SONNIE BERNARDI

Growing up with parents who loved & worked in the exciting live music scene of the day, Sonnie was raised in Toronto seeing stars and incredible musical talents pass through his home for Sunday brunch after their gigs.  

At an early age Sonnie was exposed to many of the country's top entertainers like Ronnie Hawkins, Conway Twitty, Joey and the Starlights, Dick Clark, Chubby Checkers who frequented their home to enjoy his mom Marie's cooking.

An instant love for percussion was met with his first drum kit, & from there it's history. As luck would have it, Sonnie's very first drum teacher was Levon Helm from The Band at the time with The Hawk. He had many wise words bestowed upon him from the entertainers who recognized the passion, the honest interest & his to-the-core connection to music.

When the opportunity arose to go on the road to play music for a living, he took it without a second thought. His first professional band was Franklin Sheppard & the Good Sheppard's. Sonnie reminisces how his father, Sonnie Sr., gave him a $50 bill & a bus schedule as he wished him luck. Luck seemed to be regularly in his path as he journeyed with some of Canada's top musicians.

He celebrated his 21st birthday while playing in Las Vegas t Caesars Palace with Grant Smith & the Power. His performing & recording career was enriched by such artists as King Biscuit Boy, Crowbar, Shooter, Downchild Blues Band, David Wilcox, the Guess Who, & studio projects with Bob Ezrin & Craig Ruhnke, who shared drumming duties with Jim Gordon. 

Sonnie also has had the privilege & pleasure of putting his musical expertise & style to great use, working with his youngest daughter Bianca, who released her debut EP in 2016.  Sonnie was executive producer, drummer, & occasionally "dad"ager during that production .

Sonnie enjoys playing every chance he gets. If he isn't on the kit you can find him soaking up the sun by the lake with his wife Diane, often accompanied by their 3 grown children & the littlest addition to the brood, their granddaughter Nova Lee, (the newest aspiring musician of the family.)