Jack Sonni

John Thomas Sonni (December 9, 1954 – August 30, 2023) was an American writer, musician, and marketing executive, best known as "the other guitarist" in Dire Straits during the band's Brothers in Arms era.

Early life and education John Thomas Sonni was born on December 9, 1954, in Indiana, Pennsylvania.

Career

After graduating, Sonni was introduced to New York session guitarist Elliott Randall, who had played the solo on Steely Dan's single "Reelin' In the Years". Randall became a mentor and teacher and convinced Sonni to move to New York City and begin his career. Sonni accepted, and played guitar synthesizer on "The Man's Too Strong" on the album. Sonni also appears in several of the Brothers In Arms official videos. After his collaboration with Dire Straits, Sonni contributed to other musicians' works, but ended his professional musical career for some years (returning to it later) when his twin daughters were born in 1988. He was instrumental in the development and launch of POD, which he named and designed the shape of. In 2001, he became vice president of marketing communication for Guitar Center.

In mid-2006, Sonni left Guitar Center to write literature, and moved to San José del Cabo, in Baja, Mexico, in 2007, then to Healdsburg, California, until January 2012, when he relocated to Brooklyn, New York, for a short time. He had also returned to playing music on a regular basis with his band, The Leisure Class. He also appeared and toured regularly with other former members of Dire Straits in the band, Dire Straits Legacy, prior to his death in August 2023.

Sonni hosted a podcast, "The Leisure Class with Jack Sonni".

Death Sonni died on August 30, 2023, at age 68. San Antonio Live in 85 (2025)