Sonny Is King

Sonny Is King
Studio album by Sonny Terry
Released	1963
Recorded	October 26, 1960 & September 1962
Studio	Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, NJ & New York City
Genre	Blues
Length	33:17
Label	Bluesville BVLP 1059
Producer	Ozzie Cadena/Kenneth S. Goldstein
Sonny Terry chronology
Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee at Sugar Hill (1961) Sonny Is King (1963) Blues Hoot (1963)

Sonny Is King is an album by blues musician Sonny Terry recorded and sessions in 1960 and 1962 and released on the Bluesville label.^{[1][2][unreliable source]}

Reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[3]
The Penguin Guide to Blues Recordings	[4]

AllMusic reviewer Thom Owens stated: "Half of Sonny Is King is devoted to a rare session between Sonny Terry and Lightnin' Hopkins ... but the rhythm section fails to kick the pair into overdrive, and much of the music disappointingly meanders ... That's proven by the second side of the album, where Terry falls into the comfortable setting of duetting with Brownie McGhee. While these aren't among the duo's very best recordings, they are nonetheless enjoyable, suggesting that there's something to be said for the familiar".^[3]

Track listing

All compositions by Sonny Terry

1. "One Monkey Don't Stop the Show" – 3:04
2. "Changed the Lock On My Door" – 3:30
3. "Tater Pie" – 2:32
4. "She's So Sweet" – 2:39
5. "Diggin' My Potatoes" 3:32
6. "Sonny's Coming" – 2:50
7. "Ida Mae" – 3:10
8. "Callin' My Mama" – 2:33
9. "Bad Luck" – 4:10
10. "Blues from the Bottom" – 4:17

Personnel

Performance

• Sonny Terry – harmonica, vocals
• Lightnin' Hopkins (tracks 1–5), Brownie McGhee (tracks 6–10) – guitar
• Leonard Gaskin – bass (tracks 1–5)
• Belton Evans – drums (tracks 1–5)

Production

• Ozzie Cadena (tracks 1–5), Kenneth S. Goldstein (tracks 6–10) – producer
• Rudy Van Gelder – engineer

References

1. Jazzdisc: Sonny Terry Catalog accessed October 26, 2018
2. Both Sides Now: Prestige/Bluesville Album Discography accessed October 26, 2018
3. Owens, Thom. Sonny Terry: Sonny Is King – Review at AllMusic. Retrieved October 26, 2018.
4. Russell, Tony; Smith, Chris (2006). The Penguin Guide to Blues Recordings. Penguin. p. 639. ISBN 978-0-140-51384-4.