From crooning to hard driving rock, few entertainers can mesmerize an
audience with the style and charisma of Sonny Geraci. He
is one of a select few pop singers to have top 5 songs with two
different bands, namely: The Outsiders and Climax.
It all started in the mid-60s when a new band from "The Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame City"
of Cleveland, Ohio, called The Outsiders, exploded on the music
scene with the monumental smash hit, "Time
Won't Let Me", an instant rock 'n' roll
classic that would influence bands like Tower of Power, Chicago,
The Buckinghams, and Huey Lewis & The News.
The Outsiders went on to record four albums and three more
Top 40 records for Capitol Records. With Sonny as the lead
singer, they recorded "Respectable
(What Kind of Girl is This)", "Help Me Girl"
(which was arranged by Chuck Mangione), and "Girl
In Love", which all became national Top 40 hits,
after which The Outsiders went their separate ways and split.
Creating a new group called "Climax" with the help
of Marc Gordon and producer Larry Cox, Sonny and his new band
recorded another smash hit, "Precious
and Few", which immediately went to #1
nationally, and stands today as one of the greatest love ballads
of all time.
Sonny toured the world and appeared in the current television
shows of the time, including "The Smothers Brothers",
"Hullabaloo", "Shindig", "Where The
Action Is", and "American Bandstand."
The song "Rock and Roll Heaven" was written
originally for Climax and Sonny Geraci by their keyboard player,
John Stevenson. Sonny's "Rock & Roll Heaven"
tribute medley, which ranges from Elvis, Bobby Darin, Buddy
Holly, the Beatles, Ritchie Valens and Jim Morrison, continues
to garner standing ovations wherever he appears.
Sonny returned to his native Cleveland area, performing
locally until 1980. He didn't return to the stage until 1985,
which made him "hungry to perform again".
With a well-earned reputation as a great entertainer and live
performer, Sonny's tremendous stage presence and legendary voice
continue to amaze, as he puts on an unforgettable performance,
leaving audiences with an entertainment experience they don't
soon forget.
"I love people, meeting them and signing their
autographs. The fans are the reason I continue to perform,"
Sonny says. And his fans, old and new, will continue to love him.
Creating a new group called "Climax" with the help
of Marc Gordon and producer Larry Cox, Sonny and his new band
recorded another smash hit, "Precious
and Few", which immediately went to #1
nationally, and stands today as one of the greatest love ballads
of all time.
