r quite a while as he progressed from short bursts, single notes, punctuated phrases to filigree patterns of complexity and richness. His large, calloused lips enfolded the cheap harps that he played and he seemed to mould the notes through the long fingers of his cupped hands (King Biscuit Time liner notes).

Marc Ryan, another long-term admirer, wrote: "The tone of Sonny's harmonica was unusually full, the result of a combination of virtuosic breath control and an especially large resonating chamber created by cupping his hands around his ... harp ... Sonny thus brought unique timbres to his blues, which were ... laden with a joyful sensuality" (Boppin' With Sonny liner notes).

Sonny Boy's harp style included "intricately woven phrasing, bold sonic textures, trills and vibrato ... He was also an effective showman -- he could, for instance, put the entire harp in his mouth and still draw notes. More important, his playing made the harp the centre attraction, no matter how many other great blues musicians shared the stage with him (Sonny Boy Blues Society Home Page).

For blues harp aficianados, here are some further notes on Sonny Boy's innovative technique:

His preferred harmonica was a 10-hole Hohner Marine Band or OId Standby, but he sometimes played the larger Marine Bands: the 12-hole 364 and the 14-hole 365. Some publicity photographs show him holding an Echo-Vamper, which is similar to the 364. From time to time -- for example, on "Dissatisfied" -- he used a Hohner Koch Chromatic. It has been claimed that he modified his harps by slightly bending the reeds with a toothpick, but this may have been a misconception. His preferred harmonica keys were F, C, B flat and D, but he also played in E, G and A. He generally played in second position, with the occasional exception (e.g., on "Trust My Baby" be played in first position on a G harp, and on "I Don't Know" he played in third position on a C harp). He used the tongue-blocking (as opposed to lip-puckering) technique most of the time and was an accomplished note-bender. His Chess recordings were characterised by single-note runs, but his Storyville sessions reveal a skilful use of rhythm and chords. He had a largely acoustic sound, playing to a mike on a stand and using his hands extensively for tremolo and wah-wah effects. However, he sometimes opted for an amplified sound, using a mike cupped in his hands (e.g., in "Cross My Heart"). Almost all his notes are lower than the 5-hole draw. He rarely used the top octave, but when he did (as in "Sonny's Rhythm") he used it very effectively.


This page has benefited from discussions involving harp specialists from
around the world on the web's premier harmonica mailing list, harp-l,
hosted by the Society for the Preservation and Advancement of the Harmonica
(SPAH).


© 1998 Sonny Boy's Lonesome Cabin
 

There are, to our knowledge, no other major websites representing comprehensive and original research on the life of Sonny Boy Williamson II (Alex "Rice" Miller). However, the sites listed below contain interesting and useful material relating to him. Please send us an e-mailif you come across any others of value.

This page also includes a bibliography, which we will expand as other publications come to light, and some general blues links.


BIOGRAPHICAL

Sonny Boy II Told His Sisters "Keep It To Yourself" By William E. Donoghue. An update to Donoghue's book, 'Fessor Mojo's "Don't Start Me To Talkin'", with a brief CD discography. Part of BluesNet, the longest-running blues site on the web.
All-Music Guide. A search for"Sonny Boy Williamson II" produces a biographical article by Cub Koda, a list of recordings, reviews, and other material. Sonny Boy Williamson by Gayle Dean Wardlow. A short 1973 interview with Sonny Boy's sister, Mary Ashford of Tutwiler. Mary Ashford was, however, not very close to her brother and knew little of his travels. My research has not found the same information but the cover of my book does include a photo which Mary Ashford gave Gayle Dean Wardlow and which Wardlow sold to me. Sonny Boy Williamson's Final Resting Place by John R. Allison. Includes a letter written by Sonny Boy to the author's father, jazz pianist/blues singer Mose Allison, (see above image) and a video clip of Sonny Boy's grave site.
Sonny Boy Williamson's Info Brasil. A new site put together by Brazilian Sonny Boy fan Antonio Carlos Cabrera of São Paulo.



DISCOGRAPHIES

Charly Album Discography. Compiled by Both Sides Now Publications. Charly released a number of Sonny Boy compilations and reissues until they were shut down by MCA, current owners of the Chess label. Chess AlbumDiscography. Also compiled by Both Sides Now Publications. Neither completenor wholly accurate, but a good starting point for information on SonnyBoy's Chess recordings. See also the Bibiography below.



MISCELLANEOUS

Arc Music Group. Sonny Boy's music publisher (with BMI).
The site includes an incomplete list of his songs and some biographical notes, but mistakenly attributes "Good Morning Little Schoolgirl" and other Sonny Boy (John Lee) Williamson I songs to Sonny Boy II.
Blues Lyrics: Sonny Boy Williamson. Lyrics to 11 of Sonny Boy's songs. BMI. This organisation represents Arc Music Group (among many other publishers). The site includes a searchable database, which would be useful if it didn't lump songs by Sonny Boy I and Sonny Boy II together, with no way to distinguish between them.
King Biscuit Time. Sonny Boy Williamson played on the King Biscuit Time blues show (KFFA, Helena, Arkansas) from 1941 to 1965, off and on. Still going strong, this is said to be the longest-running music radio program in the US, broadcasting over 13,000 shows. The site includes RealAudio clips of recent broadcasts, a souvenir shop, and a jukebox featuring several Sonny Boy tracks.
The Sonny Boy Blues Society. A non-profit organization basedin Helena, Arkansas. which is involved in the annual King Biscuit Blues Festival, and Blues-In-Schools.



RECORD COMPANIES

Alligator Records have released three Sonny Boy compilations: Clownin' With The World, Goin' In Your Direction and Keep It To Ourselves. Their website includes a brief Sonny Boy biography and Marc Ryan's wonderful original liner notes for the above albums.

Arhoolie Records issued King Biscuit Time, a compilation of Sonny Boy's best Trumpet Records recordings.

Chess Records. Most of Sonny Boy's best-known recordings were issued by Chess and Checker, who are currently owned by MCA. The majority of Sonny Boy's original Chess albums are still available, although The MCA "His Best" and "Essential" compilations are recommended first.



BIBLIOGRAPHY

Balfour, Alan: "Sonny Boy Williamson Discography". In Soul Bag 134 (1994),pp. 12-17.
Donoghue, William E.: Fessor Mojo's "Don't Start Me To Talkin'" (A Special Collectors' Preview Edition). Mojo Visions Productions, Inc., Seattle, 1997.

A short biography (96-pages, including discography), based on interviews with Sonny Boy's friends, relatives and colleagues.
To order,phone 1-800-982-BILL or 1-508-478-5997.

Leadbitter, Mike and Slaven, Neil: Blues Records, 1943-1970: A Selective Discography. Record Information Services, Chessington, Surrey, UK, 1987.

The definitive blues discography, with eight pages devoted to Sonny Boy, listing all his major recording sessions in chronological order.

McKelvy, David: Blues Harmonica Collection . Hal Leonard Publishing Corporation, Milwaukee, 1992. Includes transcriptions in music notation and harmonica tablature of 21 songs recorded by Sonny Boy: All My Love In Vain, Checkin' Up On My Baby, Cool Disposition, Cross My Heart, Don't Lose Your Eye, Don't Start Me Talkin', Down Child, Fattening Frogs For Snakes, Help Me, I Don't Know, Keep It To Yourself, The Key, Let Me Explain, Let Your Conscience Be Your Guide, Nine Below Zero, Ninety Nine, One Way Out, Too Close Together, Unseen Eye, You Killing Me, and Your Funeral And My Trial

Ryan, Marc: Trumpet Records: An Illustrated History With Discography. Big Nickel Publications, Milford, New Hampshire, 1992. Includes a fascinating account of Sonny Boy's first forays into the studio, together with numerous illustrations and discographical details. A first-rate publication.

© 1998 Sonny Boy's Lonesome Cabin