Sonny King | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Luigi Antonio Schiavone |
| Born | April 1, 1922[1] Brooklyn, New York |
| Died | February 3, 2006 (aged 83) Las Vegas, Nevada |
| Occupation(s) | Lounge Singer, Actor |
| Instrument(s) | Vocals |
| Years active | 1952–2006 |
Sonny King (April 1, 1922 – February 3, 2006) was an American lounge singer of Italian descent.
He was born as Luigi Antonio Schiavone on April 1, 1922, in Brooklyn, New York. He was the sidekick of Jimmy Durante for 28 years until Durante's death in 1980.[2] They appeared together on The Ed Sullivan Show five times in the 1960s. King shared a New York apartment with Dean Martin when the two were struggling entertainers, and is credited with introducing Martin to a young comedian Jerry Lewis.[3][4]
Although not an official Rat Pack member, he was close friends with many Rat Pack entertainers and appeared in movies such as Robin and the Seven Hoods and Sergeants 3. He recorded an album "For Losers Only" and shared the stage with jazz greats such as Louis Armstrong, Lena Horne, Joe Williams and many more. King moved to Las Vegas in the early 1950s and was a fixture on the strip and local clubs until his death on February 3, 2006, from cancer. He was 83 years old.
Being brought up in vaudeville and trained in operatic vocals and comedy, all these elements composed the foundation of what became the quintessential "Vegas lounge singer" persona.
Sonny had seven children: Thomas Stephens, Michael Stephens, Craig Unger, Shannon Ward, Antoinette Schiavone, Louis Schiavone II and Christopher Schiavone.
| Year | Title | Label | Format | notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1951 | If You Were Mine/ No More | London | 78 RPM | Recorded in November 1950.[5] King had been performing in London for much of 1950 after being scouted while performing at Leon and Eddie's Sunday celebrity night.[6] |
| 1953 | Crazily/She's Just an Old Memr'y Now | Nocturne | 78 RPM | Nocturne's first release; Songs written by Jimmy Krondes, the label co-founder.[7][8] |
| 1955 | So Doggone Lonely/You Shouldn't | Nocturne | 45 RPM | Nocturne 1003; Songs written by Jimmy Krondes.[9][10] |
| 1959 | For Losers Only | Colpix | LP | CP 402; Arrangements by Johnny Williams (aka John WiIliams) [11][12] |
| 1959 | You're Nobody Till Somebody Loves You/ Masquerade | Colpix | 45 RPM | CP 107; Single from "For Losers Only"[13] |
| 1959 | Am I Blue/ (I'm Afraid) The Masquerade is Over | Pye | 45 RPM | PP-013; Australian single from "For Loser's Only" [14] |
| 1961 | Jimmy Durante "At the Copacabana" | Roulette | LP | R-25123; Live album recorded at the Copacabana. Sonny sang in Durante's live act on this album sang medleys of: My Loving Melody Man/Ragtime Daddy/I Love You, I Do and We're Going Home/Who Will Be With You/Don't Talk About Us When We Are Gone/You Made Me Love You.[15][16] |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1962 | Sergeants 3 | Corporal | |
| 1964 | Robin and the Seven Hoods | Robbo's Hood #2 | |
| 1991 | Mission: Killfast | Murak | |
| 2007 | Somebody Help Me | Corbin | |
| 2010 | Somebody Help Me 2 | Corbin |