Baritone vocalist and comedian began singing on street corners with his neighborhood friends, then on to local groups. He sang with notable groups such as the Cardinals, the Ink Spots, interspersed with stints in the military service, and a career as a musical and stand-up comedian.
His late-‘50s group the Hi-Fi’s whose members included Jim Boone (bass), Richard Williams (baritone ex-Cardinals), and Clarence M. (tenor) traveled to New York with Redd Foxx.
By early ‘60s Eddie Rich (ex-Swallows) joined Sonny with Richard Williams, and Albert ‘Junior’ Davis to form Sonny & the Dukes (see bio). After the group disbanded Sonny went back in the service and worked in South Carolina coordinating talent for USO officer’s clubs and military hospitals.
In 1969 Joe Dasher took Sonny to Brooklyn, New York. His first extended gig was at the Blue Coronet jazz club where he did comedy on intermissions of Art Blakey, Art Farmer, Miles Davis, and many greats. Hatchett later bought the Count Basie’s club on 132nd Street where he entertained between sets by George Benson, Pop Foster, and others. Next affiliation with agent named ‘Shorts’ who took him to Germany, Haiti, the Phillipines (army bases), then was hired as emcee at the Apollo Theater. George Benson’s manager liked Sonny and hired him to tour with Benson throughout the U.S. and abroad. He worked steady at the New World Club in Cherry Hill, NJ with Billy Paul, Arthur Prysock, and others.
Next Pop Foster got Sonny a job working golf resorts in PA opposite the Ink Spots.
In 1973 Bim Bam Boom Records came to Baltimore to do an interview with Ernie Warren. They used tapes of Hatchett’s original compositions and a posthumous Cardinals EP (Bim Bam Boom 1000) including the songs “Love Me Baby,” “Have I Been Gone Too Long,” and “Choo Choo Train.”
In 1975 Sonny released a comedy album on Laff Records. It was the first ‘clean’ comedy album on the label (although it has xxx on the cover). But unfortunately for Sonny at that time Richard Pryor was the big thing and Laff released and promoted a series of Pryor albums to cash in on his popularity.
Sonny joined the Ink Spots (see bio) in 1980, and continued as a member through this writing (2009). He also continued with his comedy career producing albums in his Florida studio.
1975(LP) Laff 183 why you mutha.. yu-ma..
