Sonny Thompson

Sonny Thompson (probably August 23, 1916 – August 11, 1989), born Alfonso Thompson or Hezzie Tompson , 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 (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. 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 (or co-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.

Discography

Original 10" shellac (78 rpm) and 7" vinyl (45 rpm) releases MIRACLE releases: 108 Sonny's Blues* // Screamin' Boogie ---by Dick Davis and Orchestra featuring Sonny Thompson (*vocal by Sonny) 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 (**vocal by Gladys Palmer; "Palmer's Boogie" is a piano duet between Sonny and Gladys) 124 Tears 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) 126 Long Gone (Pt. 1) // Long Gone (Pt. 2)+ ---by Sonny Thompson with the Sharps and Flats (+featuring Eddie Chamblee-tenor sax) 127 In The Rain** // Just Boogie (AKA "Deadline Boogie") ---by Sonny Thompson with the Sharps and Flats (**vocal by Gladys Palmer) 128 Late Freight (AKA "Creepin'")+ // Sonny's Return (AKA "House Full Of Blues" or simply "Blues") ---by Sonny Thompson Quintet (+featuring Eddie Chamblee-tenor sax) 131 Blue Dreams+ // Blues On Rhumba ---by Sonny Thompson and Orchestra (+featuring Eddie Chamblee-tenor sax) 139 Still Gone (Pt. 3) // Still Gone (Pt. 4) ---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 (*vocal by Sonny)

OLD SWING MASTER (or simply 'MASTER') release: 1011 The Fish (Pt. 1) // The Fish (Pt. 2) ---by Sonny Thompson and His Orchestra

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

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