A week after Sonny's death, I got a call from one of his uncles inviting me to meet at Sonny's house for an informal "goodbye." to my friend of almost 40 years. He explained that there would only be a few relatives and Sonny's friends attending.
There were 6 aunts and uncles there.
And me.
I had been Sonny's only friend. At least, who cared enough to attend his "goodbye" event.
He had been a good soul, but not one who made friends easily. It required a lot of patience to understand him...and overlook his physical ...and "off and on"...mental......shortcomings.
It appeared to me that even his relatives, like many others, simply "wrote him off."
None were apparently aware of his accomplishments.
So.....those of you who know me....won't be surprised to learn that was my cue to begin to "speechify."
I spoke of his success in teaching himself electronics....told about his founding a successful recording studio....achieving the rare honor of producing a top selling pop hit.....and concluded with "Sonny accomplished MORE.......with the tools he was given....(by God) than anyone else I have known."
The small gathering of his relatives were amazed, They knew none of that.
Rest in Peace, Sonny.
-Ed
(My friendship with Sonny was not a one way street. Over the years his electronic advice and expertise proved invaluable to me AND...to the company I finally retired from. Sonny also gave me several pieces of expensive equipment and microphones when he dissolved his recording studio, which played no small part in the success of my company.)
Saturday, February 4, 2017
Friday, February 3, 2017
Sonny 2
Sonny passed away ...peacefully in his bed...almost 20 years ago.
The odds of that happening were astronomical. They were overwhelming that Sonny would eventually meet his maker while driving erratically in the streets of Washington, DC.
The dictionary should have Sonny's picture next to the definition of 'Nerds on the highway."
One night he called me and mentioned that he had gone through Thomas Circle...one of the many "circles" in Washington....most of which have statues of American Heroes in the middle.
I thought he meant he went through the Red light....at Thomas Circle.
Nope. instead of following the traffic around the circle....he went over the curb...and on the grass...THROUGH the circle.
How he missed hitting the statue....I'll never know.
Once, he told me that the DC police had invited him to come down to headquarters to discuss a citizen's complaint...which claimed that Sonny's car had side swiped a car parked legally on Massachusetts Ave.
As the police read over the complaint to Sonny.....the officer.....paused....and said, "Wait a minute,...."this said the damage to his car was on the RIGHT side. That's ridiculous....this report is obviously phony. Sorry to have bothered you, sir. You're free to go."
It never occurred to him that Sonny regularly spent a good deal of time driving on the sidewalks of the Nation's Capitol. The hotel, where he worked, banned him from parking in their garage...because he had hit the same post so many times.
I was with him once when he got a call from his insurance company informing him they were rejecting his latest claim.
Sonny was irate. He let them know in uncertain terms that he was their "best customer."...and he just might cancel his policy.
I don't know what the reaction was on the other end.
The odds of that happening were astronomical. They were overwhelming that Sonny would eventually meet his maker while driving erratically in the streets of Washington, DC.
The dictionary should have Sonny's picture next to the definition of 'Nerds on the highway."
One night he called me and mentioned that he had gone through Thomas Circle...one of the many "circles" in Washington....most of which have statues of American Heroes in the middle.
I thought he meant he went through the Red light....at Thomas Circle.
Nope. instead of following the traffic around the circle....he went over the curb...and on the grass...THROUGH the circle.
How he missed hitting the statue....I'll never know.
Once, he told me that the DC police had invited him to come down to headquarters to discuss a citizen's complaint...which claimed that Sonny's car had side swiped a car parked legally on Massachusetts Ave.
As the police read over the complaint to Sonny.....the officer.....paused....and said, "Wait a minute,...."this said the damage to his car was on the RIGHT side. That's ridiculous....this report is obviously phony. Sorry to have bothered you, sir. You're free to go."
It never occurred to him that Sonny regularly spent a good deal of time driving on the sidewalks of the Nation's Capitol. The hotel, where he worked, banned him from parking in their garage...because he had hit the same post so many times.
I was with him once when he got a call from his insurance company informing him they were rejecting his latest claim.
Sonny was irate. He let them know in uncertain terms that he was their "best customer."...and he just might cancel his policy.
I don't know what the reaction was on the other end.
Thursday, February 2, 2017
Sonny
He was a high school kid that evening when he first walked into the lobby of the TV station and asked the receptionist if there if there was anyone who could "give him a tour" of the place.
That's exactly what I did that day in 1953 while visiting the Nation's Capitol. And a kind announcer by the name of John Trimble introduced me to the inner workings of a big TV station... WTOP TV ...where 10 years later...I would be employed.
So. I volunteered to show him around. He was a nice kid, but obviously physically disadvantaged...and at first glance, perhaps mentally as well.
But looks are deceiving. That was certainly the case with "Sonny." After talking with him for no more than 5 minutes, I realized that hiding behind that blank expression....was a pretty sharp mind.
But the Lord had not blessed Sonny physically....with either appearance or coordination.
I showed him the studios and explained the workings of the place as best I could....and sent him on his way..
Normally, the story would end there.
But not with Sonny.
He came back...many times. Kinda got to be a nuisance....nevertheless I remained patient ...and answered all his questions. A few of the engineers got used to his hanging around ....and most were patient and generous with their time as well.
Long story short....Sonny graduated from high school, enrolled in a engineering course....10 years later....with the help of a substantial inheritance, he opened his own recording studio in Washington.
Meanwhile, hardly a week went by when I didn't get a phone call from him,
I was very happy for his success and even arranged for several recording projects I was involved in to be produced at his studio.
He sold his business at just about the right time...and took a less stressful job with one of the big hotels in DC....installing and operating their public address system.
As far as I know, the system he installed is still in operation....as it was the state of the art in the 80/s. But installing a complicated PA system....and operating it....are two different things.
It's a shame the hotel didn't discover that in spite of Sonny's mental agility....his physical agility was almost non existant. For example, back in those days, we recorded on reels of audio tape. When editing, you would go to the word you wanted to remove...rewind the tape an inch of so...then take a razor blade and cut out the "offending" word...and make your "splice."
Well, Sonny was not agile enough to reverse the tape....a few inches....he would always rewind it all the way back to the beginning of the reel. It was a huge waste of time.
Also, when operating a PA (Public Address) system....to activate a mic...he always did it backwards.....which produced a shockingly loud "feedback" noise. He made this same mistake for 40 years.
It was no big deal.
Until that evening in 1984, when President Ronald Reagan was attending an event in the ballroom of the hotel....and the lights dimmed....and the opening act was to begin..... and Sonny got his cue to open the speakers mic and.....
"WHAMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM".......
Sonny's trademark "feedback"..........had struck again!
It was so loud and shocking.....that ...to Reagan's Secret Service Agents it sounded like an attack of some kind....so they piled on top of the President to protect him from ....whatever it was.
It was just Sonny....turning on a mc.
The picture made the next morning's Washington Post.
-Ed
That's exactly what I did that day in 1953 while visiting the Nation's Capitol. And a kind announcer by the name of John Trimble introduced me to the inner workings of a big TV station... WTOP TV ...where 10 years later...I would be employed.
So. I volunteered to show him around. He was a nice kid, but obviously physically disadvantaged...and at first glance, perhaps mentally as well.
But looks are deceiving. That was certainly the case with "Sonny." After talking with him for no more than 5 minutes, I realized that hiding behind that blank expression....was a pretty sharp mind.
But the Lord had not blessed Sonny physically....with either appearance or coordination.
I showed him the studios and explained the workings of the place as best I could....and sent him on his way..
Normally, the story would end there.
But not with Sonny.
He came back...many times. Kinda got to be a nuisance....nevertheless I remained patient ...and answered all his questions. A few of the engineers got used to his hanging around ....and most were patient and generous with their time as well.
Long story short....Sonny graduated from high school, enrolled in a engineering course....10 years later....with the help of a substantial inheritance, he opened his own recording studio in Washington.
Meanwhile, hardly a week went by when I didn't get a phone call from him,
I was very happy for his success and even arranged for several recording projects I was involved in to be produced at his studio.
He sold his business at just about the right time...and took a less stressful job with one of the big hotels in DC....installing and operating their public address system.
As far as I know, the system he installed is still in operation....as it was the state of the art in the 80/s. But installing a complicated PA system....and operating it....are two different things.
It's a shame the hotel didn't discover that in spite of Sonny's mental agility....his physical agility was almost non existant. For example, back in those days, we recorded on reels of audio tape. When editing, you would go to the word you wanted to remove...rewind the tape an inch of so...then take a razor blade and cut out the "offending" word...and make your "splice."
Well, Sonny was not agile enough to reverse the tape....a few inches....he would always rewind it all the way back to the beginning of the reel. It was a huge waste of time.
Also, when operating a PA (Public Address) system....to activate a mic...he always did it backwards.....which produced a shockingly loud "feedback" noise. He made this same mistake for 40 years.
It was no big deal.
Until that evening in 1984, when President Ronald Reagan was attending an event in the ballroom of the hotel....and the lights dimmed....and the opening act was to begin..... and Sonny got his cue to open the speakers mic and.....
"WHAMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM".......
Sonny's trademark "feedback"..........had struck again!
It was so loud and shocking.....that ...to Reagan's Secret Service Agents it sounded like an attack of some kind....so they piled on top of the President to protect him from ....whatever it was.
It was just Sonny....turning on a mc.
The picture made the next morning's Washington Post.
-Ed
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