White, Sonny (Ellerton Oswald)
White, Sonny (Ellerton Oswald)
White, Sonny (Ellerton Oswald), pianist; b. Panama, Nov. 11,1917; d. N.Y., April 28,1971. He played piano from the age of eight, and became a professional musician at the age of 18. His did early work with Jesse Stone, then with Willie Bryant (1937) and Teddy Hill (1938). He became a regular accompanist for Billie Holiday (1939), and later that year worked with Frankie Newton. He began a long association with Benny Carter in February 1940, worked briefly with Artie Shaw in 1941, then worked regularly with Benny Carter until spending two years in the U.S. Army (1943-15). He rejoined Benny Carter early in 1946, worked with Hot Lips Page in 1947. From 1947 until 1954, he played residency at the Cinderella Club, N.Y., in a band led by trumpeter Harvey Davis. In December 1954 he joined Wilbur de Paris and worked regularly in that band until the early 1960s (including a trip to Africa in 1957). From 1963 until 1967 he worked mainly with Louis Metcalf at the Ali Baba, N.Y. and was with Eddie Barefield’s Trio in late 1968. He joined Jonah Jones in April 1969.
—John Chilton , Who’s Who of Jazz/Lewis Porter