Popular South Jersey Piano Player Chris Sooy Passes Away

For decades, piano player and bandleader Chris Sooy led bands and entertained at different venues around Atlantic City and Philadelphia, in casinos, nightclubs, and restaurants.

Sooy passed away on March 17th after a brief battle with stage four bone cancer, according to a GoFundMe set up by his sons CJ & Faron Sooy.

Longtime South Jersey Bandleader and piano Player Dies

Chris Sooy began leading a swing band in 1978. A year later, his band was chosen "Best Band in Philadelphia" by The Philadelphia Inquirer.

Throughout the 1980's his band performed in Atlantic City casinos and local nightclubs.

In 1992, Sooy led a Dixieland Band at the Showboat Hotel Casino and was chosen by Philadelphia Magazine as "Dixieland band of the Year".

The band enjoyed a long residency at the Showboat through the 1990s.

Sooy's band also performed at the Swedesboro Jazz Festival with friend Lew London on vocals, guitar, and violin. The two would team up frequently.

Chris Sooy joined the Bubba Mack Blues Band in the 1990s playing with Mack, Lew London,  guitarist Danny Eyer, Charlie Winters on harp, and vocalist Terri Showers.

Margate's Steve and Cookies Remembers Piano Player

When Margate's Steve and Cookies By the Bay opened in 1998, Chris Sooy was one of the featured musicians, as the restaurant remembered in a tribute on Facebook.

Chris Sooy was a staple at S&C since day one.

First as the dynamic duo playing for years with Lou London, then just Chris solo… 4 nights a week.

Nobody could play a set longer than Chris…. Some nights he was so into his music he didn’t even take a break.

He surprised guests and put smiles on the faces of his fans by filtering in classic rock ballads by The Doors, Moody Blues, Grateful Dead and many others but my favorite was when he played Neil Young…. especially the tune Expecting to Fly.

Once he heard that was my favorite song he played it without fail every time I entered for the evening service.

To say he will be missed by our staff and guests is an understatement.

Thank you, Chris, for every note, every song, every joke and every unforgettable moment. You are forever a part of the S&C fam.

While we are mourning the loss of such a great man and preserving his memory in our hearts, through his vibrancy for life, music, love, and surfing; my brother Faron and I are left with mounting bills following his passing.

Please help with the cause, if you can. Here is a link to the GoFundMe for Chris Sooy's funeral.

The funeral will be held at St James Church in Ventnor on Thursday, April 3rd at 10 am.