Sonny Landreth
(born February 1, 1951) is a American blues musician from southwest Louisiana who is especially known as a slide guitar player. He was born in Canton, Mississippi, but soon after, his family moved to Jackson, Mississippi, before settling in Lafayette, Louisiana. When he is not touring and performing, he resides in Breaux Bridge, Louisiana.
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SONNY LANDRETH TICKETS
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Technique
Although Landreth is an extremely competent guitarist in the conventional form, he is most well-known for his slide playing. Landreth has developed a technique where he also
frets notes and plays chords and chord fragments behind the slide while he plays. Landreth plays with the slide on his little finger, so that his other fingers have more room to fret behind the slide. He's also known for his unique right-hand technique, which involves tapping, slapping, and picking strings, using all of the fingers on his right hand.
Landreth has worked steadily for decades and amassed a following among his fans and peers.
Eric Clapton has said he is "probably the most underestimated musician on the planet and also probably one of the most advanced."
[1]
Landreth has also recorded with
Jimmy Buffett, and accompanied him on his 2006 and 2007 summer tours.
Allied musicians
Sonny Landreth has performed on many other artists' albums, including albums from
Little Feat,
Jimmy Buffett,
John Hiatt,
Waterline,
John Mayall,
Bobby Charles and
The Goners. He has performed with
Bonnie Raitt,
Mark Knopfler,
Steve Conn,
Eric Clapton,
Gov't Mule,
Mike Gordon,
Bernie Worrell, and
Buddy Guy, among others. Landreth performed at Clapton's 2004
Crossroads Guitar Festival, as well as returning as the opening act at the 2007 Festival in
Chicago,
Illinois.
Discography
Solo
Landreth has released at least eleven albums:
- Blues Attack
(1981; re-released 1996)
- Down in Louisiana
(1986; re-released 1993)
- Outward Bound
(1992)
- South of I-10
(1995)
- Crazy Cajun Recordings
(1999) - source material from 1973 and 1977
- Prodigal Son: The Collection
(2000) - source material from 1973 and 1977
- Levee Town
(2000; re-released 2009 with 5 bonus tracks)
- The Road We're On
(2003)
- Grant Street
(2005) - live recording
- Sonny Landreth - Live At Jazz Fest 2007
(2007) - live recording
- From the Reach
(2008)
Guest appearances
with
Jimmy Buffett:
- "USS Zydercosmobile" and "Mademoiselle (Voulez-Vous Danser)" on Far Side Of The World
(2002)
- License To Chill
(2004)
- Live At Fenway Park
(2005)
- Jimmy Buffett's appearances on Hoot-Movie Soundtrack
(2006)
- Take The Weather With You
(2006)
with others:
- "When The Levee Breaks" and "The Wrong Side" on Lay Your Burden Down
by Buckwheat Zydeco
Sonny's Krewe
Sonny's Krewe is a group of people from all around the world who appear at Sonny's shows and sell his merchandise for him for no cost. All profits from the sales (excluding CDs) go to the Dr. Tommy Comeaux fund.
Honors and awards
- Americana Music Association Instrumentalist of the Year: 2005 [2]
References
- ''Slidelines'' #10, Sonny Landreth's newsletter at his official website
- Americana Music Association awardees list