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 (Results 51-75 of 105 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
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  
(Results 51-75 of 105 records)

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

URI: https://adpprod2.library.ucsb.edu/names/209060

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