Smiley" was already taken.

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Bill R. Baker · Post by **Bill R. Baker** » 22 Oct 2003 4:40 pm

Sonny and his wife come to my home town
(Clinton, MS) once each year to visit his best buddy from high school. He graduated from Central High School in Jackson, MS.

Ray Montee (RIP) · Post by **Ray Montee (RIP)** » 23 Oct 2003 10:31 am

C.Dixon.........Jerry Byrd has done several fine (beautiful) records with Sonny James.
Weren't you payin' 'tention? How about "I've Forgotten More Than You'll Ever Know" for starters? Also did a Hawaiian album with Sonny.[This message was edited by Ray Montee on 23 October 2003 at 06:41 PM.]

Les Green · Post by **Les Green** » 23 Oct 2003 4:28 pm

I had, at one time, don't know where it went, an old 78 record with a song called "Cause I've always wanted you" and it definately has a steel break. Sounds like JB maybe.

Les Green

Jason Odd · Post by **Jason Odd** » 26 Oct 2003 12:20 am

The Hall Of Fame has a strange attitude to pop-country singers, if he'd made his likable country pop hits before Patsy Cline, well he'd be a ground breaker.

Guys like him, and his pop contemporary Bobby Goldsboro has an image problem, Glen Campbell is another one, although by far the most successful of the bunch, all his career achievements have been narrowed down to Gentle on My Mind and Rhinestone Cowboy, the problem of taking a path along the middle of the road is that no-one really cares once you leave it.