Sonny Chillingworth

2024-03-09T23:51:43Z

2600:1000:A121:2AC:B9EF:4F9:3025:8741: #article-change-desc

{{Short description|Musical artist (1932–94)}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| image = Sonny Chillingworth.jpg
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|birth_date={{birth date|1932|7|14}}
|birth_place=[[Oahu]], [[Hawaii]]
|death_date={{death date and age|1994|8|24|1932|7|14}}
|death_place=[[Honolulu]], [[Hawaii]]
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'''Edwin Bradfield Liloa Chillingworth, Jr.''', known as '''Sonny Chillingworth''', (July 14, 1932 – August 24, 1994) was an American [[guitarist]] and singer. Widely influential in [[Hawaiian music]], he played [[slack-key guitar]] and is widely regarded as one of the most influential slack-key guitarists in history.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.dancingcat.com/artists/Sonny_Chillingworth.php|title=Sonny Chillingworth, Slack Key Guitarist|website=www.dancingcat.com|publisher=Dancing Cat Records|access-date=2017-06-20}}</ref>

==Life==
Chillingworth was born on [[Oahu]] in the [[Territory of Hawaii]]. He started playing the guitar at age twelve when he was living with his grandfather, Harry Purdy, on [[Moloka'i]]. He learned the Hawaiian way by listening, watching and imitating.<ref name=":0">{{Cite magazine |last=Gehr |first=Richard |date=August 1994 |title=World Beat: Cut Me Some Slack Key |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3AHtQNYRR9YC |magazine=[[Spin (magazine)|Spin]] |volume=10 |issue=5 |issn=0886-3032}}</ref> Sonny, as he was called, loved Hawaiian and [[Portuguese music]].

One day his father brought him a [[Victrola]] and some records. One of them was ''Hi'ilawe'' by [[Gabby Pahinui]]. Chillingworth was inspired. When Chillingworth was fifteen, he visited Honolulu and his mother arranged a meeting with Pahinui. After high school, Chillingworth moved to Honolulu and joined Pahinui, Andy Cummings and others at clubs, lu'aus and all-night jam sessions. Chillingworth was often asked to play his slack-key medleys. Many islanders and tourists enjoyed listening and watching him sing and play his guitar in the [[The Don Ho Show|Don Ho Shows]]<ref name=":0" /> at the [[International Market Place]] in the heart of Waikiki.

In 1954, Chillingworth made his first record, ''Make'e 'Ailana'', with the legendary [[Vickie Iʻi Rodrigues|Vickie Ii Rodrigues]]. In 1964, Chillingworth released his first album, ''Waimea Cowboy'', which earned a gold record. In the 1970s, Chillingworth began to share his knowledge with younger performers, such as George Kuo, [[Ozzie Kotani]], and [[Makana (musician)|Makana]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.hawaiitheatre.com/events/makana-and-friends-a-tribute-to-sonny-chillingworth/|title=MAKANA AND FRIENDS: A TRIBUTE TO SONNY CHILLINGWORTH {{!}} HAWAII THEATRE CENTER|website=www.hawaiitheatre.com|language=en-US|access-date=2017-06-20}}</ref> and influenced others through his recordings. Chillingworth helped lead a revival of the slack-key guitar style in the 1980s as one of slack key's elder statesmen. He was committed to Hawaiian music; he also played other styles such as rock-n-roll, R&B, blues, and folk, and his music featured aspects of [[fado]] and [[Cachi Cachi music|cachi cachi]].<ref name=":0" />

Chillingworth died from cancer on August 24, 1994, in [[Honolulu]] at the age of 62.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.hawaiianmusichistory.com/artists/sonny-chillingworth.htm|title=A Tribute to Sonny Chillingworth (1932-1994) Slack Key Guitar Master|website=www.hawaiianmusichistory.com|access-date=2017-06-20}}</ref>

== See also ==

* [[Sons of Hawaii]]

==References==
{{reflist}}
{{Hawaiian Music Hall of Fame}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Chillingworth, Sonny}}
[[Category:1932 births]]
[[Category:1994 deaths]]
[[Category:Slack-key guitarists]]
[[Category:20th-century American guitarists]]
[[Category:Guitarists from Hawaii]]

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Sonny Chillingworth