Grammy Award-Winning Drummer for Hootie & The Blowfish
Jim Sonefeld: Biography at a Glance
- Everyone has heard a Jim Sonefeld song – even if they don’t know it. Sonefeld is best known as the drummer of Hootie & the Blowfish, one of the top-selling rock bands of all time, and an award-winning songwriter and solo artist.
- He shares his personal journey through a powerful combination of musical performance and storytelling, recounting his rise to fame, struggles with addiction, and eventual recovery.
- Sonefeld’s music career includes writing and performing on the band's hugely successful 1994 debut album, Cracked Rear View, which became the ninth best-selling album in U.S. history.
- His song “Hold My Hand,” which he brought to the band, helped launch Hootie & the Blowfish to global success, earning two GRAMMY awards and numerous other accolades.
- After overcoming addiction, Sonefeld has embraced a spiritual path, releasing four faith-based EPs, with his latest work, Remember Tomorrow, delivering messages of hope and purpose.
- Sonefeld remains grateful for his far-reaching audience, whether performing with Hootie & the Blowfish or as a solo artist, using his platform to inspire and uplift others with positivity and resilience.
- Sonefeld combines music and storytelling to tell captivating and relatable stories of overcoming hardship and adversity on the path to achieving big dreams.
Videos
Biography
Everyone has heard a Jim Sonefeld song – even if they don’t know it. He is the drummer of one of the top-selling rock bands of all time, Hootie & the Blowfish, as well as an award-winning songwriter and solo artist. Throughout his prolific career, his music has reached every corner of the globe and captured the imaginations of people from every walk of life.
Audience members experience every emotion as Sonefeld combines musical performance and storytelling to share his powerful story of reaching unimaginable highs with Hootie & the Blowfish, hitting rock bottom as drug and alcohol addiction consumed him, and then seeking guidance on the path back to reclaiming his life. Sonefeld shares inspirational, never-before-heard behind-the-scenes stories from his life and the rise of Hootie & the Blowfish to illustrate how anyone is capable of overcoming any obstacle to achieve their purpose in life.
Growing up, Sonefeld was enamored with the world of sports and dreamed of becoming a professional athlete. Things didn’t go exactly as he planned in the sporting world, but that didn’t stop him from chasing a new dream. He began writing songs and performing music and soon found himself fully engaged in the pursuit to make his mark in the music industry. Following the formation of Hootie & the Blowfish, the band released their 1994 debut album “Cracked Rear View,” which would go on to become the ninth best-selling album of all time in the United States. The first single, “Hold My Hand,” was a song Sonefeld brought to the band and showcased his songwriting ability as they shot to success. The rest, as they say, is history. Soon, the band found themselves touring the world, winning numerous awards (including two GRAMMYs), and recording six more studio albums.
Following his recovery from addiction, Sonefeld remains on the spiritual path and has released four faith-based extended plays, including his most recent work, “Remember Tomorrow,” which includes singles such as the rocking “Unafraid” and the sentimental “I See Heaven on Earth.” Sonefeld never takes for granted the blessing of the far-reaching audience he has garnered throughout his career journey with Hootie & the Blowfish, and in his solo endeavors. No matter the size of the audience before him, he is grateful to perform and spread messages of hope, positivity, purpose, and adapting to change.
Topics
Swimming with the Blowfish: Hootie, Healing, and One Hell of a Ride
Blending the emotional power of music with captivating storytelling, award-winning musician and Hootie & the Blowfish drummer Jim Sonefeld takes audiences on an unforgettable journey through the highs and lows of his life. With raw honesty, he retraces his meteoric rise to fame with one of the biggest rock bands of all time, the struggles with addiction that brought him to rock bottom, and his inspiring journey of recovery and redemption. Sonefeld’s stories are not only entertaining but also deeply motivational, offering powerful lessons on taking risks, believing in yourself, and turning adversity into opportunity. His message resonates with audiences of all backgrounds, encouraging them to see challenges as stepping stones toward achieving their true purpose.
