April 18–25, 1996

earshot|Where Are They Now?

Bunny Sigler

By Dan Mechem

Inside The Amazing Barn, an old colonial barn turned recording studio, Bunny Sigler is working on some new material. He's sitting on a couch looking meditative as he musters another breath before singing. Out comes a sweet, soulful tenor, and like all great singers, it sounds and seems effortless.

"My first job, I made three dollars a weekend," says Walter "Bunny" Sigler, a Philadelphia born and bred musician who's been singing since the early 1960s. "And then one guy had me do a special show and I made ten dollars. I didn't know how to act, but I took the money anyway."

At the time, the Philly nightclub scene was robust with places like the Uptown and the BPA, staples of the local soul scene. It was the perfect place for a young kid to cut his teeth, studying and emulating the stars who would come to town. Bunny started singing at an early age in his neighborhood at Front and Fairmount.

"There are people who still know me in Philly because I used to walk 12 blocks singing all the way up there, and then at night singing all the way back."

Bunny eventually parlayed this talent into a smash hit song called "Come On Baby Let the Good Times Roll." It was released in 1967 on the famous Cameo Parkway label (now defunct). It hit big all over the world and even took Bunny overseas. His unusual name surprised people (he got his nickname for two reasons: he was born the day after Easter in 1941, and when he was born he had a fully grown front tooth).

"When I would travel places, I would get out of the car and they were looking for a girl because my name is Bunny. They thought I was Jewish."

After the hit song, Bunny signed on with Philly legends Gamble and Huff as a staff songwriter for their Philadelphia International Records. He wrote the songs "Sunshine" and "Let Me Make Love To You" for the O'Jays, as well as songs for many others who were part of the Gamble and Huff machine.

"At the time, we were like a factory. If you didn't have a stack of songs, you weren't a writer."

Bunny was also part of the select group of background singers that, secretly and anonymously, appeared on many hit records from the time.

"There are a lot of songs out that I've sung on. I won't even mention them because people will get angry."

A new collection of his music, Sweeter Than The Berry (Epic/ Legacy), showcases the liquid funk of "Shake Your Booty" to the sweet, Philly soul of the title track. In the liner notes Bunny, the artist they used to call "Mr. Emotion," mentions that he was viewed as "the guy with the light voice," as compared to fuller-throated Philly International artists like Teddy Pendergrass and Eddie Levert. "That perception always bothered me." And it's far from true.

He's still quite active in the music scene. Bunny toured the U.S. last year as a background singer for Philly native Patti Labelle, where he enjoyed more of the spotlight.

"A lot of artists, when you work for them, want you to do good, but not too good. Patti wants you to do your best and even more."

But perhaps Bunny's first love is singing and writing his own material. These days Bunny is working with producer Andy Kravitz, who has worked on projects for Billy Joel, Sting, Joan Osborne Luther Vandross, Buju Banton, Daryl Hall and G Love and Special Sauce.

"Bunny's the best singer I've ever worked with," says Kravitz. "He's always had a reputation as the best singer in the city."

With Kravitz manning the controls, they're doing it the old fashioned way. No headphones. Just singing with the speakers cranked.

"We used old gear, old pre-amps — that stuff is characteristically warmer than the stuff you get today."

Bunny's songwriting style is unconventional by today's standards. Often the song is written spontaneously. Kravitz then edits the best parts together, applies the spit and shine, and hopefully a hit is born.

"He springs forth all these songs," says Kravitz. "You'll be hanging out and he'll play the most beautiful melody on the piano. You'll ask him when he's done, 'What's that?' and he'll say, 'Oh, I don't know.'"

Though some record companies scoff at older artists, Bunny is gunning for a full-fledged record deal. And though he is in his 50s, he's not discouraged in the least.

"Tina Turner couldn't get a deal nowhere till she went to Europe. When you get on the air, people don't know how old you are. You try to get the kind of songs where they [the record labels] can't deny you."

Many of Bunny's songs are straightforward, even simple. No heady lyrics. No musical sleight of hand. You can feel the love.

"Watch out," he says. "If I get a record deal, I'm going to take no prisoners."