Sonny Sanders
William Nelson "Sonny" Sanders (August 6, 1939 – October 12, 2016) was an American soul music singer, songwriter, arranger, and record producer. Born in Chicago, Sanders made his first recording in 1955, on "Tears of Love" / "Roxanna" by Sax Kari and the Qualtones. He formed the Satintones in Detroit in 1957, with Robert Bateman, James Ellis and Sammy Mack. They became the first vocal group signed to Motown, and released their first record, "Going to the Hop" / "Motor City" in 1960. Sanders also worked as a backing singer at Motown, on such records as Marv Johnson's "You Got What It Takes" and Barrett Strong's "Money (That's What I Want)"; and as an arranger. After the Satintones disbanded, Sanders left Motown in the early 1960s, but continued to work as an arranger on records including the Reflections "Just Like Romeo and Juliet". In 1965 he was recruited to work with record producer Carl Davis in Chicago, and arranged songs for Mary Wells, Edwin Starr's "Agent Double-O-Soul", and Jackie Wilson’s "Higher and Higher", and "I Get the Sweetest Feeling". Other artists with whom he worked, notably at Brunswick Records, included Gene Chandler, the Chi-Lites, and Tyrone Davis. With Eugene Record of the Chi-Lites, he co-wrote Barbara Acklin's "Am I the Same Girl", the backing track of which later became "Soulful Strut" credited to Young-Holt Unlimited; and, with Wilson Pickett and former Satintones bandmate Robert Bateman, he co-wrote "If You Need Me", first recorded by Pickett and also a chart hit for Solomon Burke; it was later recorded by the Rolling Stones. Sanders also worked with Bateman's nephew, Jeffree (singer of the Steppers classic "Love's Gonna Last") on Jackie Wilson's "Beautiful Day" album. In the 1970s, he worked with Chubby and the Turnpikes, who later became Tavares; and the band Manchild, who included the musician Babyface. In 1998 Sanders and Carl Davis produced Eugene Record's last album, Let Him In. He also set up a gospel music publishing company, Joy Over One. Sanders died in Detroit during the fall of 2016. He was 77. |
Birth and Death Data: Born August 6, 1939 (Chicago), Died October 12, 2016
Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1966 - 1970
Roles Represented in DAHR: arranger, leader
= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.
Recordings
Company | Matrix No. | Size | First Recording Date | Title | Primary Performer | Description | Role | Audio |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Decca | 117708 | 7/21/1966 | Love grows bitter | Billy Butler | arranger | |||
Decca | 117709 | 7/20/1966 | Sweet darling | Billy Butler | arranger | |||
Decca | 117710 | 7/20/1966 | Help yourself | Billy Butler | arranger | |||
Decca | 117711 | 7/20/1966 | If you need somebody | Billy Butler | arranger | |||
Decca | 117993 | 10/10/1966 | I don't want to lose you | Jackie Wilson | arranger | |||
Decca | 117994 | 10/10/1966 | I can do better | Jackie Wilson | arranger | |||
Decca | 117995 | 10/10/1966 | Those heartaches | Jackie Wilson | arranger | |||
Decca | 117996 | 10/10/1966 | My heart is calling | Jackie Wilson | arranger | |||
Decca | 117997 | 10/10/1966 | Just be sincere | Jackie Wilson | arranger | |||
Decca | 117998 | 10/10/1966 | Who am I? | Jackie Wilson | arranger | |||
Decca | 117999 | 10/10/1966 | I've lost you | Jackie Wilson | arranger | |||
Decca | 118000 | 10/10/1966 | I've gotta talk to you | Jackie Wilson | arranger | |||
Decca | 118001 | 10/10/1966 | Only your love can save me | Jackie Wilson | arranger | |||
Decca | 118279 | 11/25/1966 | Wrapped, tied and tangled | LaVern Baker | arranger, leader | |||
Decca | 118280 | 11/25/1966 | Nothing like being in love | LaVern Baker | arranger, leader | |||
Decca | 118453 | 1/10/1967 | What now my love | Gene Chandler | arranger | |||
Decca | 118454 | 1/10/1967 | To choose | Gene Chandler | arranger | |||
Decca | 118455 | 1/10/1967 | The girl don't care | Gene Chandler | arranger | |||
Decca | 118624 | 2/8/1967 | Day dream-1 | Louis Armstrong | arranger | |||
Decca | 118625 | 2/8/1967 | Step down brother, next case | Louis Armstrong | arranger | |||
Decca | 118626 | 2/8/1967 | Louis' dream | Louis Armstrong | arranger | |||
Decca | 118627 | 2/8/1967 | Northern Boulevard blues | Louis Armstrong | arranger | |||
Decca | 118745 | 3/16/1967 | Come on over to my side | Billy Butler | arranger | |||
Decca | 118746 | 3/16/1967 | I can't wait (for your love) | Billy Butler | arranger | |||
Decca | 119061 | June 1967 | [Unknown title(s)] | Gene Chandler | arranger | |||
Decca | 119062 | June 1967 | There goes the lover | Gene Chandler | arranger | |||
Decca | 119063 | June 1967 | Tell me what I can do | Gene Chandler | arranger | |||
Decca | 119064 | June 1967 | [Unknown title(s)] | Gene Chandler | arranger | |||
Decca | 119161 | 7/6/1967 | (Your love keeps lifting me) Higher and higher | Jackie Wilson | arranger | |||
Decca | 119162 | 7/5/1967 | Somebody up there likes you | Jackie Wilson | arranger | |||
Decca | 119163 | 7/6/1967 | I'm the one to do it | Jackie Wilson | arranger | |||
Decca | 119453 | 9/15/1967 | The who who song | Jackie Wilson | arranger | |||
Decca | 119454 | 9/15/1967 | You can count on me | Jackie Wilson | arranger | |||
Decca | 119455 | 9/15/1967 | Since you showed me how to be happy-1 | Jackie Wilson | arranger | |||
Decca | 119456 | 9/15/1967 | Honey babe | Jackie Wilson | arranger | |||
Decca | 119457 | 9/18/1967 | Soulville | Jackie Wilson | arranger | |||
Decca | 119458 | 9/18/1967 | I don't need you around | Jackie Wilson | arranger | |||
Decca | 119459 | 9/20/1967 | When will our day come | Jackie Wilson | arranger | |||
Decca | 119460 | 9/20/1967 | I need your loving | Jackie Wilson | arranger | |||
Decca | 119461 | 9/20/1967 | Open the door to your heart | Jackie Wilson | arranger | |||
Decca | 119788 | 1/10/1968 | Love won't start-1 | Barbara Acklin ; Gene Chandler | arranger | |||
Decca | 119789 | 1/10/1968 | Baby it's you | Gene Chandler | arranger | |||
Decca | 119790 | 1/10/1968 | Show me the way to go-1 | Barbara Acklin ; Gene Chandler | arranger | |||
Decca | 120130 | 3/25/1968 | From the teacher to the preacher-1 | Gene Chandler | arranger | |||
Decca | 120131 | 3/25/1968 | Love makes a woman | Barbara Acklin | arranger | |||
Decca | 120132 | 3/25/1968 | Anywhere but nowhere-1 | Gene Chandler | arranger | |||
Decca | 120133 | 3/25/1968 | Come and see my baby | Barbara Acklin | arranger | |||
Decca | 120405 | 5/23/1968 | You brought about a change in me | Jackie Wilson | arranger | |||
Decca | 120406 | 5/23/1968 | Nothing but blue skies | Jackie Wilson | arranger | |||
Decca | 120407 | 5/23/1968 | Growin' tall | Jackie Wilson | arranger | |||
Decca | 120408 | 5/23/1968 | I get the sweetest feeling | Jackie Wilson | arranger | |||
Decca | 120409 | 5/23/1968 | A woman needs to be loved | Jackie Wilson | arranger | |||
Decca | 120438 | June 1968 | Never give you up | Gene Chandler | arranger | |||
Decca | 120439 | June 1968 | Never give you up | Gene Chandler | arranger | |||
Decca | 120440 | June 1968 | Blind heart | Gene Chandler | arranger | |||
Decca | 120441 | June 1968 | Since you've been gone | Gene Chandler | arranger | |||
Decca | 120442 | June 1968 | Laughter to tears | Gene Chandler | arranger | |||
Decca | 120443 | June 1968 | Cowboys to girls | Gene Chandler | arranger | |||
Decca | 120444 | June 1968 | Teacher, teacher | Gene Chandler | arranger | |||
Decca | 120445 | June 1968 | Fooling around | Gene Chandler | arranger | |||
Decca | 120446 | June 1968 | Lonely avenue | Gene Chandler | arranger | |||
Decca | 120447 | June 1968 | Pit of loneliness | Gene Chandler | arranger | |||
Decca | 120496 | July 1968 | Those were the good old days | Gene Chandler | arranger | |||
Decca | 120497 | July 1968 | [Unknown title(s)] | Gene Chandler | arranger | |||
Decca | 120983 | December 1968 | Give it away | The Chi-Lites | arranger | |||
Decca | 120984 | December 1968 | What do I wish for? | The Chi-Lites | arranger | |||
Decca | 121067 | 1/14/1969 | Power of my love | The Chi-Lites | arranger | |||
Decca | 121068 | 1/14/1969 | To change my love | The Chi-Lites | arranger | |||
Decca | 121069 | 1/14/1969 | You're no longer part of my heart | The Chi-Lites | arranger | |||
Decca | 121116 | 1/4/1969 | I still love you | Jackie Wilson | arranger | |||
Decca | 121117 | 1/4/1969 | Hum de dum de do | Jackie Wilson | arranger | |||
Decca | 121118 | 2/4/1969 | Gotta find me a lover (24 hours a day)-1 | Erma Franklin | arranger | |||
Decca | 121119 | 2/4/1969 | Change my thoughts from you-2 | Erma Franklin | arranger | |||
Decca | 121150 | 2/7/1969 | Son-of-a-preacher man-1 | Erma Franklin | arranger | |||
Decca | 121151 | 2/7/1969 | Light my fire | Erma Franklin | arranger | |||
Decca | 121164 | 2/12/1969 | By the time I get to Phoenix | Erma Franklin | arranger | |||
Decca | 121254 | March 1969 | I'm gonna make you love me | The Chi-Lites | arranger | |||
Decca | 121320 | 3/14/1969 | Hold on, I'm comin' | Erma Franklin | arranger | |||
Decca | 121321 | 3/14/1969 | Baby I love you | Erma Franklin | arranger | |||
Decca | 121400 | 3/19/1969 | Saving my love for you-4 | Erma Franklin | arranger | |||
Decca | 121401 | 3/19/1969 | Can't see my way-3 | Erma Franklin | arranger | |||
Decca | 121402 | 3/19/1969 | You've been cancelled- 2, 3 | Erma Franklin | arranger | |||
Decca | 121403 | 3/19/1969 | For once in my life- 1, 2, 3 | Erma Franklin | arranger | |||
Decca | 121883 | 1969 | Who you really are? | Fred Hughes | arranger | |||
Decca | 121884 | 1969 | Baby boy | Fred Hughes | arranger | |||
Decca | 121977 | Hold on, I'm comin' | Jackie Wilson | arranger | ||||
Decca | 121978 | [Unknown title(s)] | Jackie Wilson | arranger | ||||
Decca | 121979 | [Unknown title(s)] | Jackie Wilson | arranger | ||||
Decca | 121980 | Light my fire | Jackie Wilson | arranger | ||||
Decca | 121982 | 8/12/1969 | With these hands | Jackie Wilson | arranger | |||
Decca | 121983 | 8/12/1969 | That lucky old sun (Just rolls around heaven all day)-1 | Jackie Wilson | arranger | |||
Decca | 121984 | 8/12/1969 | This bitter earth | Jackie Wilson | arranger | |||
Decca | 121985 | 8/12/1969 | Eleanor Rigby | Jackie Wilson | arranger | |||
Decca | 121989 | 8/12/1969 | To change my love | Jackie Wilson | arranger | |||
Decca | 121990 | 8/12/1969 | This guy's in love with you | Jackie Wilson | arranger | |||
Decca | 122336 | Don't let this happens to us-1 | Fred Hughes | arranger | ||||
Decca | 122337 | In my time of need-1 | Fred Hughes | arranger | ||||
Decca | 122338 | 1969 | I understand-1 | Fred Hughes | arranger | |||
Decca | 122364 | January 1970 | What's it gonna be | Barbara Acklin | arranger, leader | |||
Decca | 122365 | January 1970 | He's just a little guy | Barbara Acklin | arranger, leader | |||
Decca | 122366 | January 1970 | Is it me? | Barbara Acklin | arranger, leader | |||
Decca | 122367 | January 1970 | You've been in love too long | Barbara Acklin | arranger, leader | |||
Decca | 122511 | 2/26/1970 | Let this be a letter (to my baby) | Jackie Wilson | arranger | |||
Decca | 122512 | 2/26/1970 | Didn't I | Jackie Wilson | arranger | |||
Decca | 122513 | Think about the good times | Jackie Wilson | arranger |
Citation
Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Sanders, Sonny," accessed November 5, 2024, https://adpprod2.library.ucsb.edu/names/209060.
Sanders, Sonny. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved November 5, 2024, from https://adpprod2.library.ucsb.edu/names/209060.
"Sanders, Sonny." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 5 November 2024.
DAHR Persistent Identifier
Linked Open Data Sources
LCNAR: Sanders, William, 1939- - http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/no2003074319
Wikidata: Sonny Sanders - http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q27460031
VIAF: http://viaf.org/viaf/139149106266468492311
MusicBrainz: Sonny Sanders - https://musicbrainz.org/artist/ca536f9a-0321-48eb-9e7e-e63f34ac7e8e
Wikipedia content provided under the terms of the Creative Commons BY-SA license
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