From:   "Dik de Heer" 
Date:  Wed Nov 13, 2002  6:16 am
Subject:  Born To Be With You : Sonny Fisher

SONNY FISHER (By Jean-Marc Pezet)

Born 13 November 1931, Tyler, Texas

Sonny was taught some guitar chords and the love for Country music
(through Singin' Cowboys like Gene Autry and Roy Rodgers) by his Irish
father (his mother was of Indian extraction). Interested in music from an
early age, he also listened to the Grand Ole Opry where he discovered
honky-tonk legends such as Ernest Tubb and Little Jimmy Dickens.
Around this time, the Fisher family left Texas and moved to California,
finally settling in Tacoma, Washington. However, Sonny missed Texas and
moved back there shortly after his 18th birthday. He formed his first band
in 1952 and played local clubs. In summer 1954, the shock came with
Sun 209 (he also once played on the same bill as the Hillbilly Cat).

Sonny, who was also influenced by Black & Rhythm Blues, took on the
new kind of music. The group went down very well in local clubs and Jack
Starnes, co-owner of Starday Records spotted them and offered Sonny a
contract. Eventually in 1955, they headed to the Goldstar studios in
Houston to record 4 sides for their first session which yielded the classic
rockabillies "Rockin Daddy", "Hold Me", "Sneaky Pete" and "Hey Mama"
that formed Sonny's first two singles on Starday. "Rockin Daddy" was
even covered by Eddie Bond for Mercury.
Four more tracks were recorded in 1956, issued on his two last Starday
singles, "Pink & Black" / "I Can't Lose" and "Hey Mama"/"Little Red Wagon",
but success didn't come.
Sonny then disappeared from the music scene to run a floor covering
company until 1980 when two English men (Ray Topping & Ted Carroll)
got him out of retirement to play in England and record an EP. Two more
LPs were recorded for the French Big Beat label in the early 1980s with a
few tours before Sonny retired back to Texas, where he should always
be at this time.
Sonny Fisher's music is raw rockabilly, head and shoulders with The
Johnny Burnette Rock'n'Roll Trio and the best of the Sun stable.
Unfortunately, not much has been reissued (legally...) lately and the best
way is to track down the old ACE 10" LP "Texas Rockabilly" which
contains the complete Starday sessions. Essential!