Sonny LeMaire

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Sonny LeMaire
Exile, the band (2013) (lemaire cropped).jpg
LeMaire in 2013.
Background information
Birth nameAlfred William LeMaire [1]
Born (1947-09-16) September 16, 1947 (age 76) [2] [3]
Fort Lee, Virginia, U.S.
Genres Country
Occupation(s)Singer, songwriter
Instrument(s)Vocals, bass guitar
Years active1977-present
Member of Exile
Formerly of Burnin' 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

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Exile (American band)</span> American rock and country band

Exile is an American band founded in Richmond, Kentucky, in 1963. Originally known as the Exiles, the band played cover songs and local events in the state of Kentucky for a number of years before becoming a backing band on the touring revue Caravan of Stars. After a series of failed singles, Exile achieved mainstream success in 1978 with "Kiss You All Over", a number-one single on the Billboard Hot 100. This iteration of the band mostly played soft rock and pop music, with Jimmy Stokley handling most of the lead vocals.

Burnin' Daylight was an American country music band composed of Marc Beeson, Kurt Howell, and Sonny LeMaire. Howell was formerly a member of Southern Pacific, and LeMaire a former member of Exile. Burnin' Daylight recorded one album on Curb Records in 1996, in addition to charting three singles on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks charts. The highest of these, "Say Yes", reached No. 37.

"I Could Get Used to You" is a song written by J.P. Pennington and Sonny LeMaire, and recorded by American country music group Exile. It was released in November 1985 as the second single from the album Hang On to Your Heart. The song was the seventh number one country hit for Exile. The single went to number one for one week and spent a total of fourteen weeks on the country chart.

"Just in Case" is a song written by J.P. Pennington and Sonny LeMaire of the band Exile, who recorded it on their 1984 album Kentucky Hearts. It served as the B-side to the album's single "Crazy for Your Love".

"I Don't Want to Be a Memory" is a song written by J.P. Pennington and Sonny LeMaire, and recorded by American country music group Exile. It was released in March 1984 as the third single from the album Exile. The song was Exile's second number one on the country chart. The single went to number one for one week and spent a total of fourteen weeks on the country chart.

"Hang On to Your Heart" is a song written by J.P. Pennington and Sonny LeMaire, and recorded by American country music group Exile. It was released in July 1985 as the first single and title track from the album Hang On to Your Heart. The song was Exile's sixth number one country hit. The single went to number one for one week and spent a total of fifteen weeks on the country chart.

"Give Me One More Chance" is a song written by J.P. Pennington and Sonny LeMaire, and recorded by American country music group Exile. It was released in July 1984 as the first single from the album Kentucky Hearts. The song was Exile's third number one country hit. The single went to number one for one week and spent a total of fifteen weeks on the country chart.

"She's a Miracle" is a song written by J.P. Pennington and Sonny LeMaire, and recorded by American country music group Exile. It was released in March 1985 as the third single from the album Kentucky Hearts. The song was Exile's sixth number one on the country chart. The single went to number one for one week and spent a total of thirteen weeks on the country chart.

"Crazy for Your Love" is a song written by J.P. Pennington and Sonny LeMaire, and recorded by American country music group Exile. It was released in November 1984 as the second single from the album Kentucky Hearts. The song was Exile's fourth number one country hit. The single went to number one for one week.

"I Can't Get Close Enough" is a song written by J.P. Pennington and Sonny LeMaire and recorded by American country music group Exile. It was released in August 1987 as the first single from the album Shelter from the Night. The song was Exile's tenth and final number one country hit. The single went to number for one week and spent a total of fourteen weeks on the country chart.

"It'll Be Me" is a song written by J.P. Pennington and Sonny LeMaire, and recorded by American country music group Exile. It was released in July 1986 as the fourth single from the album Hang On to Your Heart. The song was Exile's seventh number one country single in North America. The single went to number one for one week and spent a total of fifteen weeks on the country chart.

"She's Too Good to Be True" is a song written by J.P. Pennington and Sonny LeMaire, and recorded by American country music group Exile. It was released in April 1987 as the fifth single from the album Hang On to Your Heart. The song was Exile's ninth number one country song. The single went to number one for one week and spent a total of fourteen weeks on the country chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">J.P. Pennington</span> American singer-songwriter

James Preston Pennington is an American musician, known primarily as the guitarist and co-lead vocalist of the country pop band Exile. Pennington was one of the early members and one of the lead singers of the group until departing in 1989, although he rejoined in the 2010s. After leaving Exile, he signed to MCA Records as a solo artist. There, he released three singles and one album, Whatever It Takes, in 1991. Pennington re-established the band in 1995, together with guitarist Les Taylor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">When She Cries</span> 1992 single by Restless Heart

"When She Cries" is a song written by Sonny LeMaire and Marc Beeson, and recorded by American country music group Restless Heart. It was released in August 1992 as the first single from the album Big Iron Horses, the band's first album not to feature lead singer Larry Stewart. In his place, drummer John Dittrich sings lead.

<i>Kentucky Hearts</i> 1984 studio album by Exile

Kentucky Hearts is the eighth studio album by American country pop band Exile. It was released in 1984 via Epic Records. The album peaked at number 1 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart. "Just in Case" was later a number 1 hit for The Forester Sisters, whose version appears on their 1985 self-titled debut album.

Marc Beeson is an American country music singer and songwriter. Beeson has co-written several singles which have reached the Hot Country Songs charts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Keep It in the Middle of the Road</span> 1989 single by Exile

"Keep It in the Middle of the Road" is a song written by J.P. Pennington and Sonny LeMaire, and recorded by American country music group Exile. It was released in December 1989 as the first single from the album Still Standing. The song reached number 17 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart.

"Just One Kiss" is a song written by J.P. Pennington and Sonny LeMaire, and recorded by American country music group Exile. It was released in March 1988 as the third single from their album Shelter from the Night. The song reached No. 9 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart in July 1988.

"Super Love", also titled "I Got Love ", is a song written by J.P. Pennington and Sonny LeMaire, and recorded by American country music group Exile. It was released in April 1986 as the third single from the album Hang On to Your Heart. The song reached number 14 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart.

"It's You Again" is a song recorded by American country music group Exile. It was released in September 1988 as the fourth single from the album Shelter from the Night. The song reached #21 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart. The song was written by band members J.P. Pennington and Sonny LeMaire.

References

  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. 1 2 McCall, Michael; Rumble, John; Kingsbury, Paul (February 2012). The Encyclopedia of Country Music. 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.