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BONNY B: FROM THE KHMER ROUGE TO B.B. KING

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Born in Cambodia under the name Su Pheaktra Bonnyface Chanmongkhon, BONNY B arrived in Switzerland in 1979 at barely seven years old. His family fled to Fribourg to escape the Khmer Rouge. Nearly fifty years later, he has become a professional bluesman with an extraordinary musical career behind him.

 

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BONNY B, singer and harmonica player, has carried his blues across European stages for more than half a century. Together with his brother Ice B on guitar, he has recorded around twenty albums, founded a harmonica school, and opened two clubs. He also created a blues festival while running his own online radio station.

 

Alongside his brilliant artistic journey, he has introduced generations of secondary-school students throughout French-speaking Switzerland to the world of blues.

 

A certified pastry chef (!), BONNY B began his pilgrimage to Chicago in 1998 — the Mecca of the blues — where he shared the stage with Buddy Guy, Louisiana Red, John Primer, Bob Margolin, Larry Garner, and Bob Stroger.

In 2005, the ultimate recognition arrived: Claude Nobs, founder and director of the legendary Montreux Jazz Festival, invited him to perform alongside B.B. King.

 

Since then, BONNY B has played thousands of concerts in more than fifteen countries, participated in dozens of festivals, and led countless workshops.

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BONNY B: WHAT THEY SAY

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  • “BONNY B is an exceptional bluesman. His harmonica playing is wonderful.” — B.B. King

  • “BONNY B, the one-man blues orchestra.” — L’Objectif, Fribourg, Switzerland

  • “His groove and musicality are outstanding. I’m a big fan.” — Jerry Portnoy

  • “A sensitive and warm-hearted artist.” — La Liberté, Fribourg, Switzerland

  • “BONNY B plays the blues like Sonny Terry or Sonny Boy Williamson.” — John Primer

  • “Authenticity in every note.” — Le Matin, Geneva, Switzerland

  • “BONNY B is the coolest bluesman I’ve ever met.” — Joe Filisko

  • “A remarkable bluesman.” — Le Nouvelliste, Sion, Switzerland

  • “Always a pleasure to play with him.” — Bob Margolin

  • “What a talent!” — Journal du Nord Vaudois, Yverdon, Switzerland

  • “A masculine voice, perfect harmonica playing.” — Kronen Zeitung, Vienna, Austria

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