Jump to content
Soul Source

Sonny Allen & Rockettes On Canadian Reo-A Detroit Production?

Posted

Sonny Allen on REO 8878-"I Love You Sonny Baby"/"Please Be My Love" is clearly the same bloke who Sam Motley recorded in Detroit with Mike Terry on HitPack Records. The REO cuts sound great, but the instrumentals don't have that definite "Detroit Sound". Were they rather a domestic Canadian production, recorded in Toronto? I've never seen them on a US label. Many Detroiters traveled up to Toronto to record, and also to sing in the clubs.

Does anyone know where Sonny Allen was from. He certainly sounds like an American, rather than a Canadian (and I should know :wink: ). Was he from Detroit? The only credit on the record is George Bozemore. I never saw that name on any other records. Not a known Detroiter, as far as I know. I wonder who The Rockettes were? Any help out there?

  • Replies 8
  • Views 3.5k
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Most active in this topic

Most Popular Posts

  • Salvosoul
    Salvosoul

    i have this record on reo best tune never look on us label very nice detroit style https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cW3z9nzIKdc

  • Robbk
    Robbk

    It doesn't sound ANYTHING like detroit to me. The instrumental sounds like New York. The songwriting starts off like a Chicago song, and quickly changes to the "New Jersey style", similar to t

Featured Replies

Billboard notes that the group played live at a New York gathering held on 6th June 1964 at the Statler Hilton.

The show was for the United Jewish Appeal for NY & WNEW DJ Wally King was emcee for the event.

No real help with where Sonny & the group were based though.

  • Author

I found a Sonny Allen located in New York, African-American, who looks to be in his 70s, and is a music teacher/choreographer. Sam Motley worked more out of New York than Detroit. So, I'm guessing that Sonny Allen also recorded in New York, and that the recordings on that REO release were made in The New York/New Jersey Metro Area, in early 1965, and, probably released on a small New York indie label.

Barbara Billups

h-barbarabillups_260_120.jpg

Barbara Billups was Sonny Allen's partner after he won the Lindy Championship at New York's Harvest Moon Ball in 1958.

Together with Sugar Sullivan, Barbara was one of the four young ladies of "Sonny Allen and The Rockets" fame. The Rockets, a song & dance revue, grew out of the dancing at New York's Savoy Ballroom. They traveled across The United States and Canada, entertaining packed audiences in hotels and nightclubs everywhere.

check this robbk. The International Lindy Hop Championships

what a fluke to find this,hes everywhere, a star

in his own right

ricky.

  • Author

i have this record on reo best tune never look on us label

very nice detroit style

It doesn't sound ANYTHING like detroit to me. The instrumental sounds like New York. The songwriting starts off like a Chicago song, and quickly changes to the "New Jersey style", similar to the mid-sixties sound of Carnival records.

It doesn't sound ANYTHING like detroit to me. The instrumental sounds like New York. The songwriting starts off like a Chicago song, and quickly changes to the "New Jersey style", similar to the mid-sixties sound of Carnival records.

Spoilsport !!!

ROD

Get involved with Soul Source

Go to topic listing