Sonny Smith (musician)
Encyclopedia
Sonny Smith is an American
musician, playwright
and multimedia artist residing in San Francisco.
In 2003, Smith was commissioned by Watchword literary magazine to make a CD of one-act plays delivered as songs. This project led Smith in a new direction, incorporating theatre and dialogue into his evolving approach to music. At the Headlands Center for the Arts
, he was awarded a residency in May 2005 to create a feature length musical, The Dangerous Stranger, which included guest performers such as underground folk singer Jolie Holland
, local singer Peggy Honeywell (artist Clare Rojas), Miranda July
, and set designer Daniel Tierney.
, Brooklyn, Smith invited 100 artists to produce artwork for the record covers of fictional bands. Smith concocted the personas of all 100 fictitious bands, then wrote and recorded two hundred songs (the A side and B side) for each. Smith displayed all the original album artwork as well as a jukebox
that plays all two hundred songs recorded by Sonny Smith and other musicians. Artists who participated in the project include Reed Anderson, Alika Cooper, Chris Duncan, Harrell Fletcher
, Jo Jackson, Chris Johanson
, Tucker Nichols, Ed Ruscha, Paul Wackers and William T. Wiley
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
musician, playwright
Playwright
A playwright, also called a dramatist, is a person who writes plays.The term is not a variant spelling of "playwrite", but something quite distinct: the word wright is an archaic English term for a craftsman or builder...
and multimedia artist residing in San Francisco.
Life and Work
Smith began playing blues piano in bars when he was nineteen years old. Skipping between the Rocky Mountains of Denver, San Francisco, and Central America, he began to write original songs, short stories and plays. Smith’s travels in Central America inspired his narrative approach and original style of folk music.In 2003, Smith was commissioned by Watchword literary magazine to make a CD of one-act plays delivered as songs. This project led Smith in a new direction, incorporating theatre and dialogue into his evolving approach to music. At the Headlands Center for the Arts
Headlands Center for the Arts
Situated in a campus of artist-renovated military buildings in the Marin Headlands, Headlands Center for the Arts hosts an internationally recognized Artist in Residence Program, interdisciplinary public programs, and subsidized studio rentals for Bay Area artists of all disciplines.- Mission and...
, he was awarded a residency in May 2005 to create a feature length musical, The Dangerous Stranger, which included guest performers such as underground folk singer Jolie Holland
Jolie Holland
Jolie Holland is an American singer and performer who combines elements of folk, traditional, country, rock, jazz, and blues...
, local singer Peggy Honeywell (artist Clare Rojas), Miranda July
Miranda July
Miranda July is a performing artist, writer, actress and film director. Born Miranda Jennifer Grossinger, she works under the surname of "July," which can be traced to a character from a "girlzine" Miranda created with high school friend Johanna Fateman, called Snarla.- Background :Miranda...
, and set designer Daniel Tierney.
100 Records
For a 2010 project called 100 Records, first exhibited at Gallery 16 in San Francisco and later at Cinders in WilliamsburgWilliamsburg, Brooklyn
Williamsburg is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Brooklyn, bordering Greenpoint to the north, Bedford-Stuyvesant to the south, Bushwick to the east and the East River to the west. The neighborhood is part of Brooklyn Community Board 1. The neighborhood is served by the NYPD's 90th ...
, Brooklyn, Smith invited 100 artists to produce artwork for the record covers of fictional bands. Smith concocted the personas of all 100 fictitious bands, then wrote and recorded two hundred songs (the A side and B side) for each. Smith displayed all the original album artwork as well as a jukebox
Jukebox
A jukebox is a partially automated music-playing device, usually a coin-operated machine, that will play a patron's selection from self-contained media...
that plays all two hundred songs recorded by Sonny Smith and other musicians. Artists who participated in the project include Reed Anderson, Alika Cooper, Chris Duncan, Harrell Fletcher
Harrell Fletcher
Harrell Fletcher is an American artist in Portland, Oregon who creates socially engaged interdisciplinary projects.-Early work:While completing his degree at California College of Arts and Crafts, Fletcher began collaborating with artist Jon Rubin...
, Jo Jackson, Chris Johanson
Chris Johanson
Chris Johanson is an American painter and street artist. He is a member of San Francisco's Mission School art movement.- Biography :Johanson was born in suburban San Jose, California in 1968. He has no formal training in art, learning some technique by painting skateboards and houses...
, Tucker Nichols, Ed Ruscha, Paul Wackers and William T. Wiley
William T. Wiley
William T. Wiley is a contemporary American artist. His practice spans a broad range of media including drawing, painting, sculpture, film, performance, and pinball. At least some of Wiley's work has been referred to as Funk art....
.
Albums
- Who's The Monster...You Or Me? (Self-released 2000)
- This Is My Story, This Is My Song (Jackpine Social Club 2002)
- Sordid Tales of Love and Woe (Self-released 2003)
- One Act Plays (self-released 2005)
- FruitvaleFruitvale (album)Fruitvale is a 2007 album by American musician Sonny Smith. The songs on the album make reference to the Oakland neighborhood of the same name.-Track listing:# "Day in the Life of a Heel"# "Good Folks Bad Folks"# "Mario"# "Bad Cop"...
(Belle Sound 2007) - Tomorrow is AlrightTomorrow is AlrightTomorrow is Alright is a 2009 album by American band Sonny & The Sunsets.-Track listing:# "Too Young to Burn"# "Death Cream"# "Strange Love"# "Planet of Women"# "The Houris"# "Stranded"# "Bad Vibes & Evil Thoughts"# "Chapters"...
(LP Soft Abuse / Secret Seven 2009; CD Fat Possum 2010) - Hit After Hit (Fat Possum 2011)
Singles and EPs
- Love & Death 7" + comic book (Soft Abuse 2009)
- Broom & Dustpan 7" (Home Skillet 2009)
- The Hypnotist 7" (Future Stress 2010)
Box Sets
- 100 Records CD/box Volume 1 (Gallery 16 2010)
- 100 Records Volume 2: I Miss The Jams (Turn Up Records 2010)