BIOGRAPHY - BONNY B
From the Horror of the Khmer Rouge to International Blues Stages
An extraordinary story of survival, freedom, music, and love.
Born in 1972 in Posât, Cambodia, beneath a sacred tree in a makeshift hospital, Bonny B, whose real name is Su Pheaktra Chanmongkhon, experienced a tragic childhood under Pol Pot’s Khmer Rouge regime.
Between 1975 and 1979, his family endured starvation, forced labor, and terror. He lost four brothers and one sister. In 1978, his family fled through the jungle for more than three months, surrounded by bombings and landmines. Too weak to walk, young Bonny had to be carried on his brothers’ backs.
In July 1979, Switzerland gave him a second chance at life.
Welcomed with his family in Courtepin, in the canton of Fribourg, he finally discovered peace and freedom. His father told him words that would remain forever in his heart:
“Switzerland is paradise on Earth.”
A Harmonica That Changed His Destiny
As a child, Bonny B stole a harmonica from a shop. Fifteen years later, he returned to apologize and thank the shop owners: that little instrument had changed his life!
In 1992, he founded his first blues band. His debut album, recorded in 1999, opened the doors to the French record label Dixiefrog and later Universal Music. In 2000, he became a Hohner artist and began performing on stages across Europe.
In 2003, he founded his blues school in Fribourg. In 2007, he established a gospel choir, a blues club, and a humanitarian association to build a school for underprivileged children in Cambodia, in memory of his father, Phayoun.
In 2009, he entered the Guinness World Records by playing the harmonica for 24 hours non-stop, raising funds for his school in Cambodia.
Today: Blues in the Service of Peace
With 19 albums, thousands of concerts, and more than 35 years of experience, Bonny B has become a recognized figure in the world of blues and harmonica.
Accompanied by his brother Ice B on guitar, he continues to travel throughout Europe and beyond, sharing a universal message: peace, love, hope, and freedom.
The child who experienced the horrors of war has become a musician who celebrates life at every concert.
“I have experienced hell on Earth. Today, every note of music is my way of thanking life and sharing love and peace with the world.”
BONNY B & ICE B
Blues • Harmonica • Gospel • Humanitarian Work
Buy the latest album : ON THE ROAD AGAIN
Official website: www.bonnyb.ch
Booking: www.bluesfrog.org
Contact: bonnybblues@gmail.com
BONNY B: WHAT THEY SAY
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“BONNY B is an exceptional bluesman. His harmonica playing is wonderful.” — B.B. King
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“BONNY B, the one-man blues orchestra.” — L’Objectif, Fribourg, Switzerland
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“His groove and musicality are outstanding. I’m a big fan.” — Jerry Portnoy
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“A sensitive and warm-hearted artist.” — La Liberté, Fribourg, Switzerland
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“BONNY B plays the blues like Sonny Terry or Sonny Boy Williamson.” — John Primer
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“Authenticity in every note.” — Le Matin, Geneva, Switzerland
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“BONNY B is the coolest bluesman I’ve ever met.” — Joe Filisko
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“A remarkable bluesman.” — Le Nouvelliste, Sion, Switzerland
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“Always a pleasure to play with him.” — Bob Margolin
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“What a talent!” — Journal du Nord Vaudois, Yverdon, Switzerland
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“A masculine voice, perfect harmonica playing.” — Kronen Zeitung, Vienna, Austria
Copyright : Robert Koch - BLUESFROG PRODUCTION