The Resume

(October 24, 1911-March 11, 1986)
Born in Greensboro, Georgia
Birth name was Saunders Terrell
Blues and folk harmonica player
Frequently collaborated with guitarist and singer Brownie McGhee
With McGhee, recorded the albums 'Folk Songs of Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee' (1958), 'Down Home Blues' (1960), 'At the Bunkhouse' (1965), 'A Long Way from Home' (1969), and 'Sonny & Brownie' (1973)
Also recorded the albums 'Sonny Terry's Washboard Band' (1955), 'Sonny's Story' (1960), 'Last Night Blues' (with Lightnin' Hopkins, 1961), 'Sonny Is King' (with Lightnin' Hopkins and Big Joe Williams, 1963), and 'Whoopin'' (with Willie Dixon and Johnny Winter, 1984)
Performed in the first 'From Spirituals to Swing' concert (December 23, 1938)
Appeared on Broadway in 'Finian's Rainbow' (1947) and 'Cat on a Hot Tin Roof' (1955-57)
Appeared in the films 'The Jerk' (1979) and 'The Color Purple' (1985)

Why he might be annoying:

He tore apart his first harmonica trying to figure out how it worked.
'From Spirituals to Swing' organizer John Hammond originally wanted Blind Boy Fuller to perform and turned to Terry only after learning that Fuller was in jail.
He and McGhee became increasingly estranged and would rarely talk to each other except in the studio or onstage.
He played harmonica on the soundtrack of 'Crossroads' (1986) -- the film that pretended having the Karate Kid as a blues guitarist was believable casting.

Why he might not be annoying:

He went blind in his teens.
His 'whooping' style of harmonica playing was influential.
He could imitate train whistles, animal calls, and farm machinery on the harmonica.
He and McGhee were members of the first group of recipients of National Heritage Fellowships from the National Endowment of the Arts (1982).
At least he did not appear on the soundtrack of 'Crossroads' (2002), the Britney Spears vanity project.

Credit: C. Fishel

Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

• Blind Musicians
• Blues Musicians
• Bob Dylan References
• C. Fishel's Profiles [Series 83]
• Folk Singers
• Harmonica Players
• I am on a U.S. Postage Stamp [R-T]
• I Died in 1986 (Ranked: 74)
• I Performed at 'From Spirituals to Swing'
• Look at Me, I'm a Man in Shades
• Look at Me, I'm Postage
• Midnight Special Performers [L-Z]
• Profiles 51751-51986 (Ranked: 51759)
• Visually Impaired

Year In Review:

In 2023, Out of 4 Votes: 25.00% Annoying
In 2022, Out of 4 Votes: 25.00% Annoying
In 2021, Out of 10 Votes: 40.0% Annoying