“It's Ladies Night here at Sonny's,” Betty Henley announces to the crowd over the sound system at Sonny's All Blues Lounge in Bond Hill on a recent Thursday night.

        As the patrons file into the cozy California Avenue nightspot to drink, dance and socialize, Ms. Henley knows it's her job to help provide the ambience for an enjoyable evening.

        Ms. Henley is the DJ at Sonny's — a job she's held for 11 years.

        Stationed in her small booth in the rear of the club, Ms. Henley plays the music that gives the club its congenial atmosphere. She is one of the few female club DJs working regularly in Cincinnati.

        “We're just cooling out right now,” Ms. Henley says as she plays a slow jam by Jagged Edge.

        Part of her job as the club DJ is “making everybody happy,” Ms. Henley says. “People come in here with all kinds of problems.”

        She plays a selection of music — rhythm and blues, blues, and jazz — from her personal library of more than 500 CDs “so they can smooth their lives out. This is their other home.”

        On this particular night the club is not that crowded at 11:30 p.m., but Ms. Henley's music always has someone dancing or singing along.

        “She's the best DJ around,” says regular patron Greg Crowell, a sergeant with the Cincinnati Police Division. “She plays a good blend of music.”

        Standing just 5-foot-1, Ms. Henley is barely visible to club patrons over her DJ equipment.

        “What's up Red Rooster?”, one male patron says to Ms. Henley shortly after entering the club. “What's up J.J.” she replies.

        Red Rooster is Ms. Henley's DJ moniker, given to her by fellow DJs shortly after she started spinning vinyl (“with my little stereo from home”) professionally nearly 30 years ago. The inspiration for the nickname is unclear.

        Ms. Henley's first DJ gig was a American Legion Post 636 in Walnut Hills. Over the years, she played music at other clubs - Disco 2000, the French Quarter and the Step Inn — as well as a host of wedding and birthday celebrations.

        “You look like you're laid back,” the Red Rooster says as she recognizes one of the club regulars sitting in the audience. “How are you doing?”

        The 51-year-old Roselawn resident, who plays music at Sonny's on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights (there's live jazz on Sundays), has built a loyal following during her long tenure at the club.

        “Everybody that comes in here loves her music,” says club owner Willie “Sonny” Lewis. “We don't play no hip-hop or rap. The majority of my clientele are 50 and over.”

        Ms. Henley, who has a day job as an assembler at an area packing plant, is re-energized when she takes her place in the DJ booth each night.

        “When I come in I'm ready to get busy. I never sit down.”

        She's always updating her CD collection to give club-goers something new to go along with the old favorites.

        “Almost every week I go out and buy new music, ” she says.

        The seed for Ms. Henley to become a DJ was planted when she was a child growing up in Macon, Ga. An older brother, who was a club DJ, allowed her to help carry his equipment to his various jobs.

        “I've always had a love for music,” she says.

        Red Rooster, one of 15 children who describes herself as “still single and available,” left Macon to attend Fresno State College in California.

        While in college she made a visit to Cincinnati to see a brother and sister who had moved here and decided the Queen City was where she wanted to make her home and make music.

        If you have a suggestion for Night Watch, call William A. Weathers at (513) 768-8390; fax 768-8340.

Seven minutes might explain suspect's death
Tobacco growers have burley blues
Fire destroys Covington home
DJ job sounds great
Food pantries face struggle
Homes built for 3 families
Police dogs get their day
Principals go back to school
Robber was would-be policeman
Teens' retreat targets poverty
Three chaplains link with police
Tour train still diverted
You asked for it
Local Digest
Kentucky Digest