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 DooWopDJ's 
R&B and DooWop CD Reviews
 
SONNY KNIGHT

"CONFIDENTIAL"

Pacific Records #625
Barcode: None

Review first published: 26.09.2002

Joseph C. Smith, better known to you as Sonny Knight, started his career in the early 50’s in Los Angeles. First recording for Aladdin Records in 1953.

Sonny had only one hit is his nearly 20 years recording. We are all, or should be familiar with his SMASH hit “Confidential” recorded in 1956. As you will hear on this CD, Sonny should have had a few more memorable recordings.

This CD contains twenty-five (25) tracks of Sonny as a solo artist and with the backing of un-named groups behind them. I found this CD truly entertaining. I believe you will also.

Here now is SONNY KNIGHT!!

Note: All Tracks as solos unless otherwise noted

1. Confidential - ’56 Vita & ’56 Dot (Super, super ballad!) play

2. Dedicated To You - ’57 Starla & ’58 Dot (Another very nice ballad!)

3. Madness - ’58 Kent (Sonny definitely knows how to keep ya snugglin’)

4. Saving My Love For You – ’61 Fifo (Golly Gee Whiz! Another GREAT

Ballad!)

5. Worthless And Lowdown - ’57 Dot (Bluesy Swing Number Here! Very Good!)

6. Baby Don’t Want Me - ’55 Specialty (Ballad, backed by a female group. Ain’t bad at all!)

7. If You Want This Love - ’64 Aura & ’64 World Pacific (Good mid-tempo! Nice Strand tune!) play

8. Barbara - ’59 Eastman (Rock a little here! Sonny backed by the un-named Cleeshays aka Jayhawks/Vibrations/Marathons)

9. So Wonderful - ’58 Starla (Back to the solo ballads! Very pleasing sound!)

10. Those Oldies But Goodies Are Dedicated To You - ’62 Original Sound (Ballad backed by male group)

11. Keep A Walkin’ - Rockin flipside of #6 (Backed by them goils again!)

12. School’s Out - ’59 Original Sound (Rockin’ with another girl group!)

13. Cold, Cold Night - ’61 Fifo (Good Latin Beat Tune!)

14. I’m Lost Without You - flipside of #8 (Ballad! References say the Jayhawks are backing him on this one. If so! They must have had a sex change! LOL. Definitely a female group) play

15. But Officer - ’53 Aladdin (Good R&B Jump tune. As good if not better the the King Solomon version on Okeh from ’53)

16. Dear Wonderful - ’53 Aladdin (Sonny’s first recording. Nice, nice ballad)

17 Short Walk - flipside of #2 (Good Uptempo solo)

18. Once In A While - flip of #12 (Good job on this Standard! Female back-up)

19. Coldest Cat In Town - flipside of #3 (Easy swing here! Good tune)

20. Insha lot - ’58 Dot (Beautiful, beautiful ballad backed by a male group!)

21. Teenage Party – ’58 GoGo (Rocker!)

22. Dedicated To You -Alternate take

23. Jailbird - flip of #1 (Rockin’ here too!)

24. Lovesick Blues - flip of #20 (Still groovin’ to this one. Female back-up group!)

25. The End Of A Dream - flipside of #5 (Killer Ballad! Male back-up!)

There they are! Twenty-four (24) and one (1) alternate take. All tracks are excellent in my opinion. Sonny Knight should have been a much bigger STAR in the 50’s & 60’s. Sonny is gone now. But! With this CD his music will live on.

Don’t exactly know when this CD was released. However, I’m sure you will be able to find it at your favorite music outlets. If you run into a problem, feel free to drop me an E for assistance.

In Harmony:

Bruce (DooWop DJ)

ellupo@comcast.net