Sonny Boy Terry

“As the years go on and his resume deepens, Houston, Texas bluesman Sonny Boy Terry is now being recognized as one of Texas’ – if not one of America’s top harmonica players and devoted blues recording artists. Sonny Boy Terry has been blowin’ the harp around Houston for decades. He’s played with such notables as Jerry Lightfoot, Kinney Abair, Joe “Guitar” Hughes, Johnny Clyde Copeland and Calvin Owens. He’s also founder of the Houston Blues Society and the leading light of Blues for Food Houston, an annual event benefiting the Houston Food Bank. We salute his commitment to both the Music and the City”.  

- Big Easy Social and Pleasure Club. 

EXPANDING MUSICIAL (AND BLUESICAL) HORIZONS!

Sonny Boy Terry's musical career has taken many creative twists and turns in the past 50 years after taking up blues harmonica woodshedding over the winter months growing up in rural Northwest Ohio. The past 5 years have been no exception. “I've always been interested in playing different things on harmonica”, Terry says.. “ Speaking honestly Sonny Boy Terry explains, "I have always aspired to play harmonica for TV and PSAs, and radio commercials. I also do recording sessions for rock, country, gospel and soundtrack work. I am a dedicated blues artist but finding other creative outlets and professional opportunities came natural for me. I really just want to keep growing and appreciating the chance to do different things. One experience always leads to the next opportunity.”  

In 2023, Sonny Boy Terry received a call to perform with the Houston non profit Community Music Center sponsored  Scott Joplin Chamber Orchestra performing the Theme to Sanford and Son aka the Quincy Jones' written “Street Beater” for 5 shows in Houston and Dallas. This was a huge growth experience learning music not so much from a hard blues viewpoint but gaining a deeper understanding of the Harlem Renaissance and to perform with a classically trained jazz ensemble was an opportunity of a lifetime….

In 2024, Sonny Boy terry performed for the intro and outro of a song written by Charlie Sanders Jr.  for the Apple TV Comedy Special Andy Huggins: Early Bird Special. Andy Huggins renown for being a founding member of the legendary Texas Outlaw Comics that included the legendary Bill Hicks and Sam Kinison. 

Terry and his harmonica also moved into theatre arts first creating the civil war era harmonica parts for Main Steeet Theatre"s  play “A Little House Christmas.” In 2023, Terry was then hired by Stages Theatre to do a 2 and a half month run blowing blues harmonica for the fantastic musical (or bluesicial), Thunder Knocking on the Door playing with the house band and backing up the actor/singers. “I've also loved musical theatre and considered minoring in theatre in college”, says Sonny Boy. “I really loved August Wilson's Ma Rainey's Black Bottom and Joe Turner's Come and Gone. Needless to say, it was bluesy and raw entertainment - right in my wheelhouse!” 

Sonny Boy Terry's reputation has only grown the past several years leading to Terry providing the harmonica parts in 2024 to the play Pullman Porter Blues at the Ensemble Theatre. “I prerecorded my harmonica parts for an actor so when my wife and I went to the play, every time the actor would pretend to play the harmonica, the audience went crazy. That really brought a smile to my face.” To top it all off, this past summer, Sonny Boy Terry joined the cast for another musical production Broadway On The Hill at Houston's Miller Outdoor Theatre performing for over 7000 people. 

Terry says he hopes to get more creative opportunities. He also continues to teach harmonica in various formats. He works at churches performing with choirs for holiday events, schools teaching harmonica to kids in high risk neighborhoods - or not. He will most likely play or teach at most any school anytime.  The whole idea is to keep busy, be grateful and be on the look-out for fun creative opportunities and continue to appreciate a rich rewarding career playing blues harmonica.