Sonny Terry

Terry was born in Greensboro, Georgia. His father, a farmer, taught him to play basic blues harp as a youth. He sustained injuries to his eyes and went blind by the time he was 16, which prevented him from doing farm work, Terry played "Camptown Races" to the plow horses which improved the efficiency of farming in the area. He began playing blues in Shelby, North Carolina. == Career ==

After his father died, he began playing with Piedmont blues–style guitarist Blind Boy Fuller. That year's fellowships were the first bestowed by the NEA. == Death ==

Terry died of natural causes in Mineola, New York, in March 1986, three days before Crossroads was released in theaters. He was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in the same year. ==Discography==

• Songs for Victory: Music for Political Action, with the Union Boys (1944) • Get on Board [with Brownie McGhee] (Folkways, 1952) • ''Sonny Terry's Washboard Band'' (Folkways, 1955) • Pete Seeger and Sonny Terry (Folkways, 1957) • Folk Songs of Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee (Roulette, 1958) • Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee (Fantasy 3254, 1958) • Blues with Big Bill Broonzy, Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee (Folkways, 1959) • ''Down South Summit Meetin''' (World Pacific, 1960), with Brownie McGhee, Lightnin' Hopkins and Big Joe Williams • Down Home Blues (Bluesville, 1960), with Brownie McGhee • Blues in My Soul (Brownie McGhee and Sonny Terry album) (Bluesville 1033, September 1960) • ''Brownie's Blues'' (Bluesville, 1960), with Brownie McGhee • ''Sonny's Story'' (Bluesville, 1960) • ''Sonny Terry's New Sound: The Jawharp in Blues and Folk Music'', with Brownie McGhee & J. C. Burris (1961) • Last Night Blues (Bluesville, 1960 [1961]), with Lightnin' Hopkins • Sonny Is King (Bluesville, 1960/62 [1963]), with Lightnin' Hopkins and Big Joe Williams • Blues Hoot (Horizon, 1961 [1963]) • Sonny Terry and His Mouth Harp (Stinson, 1963 [1963]) • Chain Gang Special (Everest FS-206 1965?) • Brownie McGhee, Sonny Terry at The Bunkhouse (Smash, 1965) • Sing & Play (Society, 1966) • A Long Way from Home (BluesWay, 1969) • ''I Couldn't Believe My Eyes'' (BluesWay, 1969 [1973]) • Sonny & Brownie (A&M Records, 1973) • ''Robbin' the Grave'' (Blue Labor, 1974) • ''Whoopin''', with Johnny Winter and Willie Dixon (Alligator, 1984) • Brownie McGhee and Sonny Terry Sing (Smithsonian Folkways, 1990) • ''Whoopin' the Blues: The Capitol Recordings, 1947–1950'' (Capitol, 1995) ==See also==