| About Sonny Del-Rio | SONNY DEL-RIO Sonny has been rockin out his brand of music for almost 50 years!! His 4th cd (Welcome To Saxland) has them moving the dining room table and dancing up a storm! And his new band is playing to sold out venues everywhere! 3 time winner of The Real Blues Magazines Best Blues Sax Player in Canada Award and 2005 Special Instrumentalist of the Year in The Hamilton Music Awards. Everyone agrees Del-Rio sounds better than ever! Sonny was born Dennis Grasley in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada in 1943. He started playing tenor saxophone in a rock & roll band in 1957, and he just keeps going and going and going. For many years Sonny toured with Richard Newell a.k.a. King Biscuit Boy and Kelly Jay in a version of Crowbar (Oh What a Feeling, What a Rush), during which time he recorded 2 albums with his life-long friend Richard. Sonny and Richard continued to work side by side until King Biscuit Boy died unexpectedly in 2003. Earlier in that year they released a CD together (Two Hound Blues). Sadly it was Richards last recording. From 1976 to 1983 Sonny played with the hugely popular Ray Materick (Linda Put The Coffee On) and Hamilton drummer Jack Pedler. They had a great band featuring electric cello and sax. They released a critically acclaimed album in 1980. The 90s featured less touring and more recording sessions while enjoying life on the west coast. Sonny returned to Hamilton and released his first solo cd (40 Years of Rock and Roll and All I Gots the Blues) in 1998. For Christmas 2002 Sonny and record producer Georgie Fab were inspired to give something back to the community they loved. They got together with more than 20 local celebrities including Ian Thomas, the Honorable Lincoln Alexander and the Mayor of Hamilton for a wonderful CD (Sonny Del-Rio and Friends Hamilton Hometown Christmas). They donated all profits to local childrens charities. For photo archivies and lots of fun check out... SonnyDelRio.com Contact (905) 719-6191 sonnydelrio@cogeco.ca |
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