LEGENDARY GUITARIST-PHIL UPCHURCH & SENSATIONAL VOCALIST- SONYA MADDOX-UPCHURCH
Are on fire, the alter egos of love and music meet.
Sonya is Phil's first writing partner in his outstanding music career.
"Their Christian Music Minstry is on fast track"
2005 © Copyright-ASCAP
Sonya Maddox & Phil Upchurch, C/o Wondervision Entertainment (899637001005)
Record Label: Wondervision Music, Inc.
SONYA MADDOX-UPCHURCH
The CEO of WONDERVISION Entertainment & Music has the grace and charm of a southern belle coupled with the confidence and allure of a Hollywood diva. This Atlanta-born actress of television/screen/stage/radio and songstress has become one of the most sought after and respected performers in the arena of television commercials - with over 200 to her credit! Corporate America is in love with the vibrant essence she brings to their projects. Her most recent commercials include Progressive Insurance, Rembrandt, Listerine, Viactive, Wal-Mart, Honey Bunches of Oats, Home Depot and South Beach Diet, to name a few. In addition to her acting, Sonya's musical career is on the fast track, which finds her performing both on-screen and before live audiences.
Sonya's first starring screen role was in the award-winning Hanelle Culpepper film "A Single Rose," which made it to the 12th cut for the 2005 Academy Awards and screened at the 2005 Cannes Film Festival. Maddox received national acclaim for her portrayal of the character “Rose.” In addition, Sonya performed three songs for the film. Sonya was cast in the HBO series "In Treatment" as Blair Underwood's wife, "Michaela." Sonya was also cast in “Spider-Man 3” - the only African American actress to have a speaking role in the Hollywood summer blockbuster. Independently, Maddox also wrote, produced, scored and starred in “Wonder,” an autobiographical one-woman show.
Following the great success of “A Single Rose,” Sonya joined forces with music legends Phil Upchurch and Howard McCrary to create "TRULY," a CD of scintillatingly original songs produced independently by WONDERVISION Entertainment & Music. Legendary music executive and trumpeter Herb Alpert was left mesmerized by Maddox and immediately offered her the stage at his first class Hollywood Hills jazz club, Vibrato. Musical icon Stevie Wonder described Sonya’s passion and style as dramatic as those of the incomparable jazz and pop star Nancy Wilson. As a classically trained singer, Sonya has been in the spotlight since the age of six, performing in musicals and classical choirs in both Atlanta and Los Angeles. She is a graduate of Atlanta's Northside School of Performing Arts where she was given the opportunity to sing with a select group of performers in Mozart's "Vespare Soleness de Confessore." Sonya continues to perform her music, today with a renewed sense of purpose.
Throughout her career, Sonya has been a leader in the entertainment community. Over the past 14 years, Sonya Maddox the actor has held various positions as a Screen Actors Guild (SAG) National Board Member, including a seat on the Board of Directors, Chair, National Women's Committee, Chair, African American Subcommittee, and Chair, Equal Employment Opportunity Committee (exec), in Atlanta. Her natural leadership ability, dynamic personality and dedication have furthered the careers of innumerable actors of color, and affected significant, positive change in their representation both in SAG/AFTRA memberships and in the media at large. During her tenure, Sonya lobbied to get diverse actors involved in the guild; orchestrated seminars to teach actors their contractual rights; petitioned the media to diversify union and actor representation; and, as a result of her leadership, the world witnessed the SAG/AFTRA African American subcommittee grow from a membership of 12 to approximately 1,000. As a singer/songwriter, Sonya Maddox is also an active member of the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP).
Believing whole-heartedly that entertainment is her ministry; Sonya enjoys opportunities to participate in community outreach and motivational speaking. She makes frequent visits to elementary schools and outreach programs to speak to children about careers in the arts, encouraging them to realize their potential.
In 2005, Ms. Maddox became Sonya Maddox-Upchurch in a matrimonial union under God with legendary Chicago guitar master Phil Upchurch. Sonya & Phil are now “Married and On-Fire!” For the first time in Mr. Upchurch's distinguished career, he proudly recognizes his wife Sonya as his first official writing partner. Upchurch states, “The timbre of her voice and her style of language ring perfectly with my intricate combination of chords. Sonya completes me.” This husband and wife duo dedicates their spare time to spreading the gospel with their Christian Music Marriage Ministry. Sonya & Phil are devout members of the Crenshaw Christian Center under the spiritual leadership of Apostle Frederick K.C. Price, D.D. Through their WONDERVISION company they are also producing a book of Phil’s photography, a book and documentary on his life, and a solo CD for Phil of new original material.
Sonya Maddox was born and raised the youngest of four children – two boys and two girls - in Atlanta, Georgia. To this day, she maintains extremely close ties to her family. Though she now lives across the country, Sonya counts on the support of her Father, the Dean of Atlanta City Council; and Mother, a retired first grade teacher of Atlanta's school district, to keep her grounded in her southern roots. “My parents have always given me a reason to rise to the top and be my best,” Sonya states. “They have been hands-on with me my entire life, dedicating their collective energies to seeing me fulfill my dreams. I love them so much for everything they have done for me and our family." As Sonya continues to soar in Hollywood, CA, Atlanta, GA will always be in her heart and that spirit beneath her wings.
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PHIL UPCHURCH
A prolific guitarist whose distinctively funky, blues-steeped jazz style has graced well over a thousand recordings across the popular music spectrum, the legendary Phil Upchurch has also recorded 27 albums of his own leadership, as well as movie soundtracks. Jazz enthusiasts love and respect Phil Upchurch for his singular approach to composition. In developing his sound, Phil demonstrates no allegiance to any of his contemporaries and is indisputably one of the best in his field. He goes from classical to jazz to contemporary funk as easy as walking from one room to another. He is also an amazing electric bassist. In honor of Upchurch’s instrumental mastery, D’Angelico Guitars is soon to release a Second Edition of his signature Phil Upchurch Guitar. Adding to his media profile is Phil’s newfound second career as a fresh face for television advertising. Phil's most recent on-camera commercials have been Secured Horizon, "AARP," Tropicana and Verizon Wireless.
Phil Upchurch has been a prominent figure in the blues, soul, R&B and jazz circles for more than 50 years. In addition to his work with the legendary Jimmy Smith, Upchurch has performed and recorded, in the United States and internationally, with some of the music industry’s biggest names. His talents have teamed him with musical legends such as Quincy Jones, Bob Dylan, Julio Iglesias, Ray Charles, Ramsey Lewis, Carmen McRae, George Benson, Donny Hathaway, Chaka Khan, Michael Jackson, Carmen McRae, Marlena Shaw, Eddie Harris, Brother Jack McDuff, Joe Williams, Stan Getz, Cannonball Adderley, Herbie Hancock, Grover Washington, Jr. and Wynton Kelly, among many others.
Phil Upchurch is a native of Chicago, IL, where he first appeared on stage at 8 years of age in a piano recital. He began playing professionally at age 16 in 1957. Immediately upon graduating high school, he pursued this path with a passion. Self-taught as a musician, Phil started touring with jazz, gospel and rhythm & blues artists of the day. Gaining widespread recognition and acclaim, Phil furthered his early career by recording with major R&B artists at Mercury, Chess, Vee-Jay and Brunswick - all major Chicago record companies. These sessions led him to become a first-call studio musician for two decades.
In 1961, he scored a Top 20 hit with "You Can't Sit Down," later played by President Bill Clinton during his first inauguration at a “Jam Session” on national television. From 1965 to 1967, Upchurch served in the United States Army as part of the Special Services Unit in Europe. Throughout this time, Phil stayed connected to his music but began to hone his skills as a photographer, capturing some of his most admired images during this period. After completing his military duty, he returned to music in earnest, recording and traveling with the phenomenal spirited gospel-soul ambassadors, The Staple Singers.
Thereafter, he worked with Chess Records - as an in-house session musician, recording artist and briefly as a member of Charles Stepney’s psychedelic soul-rock band Rotary Connection. Phil was later a recording artist for the internationally renowned Blue Thumb and Kudu/CTI labels. In 1974, he began a 7-year association with George Benson on the album Bad Benson (which included his standout compositions “No Sooner Said Than Done” and “Full Compass”). Two years later, Upchurch was a key component to Benson’s multi-platinum-selling pop breakthrough album, Breezin’ - to this day one of the largest selling jazz albums in history. And, once again, Phil was showcased as a composer with the lively “Six to Four.” Upon the success of the album and subsequent tour, Upchurch moved to Los Angeles in 1978 to expand his musical talents and collaborations. He resumed studio work, toured in Japan with producer/bandleader Quincy Jones’ Orchestra and also did road and session work with jazz greats The Crusaders.
Upchurch continued to tour and record both as a leader and sideman during the 1980's and 1990's. In the 1980's, he traveled extensively with jazz organ king Jimmy Smith and recorded with singers Carmen McRae and Joe Williams, among many others. During this time, he also learned to read music by studying the transcriptions of the great Andres Segovia. The 1990's saw the release of his 20th album and the creation of the first Phil Upchurch Guitar, made by the Vestax Corporation of Japan. Also, Mel Bay Books released Upchurch's first book, "12x12," a collection of twelve Upchurch solos.
In 2006, Phil Upchurch married actress/songstress Sonya Maddox and, for the first time in his career, recognized his bride as his writing partner. “The timbre of her voice and her style of language rings perfectly with my intricate combination of chords,” he states. “Sonya completes me." Phil & Sonya share a Christian Music Marriage Ministry, assisting gifted young musicians in realizing their objective of studying music at a college of their choice through the Jimmy Smith Foundation, which Phil founded, partnered with The Jackie Robinson Foundation. Phil & Sonya are devout members of the Crenshaw Christian Center under the spiritual leadership of Apostle Frederick K.C. Price, D.D. Through their WONDERVISION company they are also producing a book of Phil’s photography, a book and documentary on his life, and a solo CD for Phil.
Today, Phil Upchurch devotes more time to his photography. His first national exhibit – with Sonya as curator - was November 17, 2005-January 21, 2006 at the California African American Museum: “Honoring the Photographic Works of Legendary Guitarist Phil Upchurch.”
Past Exhibit
"BEYOND EXPECTATIONS"
"I have had a love affair with the camera and photography since I was 8 years old. To my way of thinking, the camera “Gives Pictures" -- it doesn't take them. It was my dream as a young man to attend Brooks Institute of Photography and shoot for National Geographic Magazine. I attended The Art Institute of Chicago by way of a special scholarship when I was in grammar school. I was quickly discouraged at the high level of artistry of even much younger students than myself. I discontinued my studies there for that reason. Other than that it was a real joy to be surrounded by that environment. It definitely had a permanent, positive effect on my life. If it weren't for music, I know I would have pursued a career in photography. It is a very competitive occupation, but so is music and so is life. This is why I prefer to maintain a high level of spirituality and commitment in all of my undertakings. One must truly be passionate in order to maximize one's potential. I also believe that faith gives one the ability to overcome all obstacles. I have lived by this creed all my life. My photography has come full circle.
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