Sonny Knight

About

Sonny Knight & The Lakers
In the mid-sixties Minneapolis based Sonny Knight released his first record, “Tears On My Pillow.” During the seventies he sang in the Minneapolis based cult-classic R&B band, Haze. In late 2012 Secret Stash Records released Twin Cities Funk & Soul, a collection of lost R&B music recorded in Minnesota during the ‘60s and ‘70s. The smash hit compilation spawned a live soul revue comprised of music and musicians featured on the record. In September, the sold-out debut of the revue was named 2012’s “Best Concert in the Twin Cities” by City Pages. Since then, Secret Stash has presented the event three different times, each time to another sold out room. Sonny Knight is the most featured performer of the entire show. Now he is going solo. Along with his backing band, The Lakers, Knight delivers an authentic, powerful brand of soul music and a level of showmanship rarely seen these days.

In the mid-1960s, Sonny Knight and the Cymbals entertained crowds throughout the Twin Cities. In the mid-70s, Sonny went on to sing for Haze, one of Minnesota’s most popular R&B bands. Cutting his teeth in the show band era, Knight still knows how to work a crowd.

In late 2012, Minneapolis based Secret Stash Records released Twin Cities Funk & Soul: Lost R&B Grooves from Minneapolis & Saint Paul 1964-1979. The double LP pressing of the compilation came with a massive 12”x12” 32 page tabloid style newspaper packed with liner notes and rare photos. In the process of researching and licensing the music they got to know the musicians who recorded it in the 60s and 70s. To celebrate the release of the compilation, the label and musicians teamed up to put on a soul revue at The Cedar Cultural Center in September. It was comprised completely of R&B songs from the Minneapolis scene. The sold out event was named “Best Twin Cities Concert of 2012” by City Pages. In mid-January Secret Stash brought their revue to night one of 89.3 The Current’s Birthday party at First Avenue’s Main Room. The performance was later referred to as “the high note of the parties” by the Star Tribune.

The Secret Stash Soul Revue has since become a platform on which individual artists are once again gaining prominence.

Video

Pictures

Live @ First Avenue (Photos by Meredith Westin)

Live @ The Cedar (Photos BY STEVE COHEN)

Contact

Secret Stash Records
711 W. Lake St. Ste. B
Minneapolis, MN 55408
612-466-2224
Sales (at) secretstashrecords.com

Press

“There was a sense of the extraordinary at the Cedar”
Best Twin Cities Concert of 2012 (City Pages)

“Despite the “lost” star value of the performers — tickets sold out in advance, and a discernibly mixed audience turned out.”
TC Funk & Soul” party sells out, spruces up the Cedar (Star Tribune)

“No one knew quite what to expect. Then the now 60-year-old singers opened their mouths.”
Years Later, Twin Cities Funk & Soul Bands Get Their Due (MPR)

“Some of the true musical stars of that time got the First Ave crowd moving in a major way, as the Twin Cities Funk and Soul All-Stars delivered a jubilant, upbeat set”
The Current’s 8^th Birthday Party, Night One (City Pages)

“The backing band while never introduced was classic in their ability to providing the perfect complement to the performers.”
Music Review: The Current’s 8^th Birthday Party (Twin Cities Daily Planet)

“the set that became the high note of the parties”
A Current Recap of 2012 Music (Star Tribune)