EXTRAORDINARY PEOPLE: The ’79 Invader

HOLDEN BEACH, NC (WWAY) — Big name bands work with smaller bands all the time. Sometimes the smaller ones are opening acts and sometimes the opening acts get to join the big cats on stage. Sonny Boykin has done it all.
He comes from an era where the musicians were tuning and the girls were swooning.
Sonny is the ’79 INVADER.

He once shared a stage with Bobby Vinton. He once played with Jerry Lee Lewis too.
Matter of fact, Sonny Boykin has played with quite a few big acts over the years.

“This is myself,” Boykin told Daniel Seamans. “And this is Roy Orbison,” he said pointing each one out on a picture of the two on the same stage.
(see video for the pictures)

That day, in 1961, Sonny played with Roy Orbison. For decades he’s played various venues. He’s also shared a stage with Fats Domino, Johnny Paycheck, and many others at some point. The 79 year old has crossed paths with a number of musicians, some very short paths but definitely memorable ones.

“We were out there signing autographs,” Boykin said as he described the scene after playing with Roy Orbison. “I had blisters all over my hand. (5000 fans at the show)That’s a lot. We signed autographs until people started leaving and it’s a wonderful feeling.”

This Holden Beach musician has been playing since his early 20’s. He started with ‘Tommy A and the INVADERS’.
“I started playing with them, and we got a job at the Pavilion”. “Myrtle Beach?” Daniel asked. “Yes, back in 1959. So we went down there and they had the biggest crowd they had ever had at the time.”

The Invaders played there(Pavilion) many times, eventually moving on to various venues where bands were grand openers for businesses and then some. “We opened that(store)up for him and Jerry Lee Lewis was there. I got to play with Jerry. Just once though(smiling).”

Over the years Sonny would change bands….change outfits….and change hairdoos.
He even recorded some of his own songs on 45’s. Now you can find him at his own lil’ paradise in Holden Beach, still jamming away, because music has always been his life.

“It means everything,” he said of the impact of music. “You can be depressed, you can be thinking about something wrong, and then change by getting on(playing) that music.”

Sonny Boykin….boyyyyy you sure are Extraordinary and that makes you a #1 hit on our charts!
-Daniel

Do you know an Extraordinary person? Email me at dseamans@wwaytv3.com