Sonny Landreth

Sonny Landreth is an American blues guitarist and singer-songwriter who is regarded as one of the finest exponents of Zydeco playing on a series of his own hit recordings and in collaboration with other major artists. He has won awards from the Americana Music Association and at the Blues Music Awards and he earned Grammy Award nominations for Best Contemporary Blues Album for 'The Road We're On' in 2003 and 'Recorded Live in Lafayette' in 2017. The latter two-disc CD and vinyl release, which featured acoustic and electric performances of songs from throughout his career, went to number five on Billboard's Blues Albums Chart. Born in Mississippi, Landreth grew up in neighbouring Louisiana where he learned to play the trumpet before he switched to the guitar influenced heavily by Delta blues and Cajun and Zydeco performers he saw locally. He attempted to emulate Nashville legend Chet Atkins as he developed his own style with a slide guitar technique admired widely by fellow guitarists such as Eric Clapton and Mark Knopfler. He performed with Clifton Chenier's Red Hot Louisiana Band and then with John Hiatt and with John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers. Landreth released the albums 'Blues Attack' (1981) and 'Way Down in Louisiana' (1985) and in 2003 'The Road We're On' went to number three on the Blues Albums Chart. 'Grant Street' (2005) reached number two and 'From the Reach' (2008) topped the chart. 'Mississippi Blues' (2010) peaked at number 12, 'Elemental Journey' (2012) number four and 'Bound By the Blues' hit number one. He continues to perform with dates in 2018 including venues in Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Florida, Louisiana, Colorado, California and Washington with appearances in Italy, Switzerland and the UK in April.

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