Jo-El Sonnier

Jo-El Sonnier
Background information
Birth name Joel Sonnier
Born October 2, 1946 (1946-10-02) (age 65)
Origin Rayne, Louisiana, USA
Genres Country, Cajun
Occupations Singer-songwriter, accordionist
Instruments Vocals, Cajun accordion, Guitar, Harmonica
Years active 1967–present
Labels Goldband, Mercury, Rounder, RCA, Capitol, Liberty
Associated acts Eddy Raven
Website http://www.jo-elsonnier.com/

Jo-El Sonnier ( /ʒˌɛl sɒnˈj/; born October 2, 1946, in Rayne, Louisiana) is an American singer-songwriter and accordionist who performs country music and Cajun music. Originally signed to Mercury Nashville Records, Sonnier charted several minor singles on the Billboard country charts in the late 1970s. By the late 1980s, he had signed to RCA Records, breaking through with the Top Ten hits "No More One More Time" and a cover of Richard Thompson's "Tear Stained Letter". Although his chart success waned by the late 1980s, he has continued recording music. He has recorded more than twenty albums, primarily on independent labels.

Contents

Biography

Sonnier was born to French-speaking sharecroppers in Rayne, Louisiana.[1] At age three, he began to play his brother's accordion. By age six, Sonnier had performed on the radio; at age eleven, he made his first recordings.[2] He also released several independent singles and four albums as a teenager.[2] By the 1970s, he was signed to Mercury Nashville Records, but without much success in the country music field.

Sonnier temporarily abandoned his pursuit of a country music career in favor of recording Cajun music on the independent Rounder Records label.[1] Although his independent album did not produce much commercial success, it was nominated for a Grammy Award.[2] After being signed as Merle Haggard's opening act, Sonnier later decided to return to country music; he was signed to RCA Records in the 1980s, where his biggest successes came in the singles "No More One More Time" and a cover of British singer Richard Thompson's "Tear Stained Letter", songs which landed in the Top Ten on the country charts.[2]

In the 1990s, Sonnier moved to Capitol Records, but his solo career faltered soon afterwards. He continued to find success as a session musician, and briefly took up acting as well.[2] In the late 1990s, he returned to Rounder Records to record Cajun music once more, occasionally collaborating with Michael Doucet of Beausoleil. Sonnier also saw his second Grammy nomination, for the 1997 album Cajun Pride; a third soon followed with 2001's Cajun Blood being nominated for Best Traditional Folk Album.[2]

In 2009, he was inducted into The Louisiana Music Hall of Fame.

Discography

Albums

Year Album US Country Label
1967 Hurricane Audry Goldband
1968 The Scene Today in Cajun Music
1969 The Cajun Valentino
1980 Cajun Life Rounder
1987 Come On Joe 17 RCA
1989 Right Next Door to Texas Goldband
The Cajun Troubadour
1990 Have a Little Faith 45 RCA
1991 Tears of Joy Capitol
1992 Hello Happiness Again Liberty
Complete Mercury Session Mercury
1994 Cajun Roots Rounder
1995 Cajun Kids Little Morganville
1996 Live in Canada Stony Plain
Cookin Cajun K-Tel
1997 Cajun Young Blood Ace
Cajun Pride Rounder
1998 Here to Stay Intersound
Cajun Memories Green Hill
1999 Cajun Blood Musique de' Jo-El
2000 Cajun Tradition Green Hill
2001 The L.A. Sessions Musique de' Jo-El
2004 Yesterdays with Jo-El Sonnier Green Hill
Cajun Christmas
Cajun Hymns
Cajun Mardis Gras
2005 Back by Request Musique de' Jo-El

Singles

Year Single Chart Positions Album
US Country CAN Country
1975 "I've Been Around Enough to Know" 78 Single only
1976 "Always Late (With Your Kisses)" 99
"He's Still All Over You" 100
1987 "Come On Joe" 39 Come On Joe
1988 "No More One More Time" 7 2
"Tear-Stained Letter" 9 6
1989 "Rainin' in My Heart" 35 * Single only
"(Blue, Blue, Blue) Blue, Blue" 47 50
1990 "If Your Heart Should Ever Roll This Way Again" 24 26 Have a Little Faith
"The Scene of the Crime" 65 46

Guest singles

Year Single Artist Album
1998 "Catahoula" The Bellamy Brothers (with Eddy Raven) Over the Line

References

External links