Sonny Red is the name of multiple artists: #1. Sonny Red (December 17, 1932 in Detroit as Sylvester Kyner Jr. – March 20, 1981) was an American alto saxophonist associated with the hard bop idiom among other styles. He had some success in the 1960s, but had fallen into obscurity by the late 1970s . He released a few albums as a session leader (including the 1960 Blue Note release Out of the Blue) and appeared as a sideman on a number of releases by Donald Byrd a.o.. #2. Sonny Red is the name of a French metal band.