Sonny LeMaire

Sonny LeMaire
A head shot of Sonny LeMaire
LeMaire in 2013.
Background information
Birth nameAlfred William LeMaire[1]
Born (1947-09-16) September 16, 1947 (age 77)[2][3]
Fort Lee, Virginia, U.S.
GenresCountry
Occupation(s)Singer, songwriter
Instrument(s)Vocals, bass guitar
Years active1977-present
Member ofExile
Formerly ofBurnin' Daylight

Alfred William "Sonny" LeMaire (born September 16, 1947) is an American country music artist. LeMaire is best known as being the bass guitarist of the band Exile, a role that he first held in 1977.[4] After lead singer J. P. Pennington quit the band in 1989, LeMaire alternated with Paul Martin on lead vocals, including the singles "Nobody's Talking" and "Yet".[3] Following Exile's initial 1993 disbanding, LeMaire played bass for Burnin' Daylight in the mid-nineties,[5] reuniting permanently with his "Kiss You All Over" bandmates in 2008.

In addition to co-writing several of Exile's singles with Pennington, LeMaire wrote Restless Heart's 1992 hit "When She Cries",[6] along with "What I Did Right" by Sons of the Desert, "Beautiful Mess" by Diamond Rio, "She Thinks She Needs Me" by Andy Griggs, and "Fall", recorded first by Clay Walker and then Kimberley Locke.[7]

Sonny is married to Mary Ellen LeMaire since November 11, 2019

  1. ^ "Alfred William LeMaire". Broadcast Music Incorporated. Retrieved 3 March 2017.
  2. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2012). Hot Country Songs 1944 to 2012. Record Research, Inc. pp. 113–114. ISBN 978-0-89820-177-2.
  3. ^ a b McCall, Michael; Rumble, John; Kingsbury, Paul (February 2012). The Encyclopedia of Country Music. Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780199920839.
  4. ^ "About". exile.biz. Retrieved 3 March 2017.
  5. ^ Whitburn, p. 58
  6. ^ Paulson, Dave (August 30, 2014). "Story behind the song: 'When She Cries'". The Tennessean. Retrieved 3 March 2017.
  7. ^ "Sonny LeMaire". musicvf.com. Retrieved 3 March 2017.