Willful Shadows : The Account of Sonny James and the Southern Gentlemen

Eight years after fifteen minutes gave Sonny James a three- million selling song; six forks in the road would launch this very private man into a Country Music history-making second career.

Sonny James witnessed the birth of rock-n-roll and by 1957, had sold over 3,000,000 singles of the first country-pop crossover hit “Young Love”. What happened starting eight-years later was improbable. From 1964 through 1972, an era in American music history filled with the challenges of societal change and the British music invasion, one entertainer standing alongside his vocal band of brothers achieved a level of hit status above all others. With twenty #1 singles, a legendary streak of sixteen consecutive #1 hit singles, two at #2, and another two at #3; Sonny James and The Southern Gentlemen took their blend of Country Music far beyond the typical boundaries of the day. Then when it was said and done, it all seemed to vanish into a realm of popular obscurity. This personal account of one who was there each step of the way brings into focus, for the first time anywhere, who these men of varied backgrounds were, and what stories from that era are essential in grasping not only the successes but more importantly, the friendships which endured the test of time. Willful Shadows brings to light the very personal story of Sonny James and The Southern Gentlemen.