Summary: | R&B singer Charles Arnold "Sonny" Turner was born on September 24, 1939 in Fairmont, West Virginia. In 1949, Turner moved to Cleveland, Ohio where he attended Case Woodland Elementary School and graduated from East Technical High School. Turner began his entertainment career in the mid-1950s by performing with a local R&B group named the Metrotones. After performing as a solo artist, Turner replaced Platters member Tony Williams as the group's lead singer. As a member of The Platters, Turner toured internationally and performed for dignitaries in Poland, Russia, Mexico and Rome. Turner married ex-Metrotone member, Lavinia Eaton, in 1957 and had two daughters. After his divorce, Turner married Arlean Fairley in 1970 and had a baby boy. In the 1970s, Turner and others formed Sonny Turner Sound Unlimited. The band played at the Sahara Lounge and The Thunderbird in Las Vegas, Nevada.
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