Sonny Knight 

& The Lakers

I was humbled to have the opportunity to interview Sonny for my publication, The Show Last Night, back in December of 2016. We talked about life, his career, his favorite music, and how much being on stage meant to him. Our conversation lasted over an hour, and he was extremely happy to know that young people and the music community liked what he was doing. He was extremely insightful and and our conversation was warm and fun. He was performing four shows at The Dakota Jazz Club over the course of two days. It was the fifth time i’ve seen Sonny, and these shows especially were extremely energetic, and some of the best shows I had the chance to see. It's rare that musicians at his age continue to create new music and tour, But Sonny and his talented backing band The Lakers worked for every part of what they had

Unfortunately, Sonny passed away from cancer on June 17th, 2017. I would later learn that he was singing with a collapsed lung the night I had interviewed him, and through all four shows at the Dakota. He sang with such passion those nights, you could never tell he was ill. It was just like him to tough it out onstage. Sonny’s life was full of music, and a true testament in that it’s never too late to do what you love. He is a yardstick for modern music history in Minnesota.
I am forever grateful for Sonny to grant me the opportunity to photograph his shows and to speak with him. Sonny leaves behind much more than records, a place we can continue to visit, even after he’s gone. It is a legacy I know he is proud to leave us with.