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Sonny Rhodes

"Blues is my religion, the world is my chapel, and the people is my congregation."

Born in Smithville, Texas, in 1940, Sonny Rhodes made his first record, for an indie label in Austin, when he was 18. His folks had been sharecroppers; he was seeking a better life, and he was playing in local blues clubs before he graduated from high school. Sonny Rhodes then joined the navy, and after his stint in the armed forces he stayed in California, where he had been stationed. After learning bass and guitar, Sonny Rhodes discovered the lap steel; today he is one of the very few blues players who play the instrument, and it gives his music a unique sound. A regular nominee at the W.C. Handy Awards, Sonny Rhodes now plays some 250 dates a year. More indie recordings followed, but he began to build a much more solid career in Europe, where he played to enthusiastic crowds and recorded a number of albums. In the ’90s, however, Sonny Rhodes came into his own with critically acclaimed albums for Ichiban and, then, Kingsnake — followed by his Stony Plain debut and, now, his first release of the 21st century. On stage, with his bejeweled turban and some of the most colourful suits any tailor could create, he cuts a dashing figure — and one that provides a contrast to the gritty power of the songs he writes and the music he makes.

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