{{short description|American singer}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = Sonny Rodgers | image = Sonny Boy Rodgers 1970 by JTT.jpg | caption = Sonny Rodgers at the Cozy Bar, Minneapolis, March 13, 1970 | alt = | image_size = | birth_name = Oliver Lee Rodgers | alias = Cat Daddy<ref name="Wirz">{{cite web|url=https://www.wirz.de/music/rodgefrm.htm|title=Sonny Rodgers illustrated discography|website=Wirz.de|accessdate=2017-05-26}}</ref> | birth_date = {{birth date|1939|12|04}} | birth_place = Hughes, Arkansas, United States | death_date = {{death date and age|1990|05|07|1939|12|04}} | death_place = Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States | instrument = Guitar, vocals | genre = Blues | occupation = Guitarist, singer, songwriter | years_active = 1950s–1990 | label = }}

'''Oliver Lee "Sonny" Rodgers''' (December 4, 1939 – May 7, 1990)<ref name="Eagle">{{cite book|author1=Bob L. Eagle|author2=Eric S. LeBlanc|title=Blues: A Regional Experience|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6ZNfAQAAQBAJ&pg=PA164|date=1 May 2013|publisher=ABC-CLIO|isbn=978-0-313-34424-4|page=164}}</ref> was an American electric blues guitarist, singer and songwriter. He won a W.C. Handy Award for his release "Cadillac Baby" b/w "Big Leg Woman", which the Blues Foundation deemed to be the 'Blues Single of 1990'. His subsequent debut album, ''They Call Me the Cat Daddy'', was acclaimed but coincided with his early death in May 1990, just prior to embarking on a UK tour.<ref name="AMG"/>

He variously worked with Forest City Joe, Joe Hill Louis, Joe Willie Wilkins, Eddie Boyd, Lazy Bill Lucas, Muddy Waters, George "Mojo" Buford, and Willie Cobbs.<ref name="Dead">{{cite web|author=Doc Rock |url=http://thedeadrockstarsclub.com/1990.html |title=The Dead Rock Stars Club 1990 - 1991 |website=Thedeadrockstarsclub.com |date= |accessdate=2017-05-26}}</ref>

==Life and career== Rodgers was born in 1939 near Hughes, Arkansas, United States,<ref name="Eagle"/> and he learned to play the guitar from his father, who hailed from the Deep South.<ref>{{cite book|title=Encyclopedia of Popular Music|edition=Fourth|editor=Colin Larkin|publisher=Oxford University Press|date=2006|isbn=978-0-195-31373-4}}</ref> His playing was influenced by B.B. King, Robert Nighthawk and Muddy Waters. Rodgers formed his first band at the age of 17 and, in October 1959, was recorded by Alan Lomax accompanying Forest City Joe.<ref name="AMG"/> Rodgers performed throughout Arkansas and beyond from 1960, before relocating briefly to Texas. In 1961, he moved on to Minneapolis, Minnesota,<ref name="Larkin2013">{{cite book|author=Colin Larkin|title=The Virgin Encyclopedia of The Blues|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7QeaHodj5fwC&pg=RA2-PA1986|date=2013|publisher=Ebury Publishing|isbn=978-1-4481-3274-4|page=2}}</ref> where he began a lengthy association with George "Mojo" Buford.<ref name="AMG"/> In 1970, Rodgers recorded with Lazy Bill Lucas for the latter's album, ''Lazy Bill & His Friends''.<ref name="Wirz"/>

Rodgers long association with Buford led to the latter recommending him in 1972 to Muddy Waters, to replace Sammy Lawhorn in Waters' band.<ref name="Komara">{{cite book|author1=Edward Komara|author2=Peter Lee|title=The Blues Encyclopedia|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Hwk3AgAAQBAJ&pg=PA843|date=1 July 2004|publisher=Taylor & Francis|isbn=978-1-135-95831-2|page=843}}</ref> After his short spell playing in Waters band ended, Rodgers spent several years away from the music industry.<ref name="AMG"/> However, he returned to performing in 1979, playing on ''Mojo Buford's Chicago Blues Summit'',<ref name="Wirz"/> and then forming his own band. He collected several music awards over the next decade or two in Minnesota.<ref name="AMG"/>

Blue Moon Records single "Cadillac Baby" b/w "Big Leg Woman", billed as by Sonny Rodgers and the Cat Scratchers, was voted 'Blues Single of 1990' in the W.C. Handy Awards. Following this success, Rodgers released what turned out to be both his debut album and final studio recordings. The resultant LP, ''They Call Me the Cat Daddy'' (1990), was highly acclaimed, but only just preceded Rodgers early death.<ref name="AMG">{{cite web|author= |url=http://www.allmusic.com/artist/sonny-rodgers-mn0000047488 |title=Sonny Rodgers &#124; Biography & History |publisher=AllMusic |date= |accessdate=2017-05-26}}</ref> The bassist playing on two tracks was Biscuit Miller.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/they-call-me-the-cat-daddy-mw0000429663/credits |title=They Call Me the Cat Daddy - Sonny Rodgers &#124; Credits |publisher=AllMusic |date=1999-12-25 |accessdate=2017-05-26}}</ref> Miller went on to play in Lonnie Brooks' band and became a "frontman" himself, releasing three albums. Sonny's album incorporated mainly blues standards including "Black Nights are Falling", "Walkin' Thru the Park", "Five Long Years", "Fever", "Stand by Me", and "Good Morning Little School Girl"; as well as several of Rodgers' original numbers.<ref name="Wirz"/>

In May 1990, Rodgers died of heart failure in Minneapolis, Minnesota, at the age of 50.<ref name="Dead"/><ref>{{cite web|author=Kurt Hriczucsah |url=http://dontaskmeidontknow.blogspot.co.uk/2013_12_01_archive.html |title=Don't Ask Me ... I Don't Know: December 2013 |website=Dontaskmeidontknow.blogspot.co.uk |date= |accessdate=2017-05-26}}</ref>

==Discography== ===Singles=== {| class="wikitable sortable" |- ! Year || A-side || B-side || Record label |- | 1989 || "Cadillac Baby" || "Big Leg Woman" || style="text-align:center;|Blue Moon Records |}<ref name="Wirz"/>

===Albums=== {| class="wikitable sortable" |- ! Year || Title || Record label |- | 1990 || ''They Call Me the Cat Daddy'' || style="text-align:center;|Fattening Frogs |}<ref name="Wirz"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/they-call-me-the-cat-daddy-mw0000429663 |title=They Call Me the Cat Daddy - Sonny Rodgers &#124; Songs, Reviews, Credits |publisher=AllMusic |date=1999-12-25 |accessdate=2017-05-26}}</ref>

==See also== * List of electric blues musicians

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== *[http://weeniecampbell.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=9535.0 1990 interview with Rodgers]

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Rodgers, Sonny}} Category:1939 births Category:1990 deaths Category:Electric blues musicians Category:American blues guitarists Category:American male guitarists Category:20th-century American guitarists Category:American blues singers Category:20th-century African-American male singers Category:20th-century American singers Category:People from St. Francis County, Arkansas Category:Songwriters from Arkansas Category:20th-century American male singers Category:African-American songwriters Category:African-American guitarists Category:American male songwriters Category:20th-century American songwriters