Sonny Clay
Sonny Clay was born in Texas, United States on May 15th, 1899 and is the Pianist. At the age of 73, Sonny Clay biography, profession, age, height, weight, eye color, hair color, build, measurements, education, career, dating/affair, family, news updates, and networth are available.
At 73 years old, Sonny Clay physical status not available right now. We will update Sonny Clay's height, weight, eye color, hair color, build, and measurements.
William Rogers Campbell "Sonny" Clay (1899, Chapel Hill, Texas, April 13, 1973, Los Angeles) was an American jazz pianist, drummer, and bandleader who had an unexpected influence on Australian jazz's evolution. Clay's family moved to Phoenix when he was eight years old; he played drums and xylophone early in life.
He started studying piano in 1915 and then played with Charlie Green and Jelly Roll Morton in Mexico around 1920.
In 1921, he played for Reb Spikes in California, and he had his first recording experience with Camille Allen in 1922.
He appeared with Kid Ory at the Hiawatha Dancing Academy in Los Angeles later this year. He formed the Eccentric Harmony Six in 1923; this group debuted on Vocalion Records as the California Poppies in 1923 and 1925 respectively, as the Stompin' Six.
He has appeared with the Plantation Orchestra and the Hartford Ballroom Orchestra, as well as the Plantation Orchestra and the Hartford Ballroom Orchestra.
In 1925 and 1926, his band had a regular gig on radio stations KNX and KFI. Clay took his band (soon as Sonny Clay's Colored Idea) on tour of Australia in 1928, with Ivie Anderson (later a vocalist with Duke Ellington) as one of the orchestra's accompanying the orchestra.
The group performed in Sydney and Melbourne to great success, but the group suffered with unions and venue changes (their initial bookings were on vaindeville halls, but subsequent dates in dance halls culminated in them gaining some notoriety with local authorities).
The black band members and white women flocked in the face of a police raid that became a national press sensation as reports of drug use and miscegation emerged.
Clay and his band were arrested, and the Australian government has agreed not to allow any black musicians to enter the country, effectively ending Louis Armstrong's stay from touring the country until 1954. Following Clay's return to Los Angeles, he had a life at the Vernon County Club in Los Angeles, but then broke up and formed a new one, which included Teddy Buckner and Les Hite among its members.
Clay performed solo and led bands until 1941, during which time he was leading a band as a member of the Special Services Division.
He departed from music in the 1950s but returned to record solo and perform in clubs around 1960.