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Jo El Sonnier Cause of Death and Obituary: How Did Jo El Sonnier Die?

American accordionist and singer-songwriter Jo-El Sonnier played both Cajun and country music. In the late 1970s, Sonnier, who was first signed to Mercury Nashville Records, had several minor hits on the Billboard country charts.

He had signed with RCA Records by the late 1980s, and he made his breakthrough with the Top Ten hits “No More One More Time” and “Tear-Stained Letter,” a cover of Richard Thompson’s song. Despite experiencing a decline in chart success at the start of the 1990s, he persisted in making music, putting out over thirty albums, mostly on independent labels.

Takau Records released The Legacy on December 10, 2013, marking the artist’s first traditional Cajun French album in over a decade. After ten years of songwriting, Sonnier’s 13-track album was recognized as the 2015 Regional Roots Music Album of the Year, earning him his first Grammy win and his fifth Grammy nomination.

What Happened to Jo-El Sonnier?

At the age of 77, Grammy-winning Cajun and country recording artist Jo-El Sonnier passed away on January 13, 2024. Sonnier had a severe heart attack after performing on Saturday night at the Llano Country Opry in Llano, Texas. After finishing an hour-long performance with his signature song, “Tear-Stained Letter,” the legendary singer received a standing ovation.

Sonnier had intended to take a short nap before signing autographs with fans, but instead, he went into cardiac arrest and was taken to a nearby hospital in Austin, Texas, where he was later declared deceased. Sonnier’s music promoter Tracy Pitcox announced the news on social media, saying that he and his wife Bobbye enjoyed spending Sonnier’s last day entertaining his fans.

Who was Jo-El Sonnier?

Renowned country and Cajun singer Jo-El Sonnier was born in Rayne, Louisiana, on October 2, 1946. At the tender age of six, he made his radio debut, performing on his brother’s accordion, marking the beginning of his musical journey. Sonnier originally signed with Mercury Nashville Records in the 1970s, but he later decided to go independent and signed with Rounder Records.

One notable release he had was “Zydeco Gris-Gris,” an independent album that led to a 1986 Grammy nomination. Sonnier has put out over thirty albums in his illustrious career, and in 2015, he won a Grammy Award for his album “The Legacy.” Even though “The Legacy” was Sonnier’s final album to be recorded, he kept captivating audiences around the country until his untimely death at the age of 77.

In the late 1970s, Sonnier, who was first signed to Mercury Nashville Records, had several minor hits on the Billboard country charts. He had signed with RCA Records by the late 1980s, and he made his breakthrough with the Top Ten hits “No More One More Time” and “Tear-Stained Letter,” a cover of Richard Thompson’s song. Despite experiencing a decline in chart success at the start of the 1990s, he persisted in making music, putting out over thirty albums, mostly on independent labels.

Jo-El Sonnier Cause of Death and Obituary

According to reports, Jo-El Sonnier passed away from a cardiac arrest that happened following his performance in Llano, Texas. Sonnier died suddenly from cardiac arrest, which is the sudden stopping of the heart. This was due to a lack of blood flow.

Sonnier’s music promoter Tracy Pitcox made the announcement, emphasizing that he enjoyed spending his last moments entertaining fans with his wife Bobbye by his side. Over several decades, Sonnier achieved chart-topping hits and a Grammy-winning album in 2015, leaving an enduring impression on the music industry.

So sad to hear about the passing of my good friend and fellow "Jo-el", Jo-EL Sonnier . He had just finished a matinee performance at the LANTEX Theater in Llano, TX and was resting up before going out to meet his fans and sign autographs and suffered cardiac arrest.

We had a… pic.twitter.com/sBcxxI5Drm

— “Sudden And Unexpected” (@toobaffled) January 16, 2024

What Happened to Jo El Sonnier? – FAQs

  • What was Jo-El Sonnier’s age at the time of his death?
    Jo-El Sonnier died at the age of 77.
  • What was Jo-El Sonnier’s last recorded album?
    His last recorded album was “The Legacy,” released in 2013, which won a Grammy in 2015.
  • How long was Jo-El Sonnier married?
    Jo-El Sonnier was married for 31 years to his wife Bobbye.
  • What song did Jo-El Sonnier end his final performance with?
    Jo-El Sonnier concluded his last performance with his signature song, “Tear-Stained Letter.”
  • In what year did Jo-El Sonnier win a Grammy Award?
    Jo-El Sonnier won a Grammy Award in 2015 for his album “The Legacy.”
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