- PAINTER
- SCULPTOR
- MUSICIAN
- SINGER
- ACTOR
- PRODUCER
- MULTIFACETED DESIGNER
- LANDSCAPER
- ARCHITECTURE
- SELF-LEARNER
- BUILDER
ONE OF THE MOST COMPLETE SELF-TAUGHT ARTISTS OF PUERTO RICO
Music
Born in Utuado, Puerto Rico. Since 1960, Sonny goes by the nickname he got back when he played in Utuado’s old orchestra. Later, Sonny joined a new group dubbed ‘Les Cavaliers’ and later switched to the ‘Caribbean Teens’. Afterwards, he became the lead singer of the orchestra directed by Humberto Suarez’s, a prestigious Cuban musician with whom Sonny performed for two years in a row at the Darlington Hotel’s trendy ‘Cloud Room’. Sonny continued his musical career playing at Caribe Hilton’s Club Caribe with virtuoso pianist Luisito Benjamin and recording songs of the latter’s authorship.
Classical music is one of the many genres that Sonny plays. For example, he sang along with Puerto Rico’s National Choir in the 50th anniversary of the Casals Festival and was casted for ‘Verdi’s Requiem’ and ‘Aida’, the opera where he met tenor Cesar Hernandez, with whom he would later make some recordings.
In 1980, after joining “Los Dos Latinos” – which was later renamed “Latino III”, Sonny did a tour around Europe, the U.S. and Latin America sponsored by the Tourism Company of Puerto Rico to promote inbound tourism.
Latino III was present in the music scene of 1996’s Atlanta’s Olympic Games representing Puerto Rico.
Sonny recorded a musical duet with tenor Cesar Hernandez and soprano Tamara Escribano.
Saxophone, accordion, keyboards, and steel drums are among Sonny’s favorite musical instruments.
Sonny plays almost all popular music genres. Maestro Samuel Ivan Perez trained him in vocal techniques that enabled him to sing, whether in jest or in earnest, from urban music to opera arias.
Videos
Title: Yo sin ti
At age 75, Sonny signs ‘Yo sin ti’
as a one man acapella in five vocal pitches.
Arrangements by Amilcar Rivera Díaz.
Title: Bahia/Copacabana
Songwriter: Ary Barroso
Symphony orchestra directed by: Nicolas (Nikie) Aponte
Title: El día que me quieras
César Hernández y Sonny Rodríguez
Arrangements and musical direction: Zito Zelante
Title: Jurame
Júrame – Sonny Rodríguez
Arrangements and musical direction: Zito Zelante
Title: Desesperanza
Songwriter: Maria Luisa Escobar
Symphony orchestra directed by: Nicolas (Nikie) Aponte
Title: Granada
Granada Sonny Rodríguez
Symphony orchestra directed by: Zito Zelante
Title: Hijo de la Luna
Hijo de la luna Sonny Rodríguez y Tamara Escribano
Symphony orchestra directed by: Nicky Aponte
Recorded at: Playbach Studio P.R.
Sonny can sing different music genres thanks to his wide vocal range.
He recorded medleys of popular dance music where he plays all the instruments. For instance, he plays the saxophone and the accordion. In the case of the guitar and bass sounds, he produced it with his Roland FR3X accordion (MIDI). He also sang the vocals and backing vocals. For the percussion, he used a MIDI rhythm box.