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Sonny Emory
Born December 27, 1962, Sonny took to the drums early and was well on his way by the time he enrolled in first grade. He excelled through secondary school and graduated from Georgia State University with a degree in jazz studies. In no time, it seemed as if he had parachuted into the A-list, almost out of nowhere. Sonny began doing the coveted gigs others dream of, beginning with the Crusaders. Along the way, Sonny Emory has recorded with a fascinating array of well known artists including Bette Midler, Jennifer Lopez, Bruce Hornsby, Lee Ritenour, Paula Abdul, Al Jarreau, Boz Scaggs, State of the Art (Emory's own band), David Sanborn, the B52s and Steely Dan. Perhaps it is unfair to single out an act, but most observers would agree that Sonny Emory's most memorable performances were with the super group Earth, Wind and Fire. In this funky context and on a long list of radio hits, he demonstrated his flawless time keeping, one that seemed to hinge on an unflinching snare drum backbeat. And besides his incredible drumset chops, Sonny's theatrics, which included many of the old swing/vaudeville lost tricks such as stick twirling and throwing, kept crowds on their toes. One point to make is that Sonny Emory's seemingly magical feats of crowd-pleasing arm, leg, and stick control never took precedence over music. Yes, to witness him live is inspirational and exciting but his dead-accurate fills, complex grooves, and rock-solid grooves are equally compelling on CD. A true master of the drumkit and well-versed in classical and folkloric percussion, Sonny has conducted clinics around the globe, literally from Texas to Tokyo. His clinics for Yamaha, for example, were extremely popular in Japanese cities. To add to it all, Sonny maintains adjunct professor status at the University of Georgia and in summer runs the popular Sonny Emory Drum Camp. The producer of four solo albums and co-composer of several hits and movie themes, Emory is never without project or purpose. Instantly recognizable due to his sound and immutable time feel, Sonny Emory is clearly one of a kind. < Back to the Toca Artists Main Menu
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When
serious drumset artists congregate and discuss their favorites, the name
Sonny Emory is apt to arise. Quite simply, he's one of the funkiest,
slickest drummers on the planet-not that he's restricted to any one genre
of music. A look at his CV proves amply that he can play any style-and
double on percussion!