Nick Sonye

Birthdate: August 2, 1950 , Lima Ohio

Current Band: The Inner City Blues Band

Past Bands: Buckwheat Zydeco, the Hoo Dudes, Justin Case, and 1, 026 more

Gear: 1996 & 1966 Fender Stratocasters, Peavey 4X12, Mesa Boogie 20/20 power amp, Marshall JMP-1 pre amp, DBX166 Compressor, "old" Digi-tech GSP-21

Recordings you are on: The Inner City Blues Band and Dean Francis

Favorite guitarist (living): Elliott Randall (my teacher)

Favorite guitarist (deceased): James Marshall Hendrix

Favorite singer (living): Aretha Franklin

Favorite singer (deceased): Marvin Gaye

First record: "Lucille" - Little Richard

First blues record: "Sweet 16," B.B. King (This tune caused me to choose "Blues Player" at High School Career Day (May of 1966). Imagine how that went over!

Music career focus: I want to continue playing, producing and learning all about music and the new technologies using and distributing music. Besides all of the great blues fans and the venues that feature blues I want to see Columbus , blessed with great talent, to continue to grow and prosper. We're not CowTown any more…

Nick Sonye: " I want to thank my wife for her tireless support, for being the wife of a guitar player is tougher than being a guitar player. My mother, who put a guitar in my hand and opened my ear. My goal to keep that "music flame blazing" for all the great players that I have been fortunate to know or have known: Ted Mitchell (my step-dad,) Elliott Randall, Stanley "Buckwheat" Dural, Lee Allen Zeno, Art Blakey, Dexter Gordon, Todd Barkan, and a bunch more. Thank you to all the fans and supporters of Blues and Jazz, the true American art forms. You folks mean so much to all musicians."