San Antonio has been known for it’s wide array of musical tones, some have come to know this genre as The West Side Sound. This sound has an amazing conglomerate of influences ranging from blues, rock ‘n’ roll, conjunto, country, polka and rhythm and blues. All of these genres have been braided into a tangible sound, which has captured the attention of fans around the globe. The West Side Sound’s first bid with notoriety came with Sunny Ozuna’s 1963 hit “Talk With Me,” then in 1965 with Sir Douglas Quintet’s hit “She’s About A Mover.” The West Side Sound brings to mind the Chicano soul groups of the late fifties and sixties of San Antonio, Sunny & the Sunglows/Sunliners, Rudy & the Reno Bobs, Charlie & the Jives and Rene and Rene. One, which stands out in San Antonio musical lore is Sonny Ace & the Twisters.

Beginning his career in the early fifties, Sonny Ace (Domingo Solis) was a defining faction of The West Side Sound; some even say, if not the pioneer, then one of the pioneers of this tone. Recording under a few different band names, Sonny’s name was always out in front: Sonny & the Rhythm Rockers, Sonny & the Monticlairs, Sonny & the Dell-Sharps. As the Twisters his band consisted of: Sonny Ace (Domingo Solis) (vocals), Martin Linan (tenor sax), Mike Rodriguez (tenor sax), David Spiller (alto sax), Gene Noriega (drums), Tony Villarreal (guitar) and Lil Ralph Mendez (bass). His regional hits included covers of Louis Prima’s tunes “Just A Gigolo,” and “Oh Marie.” Ace’s own material included “Take My Love,” “You’ll Tear Our Dreams Apart,” some notoriety seemed to have followed his cover of Sam the Sham’s (as Ace titled it) “Wooleh Booleh,” a Spanish speaking version of the national hit. Today’s Sonny Ace selection “Stand By Love,” comes to us on Abe Epstein’s Cobra label. Epstein is actually given the writers credit for this tune. Originally this track stood out to me for it’s loungy almost, tittie shaker quality, with a soft repeated, T Bone Walker or Buddy Guy, guitar tone. The horns at the top of the track immediately let any listener know this is San Antonio screeching’ in your face, however with the tacked on blues guitar riff, this track exemplifies the cross-pollinated sound of Alamo City.

Shown above: Sonny Ace, Charlie Alvarado (Charlie & the Jives)

Sonny Ace – Discography
Dell-Sharps
TNT
153 If My Teardrops Could Talk / Swinging Stroll (1958)
140 I Love Her So / Darling Of Mine (1958)
Twisters
Atlantic
2364 Wooleh Booleh / Chilli Pepper (1965)
Cobra
006 When Your Smiling / Gypsy (1963)
011 Devil Or Angel / Fever (1963)
214 Amor Que Malo Eres / La Tradidora (1963)
1112 Cuatro Copas / Cuatro Vidas (1963)
1113 Anymore / Stand By Love (1964)
1133 Little Girl / Little Spark (1964)
2224 Wooleh Booleh / Chilli Pepper (1965)
4444 You’ll Tear Our Dreams Apart / Oh Marie (1965)
Jox
028 Gotta See My Baby Tonight / Lucille (1963)
Rival
01 Tamales / Take My Love (1959)
02 So Lonely / Oh Little Girl (1959)
06 Just A Gigolo-Ain’t Got Nobody / Really (1960)
Sunglow
107 Easy Rocking / Dreamer Boy (1963)

I was able to pull most of this information from Chicano Soul, Ruben Molina’s book. Get your self a copy, NOW.

LISTEN: Sonny Ace – Stand By Love