Sunny & the Sunglows
Sunny & the Sunglows, an American musical group, was formed in 1959 by songwriters Jimmie Lewing and Sunny Ozuna in Palacios, Texas. The group, later known as Sunny & the Sunliners, relocated to San Antonio, Texas, in 1963. All members, except Amos Johnson Jr., were Chicano-born, and their music was a fusion of rhythm and blues, tejano, blues, and mariachi.
In 1962, the band recorded for their own label, Sunglow, and gained national attention when Okeh Records distributed their single "Golly Gee." The following year, under the guidance of producer Huey P Meaux, they recorded a cover of Little Willie John's "Talk to Me, Talk to Me," which became a major hit. The single "Talk to Me" reached No. 4 on the Adult Contemporary chart, No. 12 on the US Billboard R&B chart, and No. 11 on the Billboard Hot 100 in October 1963.
Sunny Ozuna, born Ildefonso Fraga Ozuna on September 8, 1943, in San Antonio, Texas, was the frontman of the group. Raised in a large family, Ozuna's early life was marked by poverty. He attended Burbank High School, where he formed the band with Rudy Guerra. The group initially consisted of two Mexican Americans, two Anglo Americans, and one African American. They were influenced by doo-wop, soul, and rock-and-roll, and performed at various local venues.
Sunny & the Sunglows made history as the first all-Tejano band to appear on Dick Clark's American Bandstand in 1963. Despite personnel changes and a name change to the Sunliners, the band continued to produce music, contributing significantly to the Chicano Soul and Tejano music movements. Sunny Ozuna later achieved success in the Spanish-language market, winning a Grammy in 2000 for Best Tejano Album with The Legends.