1966
BEEN SO LONG * SONNY WARNER * CHECKER 1151 * USA
Sonny Warner was a member of the vocal group, the Rockets, which backed Atlantic records’ session pianist, Van Walls in the early 1950s, on both of his single releases After Midnight and Open The Door, he later became a valet in Lloyd Price’s touring band. It was only after teeming up with saxophonist Big Jay McNeely that Sonny came to prominence as Little Sonny Warner on the hit record There Is Something On Your Mind. The above was released dropping the Little from his name, although it was used again on his next and only other Checker issue, but the sobriquet was used on his releases for: Concertone, Swingin and Bee Bee.
Somebody, it seems, really wanted to stake their claim on this record as they have gouged their initials(?) SS on it and, as if that were not enough, underscored them!