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Sonny Charles

voc, h, bvoc, *1940 US, Fort Wayne, Indiana
Singer / Musician of R&B/Soul
A.k.a. Charles Hemphill

Sonny Charles (born Charles Hemphill, 4 September 1940) is an American soul singer from Fort Wayne, Indiana. He was the lead singer of Checkmates, Ltd. in the 1960s and 1970s, and it is his vocals that are heard out front on their 1969 Phil Spector-produced hit, "Black Pearl". Charles launched a solo career in the early 1970s, and after a brief reunion with the Checkmates, again from the 1980s. Thereafter, to the mid to late 1990's playing at casinos at Lake Tahoe and off the strip in Las Vegas he toured with another member of the Checkmates, Ltd., Marvin "Sweet Louie" Smith, under the Checkmates name.

     
Instruments
  • Vocals
  • Harmonica
  • Backing Vocals
Genres
  • R&B/Soul
  • Rock
  • Blues
  • Pop
Popular Tracks   
Pretty Balloons on Let's Do It by Sonny Charles
Kathy's Gone on Let's Go Steady, Vol. 18 by Various Artists
Speechless on Let's Go Steady, Vol. 13 by Various Artists
Somebody's Taking My Place on Let's Do It by Sonny Charles
Got 2 C-U Soon on Let's Do It by Sonny Charles
Let's Do It on Let's Do It by Sonny Charles
A House Is Not a Home on Let's Do It by Sonny Charles
Never Had a Dream on Let's Do It by Sonny Charles
I Really Like This Love on Let's Do It by Sonny Charles
Love Thang on Let's Do It by Sonny Charles

Track list and 30sec audio provided by


Band Members
Discography


Title Artist Year Type
Always On My MindSonny Charles1982Single
The Sun Still ShinesSonny Charles1982Album
Put It In A MagazineSonny Charles1982Single
Black Pearl / Half As MuchSonny Charles1973Single
Nicasio / It's Alright In The CitySonny Charles1973Single
It's Alright In The City (Todo Va Bien En La Ciudad) / NicasioSonny Charles1972Single
Half As MuchSonny Charles1970Single
I Keep Forgettin' / Do You Love Your BabyThe Checkmates LTD., Sonny Charles1970Single
I Keep Forgettin' / Do You Love Your BabyThe Checkmates LTD., Sonny Charles1970Single
It Takes A Little Longer / Welfare ManSonny Charles1970Single
Proud Mary / Do You Love Your BabyThe Checkmates Ltd. Featuring Oten Music Publ. Co.1969Single
Please Don't Take My World Away / Mastered The Art Of LoveThe Checkmates LTD. Featuring Sonny Charles1967Single
Black Pearl / Love Is All I Have To GiveSonny Charles and The Checkmates LTD.Single
Please Don't Take My World AwayThe Checkmates LTD. Featuring Sonny CharlesSingle
Bless You / Talk To Me, Talk To MeSonny CharlesSingle
External Links
Wikipedia Logo Wikipedia  MusicBrainz Logo MusicBrainz  Discogs Logo Discogs  Spotify Logo Spotify  
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Acknowledgements
To all the music fans that are contributing on Discogs, MusicBrainz and Wikipedia. Thanks to Franz Flückiger for providing Storygram used to visualize band membership.
Universal Link: https://music.metason.net/artistinfo?name=Sonny%20Charles
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