- [Sonny Knight] Hey, Lakers.

- [Narrator] Tonight on Stage, take a front row seat, at the inspiration, connection and joy you've been missing.

- Shake out, oh, hey, yeah.

- The late great Sonny Knight and his soul ensemble, The Lakers.

Performed to a sold-out Lowertown Line crowd.

- Let me hear you say yeah!

- [Audience] Yeah!

- That's what I'm talking about.

- [Voiceover] From TPT studios in Lowertown, St. Paul, The Lakers!

(bright jazzy music) Hey Lakers!

Bring it down for me.

Thank you.

Hey folks, we're The Lakers, how you doing?

(crowd cheers) Yeah!

Now it's our pleasure to bring out this man.

Here he is, Mr. Sonny Knight!

(crowd cheers) ♪ Shake your head ♪ ♪ And move your shoulder ♪ ♪ Move your feet ♪ ♪ And get on the beat ♪ ♪ Now that you got the beat ♪ ♪ Let's do the cave man ♪ ♪ Shake your head ♪ ♪ And shake your shoulders ♪ ♪ Move your feet ♪ ♪ And get on the beat ♪ ♪ Now that you got the beat ♪ ♪ Let's do the cave man ♪ ♪ Let's do the cave man ♪ ♪ Let's do the cave man ♪ ♪ Oh let's do the cave man ♪ ♪ Let's do the cave man ♪ ♪ Now that you got the beat ♪ ♪ Let's do the cave man, hey ♪ ♪ B.K.

♪ ♪ Come on ♪ ♪ Yeah ♪ ♪ Well alright ♪ ♪ How ya'll doing ♪ (crowd cheers) ♪ Yeah ♪ ♪ I want you to ♪ sing along with me (mumbles) ♪ Alright.

♪ ♪ Hey hey, I feel alright, sing ♪ ♪ Hey hey, I feel alright ♪ ♪ Say hey, hey, I ♪ feel alright, come on ♪ Hey, hey, I feel alright ♪ ♪ Hey hey, I feel ♪ alright, come on ♪ Hey hey, I feel alright ♪ ♪ Say hey hey, I ♪ feel alright come on ♪ Hey hey, I feel alright ♪ ♪ Hey yeah, I feel ♪ alright, come on ya'll ♪ Hey hey, I feel alright ♪ ♪ Hey hey yeah, I ♪ feel alright, come on ♪ Hey hey, I feel alright ♪ ♪ Hey yeah, yeah, ♪ yeah, yeah, I'm alright ♪ Hey hey, I feel alright ♪ ♪ Hey yeah, yeah I ♪ feel alright, come on ♪ Hey hey, I feel alright ♪ ♪ Hey hey, hey hey, ♪ hey hey, hey hey ♪ Hey hey, hey hey, ♪ come on, come on ♪ Hey hey, hey hey ♪ (cheering and applause) ♪ Shake your head ♪ ♪ And move you shoulders ♪ ♪ Or move your feet ♪ ♪ And get on the beat ♪ ♪ Now that you got the beat ♪ ♪ Let's do the cave man, hey ♪ ♪ Yeah, yeah, hey ♪ (cheering and applause) I think the music thing actually started for me with a friend of mines from junior high.

And at that point in time, people were buying these little reel to reel recorders.

I think I picked up one for about 20 bucks, you know, at Woolworth's or something.

So I took it home and I'm sitting there and I'm singing into it like that.

A friend of mines came by and he heard me singing.

And he said "Man, my brother's got a group man, "you should come down and check it out, man.

"You can sing, you know."

That's when I came out with my first 45.

I think I must have been about maybe, 14, 15 years old at that point in time.

It never became of anything you know, but it was fun.

Playing a lotta little VFW gigs and whatever we could play.

And then a lot of us joined the military.

One went to the air force and a couple of us went to the army and different things like that.

That's back during Vietnam.

So in '66 I went to the military.

(mellow jazz music) You know when I got over to Vietnam, it was such a beautiful place, a beautiful country.

But then, you know you look at the war side of it and it's crazy.

I was discharged in April of '69.

I's very excited to get back home and stuff.

Just happy that I got out of it alright, you know what I mean?

So then I decided I wanted to see this country.

So I figured like, well what's the best way I could do that?

Well, get a job driving a truck then you can see the country and you'll make a little money at the same time.

And some of the truck stops and places that I would go to that may have a bar up in there, they would have karaoke machine.

So I go in there and I'd sing.

♪ Oh Mary ♪ ♪ Mary don't you weep for me no ♪ ♪ If he hadn'ta shot ♪ me down, shot me down ♪ Oh Lord, I would ♪ still be around ♪ Oh Mary, now I'm lost ♪ ♪ Buried six feet down ♪ ♪ Where did I go wrong ♪ ♪ I never meant to hurt you ♪ ♪ Never meant to make you cry ♪ ♪ Oh Mary ♪ ♪ Mary don't you weep for me, no ♪ ♪ The gun man's going home free ♪ ♪ While I lay here, I lay ♪ here so, so cold as can be ♪ Oh Mary, now I'm lost ♪ ♪ Buried six feet down ♪ ♪ Where did I go wrong ♪ ♪ I never meant to hurt you, no ♪ ♪ I never meant to make you cry ♪ ♪ Mary don't you ♪ weep for me, no no ♪ You know the gun man he's ♪ going home a free man today yeah ♪ While I lay here, ♪ I lay here so cold ♪ So cold as can be ♪ ♪ Oh Mary ♪ ♪ Mary don't you ♪ weep for me, no no ♪ Oh Mary ♪ ♪ Mary don't you ♪ weep for me, no no ♪ You know I'm ♪ gonna be alright now ♪ Oh Mary, Mary ♪ ♪ Mary don't you ♪ weep for me, no no ♪ Oh Mary ♪ ♪ Mary don't you weep, ♪ don't weep for me no ♪ I'm gonna be alright now ♪ ♪ Mary don't you weep, no no ♪ Thank you!

(cheering and applause) Whoo!

- My name is Anthony Scott.

And I know Sonny through their music.

He was playing in the band Haze, I was playing the band Prophets of Peace.

- My name is Will Ternior.

And I know Sonny, we both played together, first in the late 60s I think, and then in the 70s again as part of a group called Haze.

So we go back, way back.

- Way back.

(upbeat retro music) - One day my son is on the internet and he says Dad, your records Prophets of Peace, I saw it on eBay for $300.

I said what?

I got three or four of these things here.

This is, this is, let's get in-- - Albums for sale.

(all laughing) ♪ Waiting for the sun to rise ♪ - Back in those days there was a whole network of clubs and they all had live music.

And then they-- (man mumbling) - [Anthony] Which was a cozy bar over in New Orleans.

- [Will] The owner of that ended up starting the Riverview.

- [Anthony] Yeah, he started Riverview, the Cozy over in New Orleans.

- [Voiceover] Yeah, Jimmy Fuller right?

- Actually the Riverview, when they first opened up, we would be there one week and then the Time would be there the next week, only they were Flight Time.

I remember playing at the Billing Station.

All the sudden gunshots go off.

And the whole club-- - I remember that.

- Okay, then you were there.

People ran from one side of the club, it was just like a mad, like a movie.

- [Voiceover] I remember that.

- I mean everybody just foom.

And the thing that I remember most about it was the band never missed a beat.

I turned around, Soli was behind his amplifier.

He had, he was stroking.

Paul was off to the side behind the drummer, never missed a beat.

(laughing) - [Voiceover] You know live music was-- - [Voiceover] That was it.

- [Voiceover] That was the thing until-- - [Voiceover] Until disco.

- [Anthony] Yeah, 'cause they started playing records instead of having-- - Instead of having live bands, exactly.

Put a lot of musicians out of work.

♪ Bam ♪ ♪ Bam ♪ ♪ Bam ♪ ♪ Bam ♪ ♪ I gave you my money ♪ ♪ I gave you my time ♪ ♪ I gave you my love ♪ ♪ You had me feeling fine ♪ ♪ Oh why you wanna hurt me ♪ ♪ Do me wrong, yeah ♪ ♪ You turn around and left me ♪ ♪ In our lonely home ♪ ♪ I just don't know no ♪ ♪ About this love of your ♪ ♪ You say you wanna go baby ♪ ♪ Hey and that you ♪ won't be back no more ♪ Band won't ya help ♪ me play, come on ♪ Hey, come on ♪ ♪ Oh why you wanna hurt me ♪ ♪ Do me wrong, yeah ♪ ♪ You turned around and left me ♪ ♪ In our lonely home ♪ ♪ I, I, I I'm through ♪ with you, yeah ♪ 'Cause you're through with me ♪ ♪ I'm setting you free ♪ ♪ Come Pulice won't you play ♪ ♪ Come on ♪ ♪ Yeah, yeah ♪ ♪ Riley won't you play your horn ♪ ♪ Yeah ♪ ♪ Oh why you wanna hurt me ♪ ♪ Do me wrong, yeah ♪ ♪ You turned around and left me ♪ ♪ In our lonely home ♪ ♪ Oh why you wanna hurt me baby ♪ ♪ Do me wrong, yeah ♪ ♪ You turned around and left me ♪ ♪ In our lonely home ♪ ♪ I, I, I, I, I'm ♪ through with you ♪ (cheering and applause) - I started Secret Stash Records in 2009 as a vinyl only reissue label.

Everything that the label has done is very, like funk and soul oriented.

People had like been sharing all this incredible local rhythm and blues music with us.

So 2012 we worked with a bunch of DJs in town to compile all that, got a hold of all the artists that had recorded this stuff and cleared all the rights to make the Twin Cities Funk & Soul compilation.

And to celebrate that, we had a big release party where we invited all the musicians that had played on that stuff.

And that's how I met Sonny.

- [Voiceover] Uh Mr. Knight, hi, can you hear me in the headphones?

- [Sonny] I can.

- Okay, we're just just gonna do a quick run, so I can set compression and then we will-- - And after getting to know him, it was like, okay, what do you say we just start a band for you, go hire a bunch of musicians and start your own thing from scratch That was it.

- [Voiceover] We're rolling.

- These guys have been very good to me, you know as far as carrying me along and then to be as old as I am, and I am 68, you know.

It's been wonderful.

I'm just trying to stay in shape and survive it.

(laughs) ♪ It's gotta change ♪ ♪ It's gotta change ♪ ♪ It's gotta change ♪ - [Voiceover] Are we cool?

♪ In the darkness of the night ♪ ♪ When I'm all alone ♪ ♪ Thoughts of you come into view ♪ ♪ I know our loving wasn't true ♪ ♪ It had to change ♪ ♪ It had to change ♪ ♪ It had to change ♪ ♪ In the morning, I'm free again ♪ ♪ Your love don't ♪ haunt me no more no ♪ I don't see your face ♪ ♪ I don't hear your voice ♪ ♪ 'Cause love don't ♪ live here no more, no ♪ It had to change ♪ ♪ It had to change ♪ ♪ It had to change ♪ ♪ It had to change ♪ ♪ It had to change ♪ ♪ It had to change ♪ ♪ Blair won't you ♪ play your guitar, hey ♪ Yeah, yeah ♪ ♪ Can you give me a little ♪ bit more, come on now ♪ Blair won't you ♪ break it on down, hey ♪ Yeah ♪ ♪ Yeah ♪ ♪ Let me hear ya say yeah ♪ - [Crowd] Yeah.

♪ Do you feel that out there ♪ - [Crowd] Yeah.

♪ Let me hear ya say yeah ♪ - [Crowd] Yeah.

♪ That's what I'm talking ♪ about, come on now ♪ Whoo like that ♪ ♪ Feels so good ♪ ♪ Come on, do it again ♪ ♪ The sun goes down, alone again ♪ ♪ Afraid to go to sleep ya'll ♪ ♪ I see your face, ♪ I hear your voice ♪ Dammit those things ♪ got to leave, yeah ♪ It's gotta change ♪ ♪ It's gotta change ♪ ♪ It's gotta change, oh yeah ♪ ♪ Oh it's gotta change ♪ ♪ It's gotta change ♪ ♪ It's gotta change, oh yeah ♪ ♪ Oh it's gotta change ♪ ♪ It's gotta change ♪ ♪ It's gonna change, yeah ♪ ♪ Hey, yeah ♪ (cheering and applause) Whoo!

- My favorite thing about playing in the band is just watching Sonny night after night.

When he takes control of the room it is stunning.

He could take thousands of people and just hold them in the palm of his hand.

They're all happy to be there, you know?

- Alright, right now I need Sonny Knight.

- [Crowd] Who hoo!

- He's told this to me several times, that like he's very cognizant of the fact that this is his last go around.

He knows that, so every night he goes out ready to just, as I say it, tear heads off.

♪ As I was walking ♪ down the street one day ♪ A man came up to me ♪ - I have done shows where we're tired, there's no one there.

Your suit smells like, you know a bum's dirty foot.

And he comes out on stage and for the five people that are there, just gives them the best show they've ever seen.

♪ Does anybody really ♪ know what time it is ♪ Does anybody really care ♪ You know, I mean those songs man, sometimes I sing it, I feel it so much I'm tearing up, you know what I'm saying.

I'm trying to turn my head, you know like that.

I don't want nobody see a grown man cry.

(laughs) ♪ Lookin' round the city yeah ♪ ♪ People up, people down ♪ ♪ Everybody get ready yeah ♪ ♪ A different thing ♪ is coming about ya'll ♪ Sooner or later, I'll get mine ♪ ♪ Sooner or later, I'll get mine ♪ ♪ Yes I will ♪ ♪ Feels bad getting busted ♪ ♪ No matter where you're from ♪ ♪ One thing's for sure real yeah ♪ ♪ I'm gonna, I'm gonna, ♪ I'm gonna get mine ♪ Sooner or later, I'll get mine ♪ ♪ Sooner or later, I'll get mine ♪ ♪ Yes I will ♪ ♪ I'm gonna get mine ♪ ♪ I got to get mine ♪ ♪ Ooo yeah ♪ ♪ Sooner or later yeah ♪ ♪ Sooner or later yeah ♪ ♪ Sooner or later ♪ ♪ I gotta get mine ♪ ♪ Sooner or later, ♪ I gotta get mine ♪ Yes I do now ♪ ♪ Sooner or later, ♪ I gotta get mine ♪ Sooner or later, ♪ I got to get mine ♪ Yes I do ♪ ♪ Sooner or later, ♪ I gotta get mine ♪ Yes I do now ♪ ♪ Sooner or later, ♪ I got to get mine ♪ Yes I do now ♪ ♪ Sooner or later, ♪ I got to get mine ♪ Yes I do ♪ ♪ Sooner or later ♪ now, I got to get mine ♪ Sooner or later ♪ baby, I gotta get mine ♪ Hey ♪ ♪ Sooner or later baby, ♪ I gotta get mine ♪ Ladies and gentlemen, thank you very much We love you It's been a real gas I think I gotta go get mine Right about now yeah - Ladies and gentlemen, let's hear it for Mr. Sonny Knight.

Hey Sonny!

We're the Lakers.

Thank you so much.

Give me one more big one for Mr. Sonny Knight!

(cheering and applause) (cheering and applause) - [Voiceover] This program is made possible by the state's Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund and the citizens of Minnesota.

- [Announcer] "Stage" is made possible by the Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund, the citizens of Minnesota, and by viewers like you.