Sonny Barger

Sonny Barger (1938–2022) was an American outlaw motorcycle club leader, author, and actor who helped establish the Hells Angels’ Oakland chapter and became the group’s best-known public spokesman.

Hells Angels Motorcycle Club: An outlaw motorcycle club founded in California in 1948 that developed chapters in several countries. Barger helped build its Oakland chapter and became one of its most recognizable members.
Hell's Angel: The Life and Times of Sonny Barger and the Hells Angels Motorcycle Club: Sonny Barger’s 2000 autobiography, written with Keith and Kent Zimmerman. It recounts his version of his life and the club’s history.
Altamont Free Concert: A free 1969 concert in California where a spectator was killed during a performance by the Rolling Stones. Hells Angels members provided security, and Barger’s presence linked him to its enduring controversy.
Hells Angels: The Strange and Terrible Saga of the Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs: Hunter S. Thompson’s 1967 book reporting on the Hells Angels and his time around the club. Thompson’s outside account contrasts with Barger’s later autobiographical narrative.
Ralph Barger: Sonny Barger’s birth name; he was born Ralph Hubert Barger Jr. in 1938. The name distinguishes his personal identity from the public persona he built as Sonny Barger.
Dead in 5 Heartbeats: A 2012 film based on a novel by Sonny Barger, who also appeared in it. The film carried his motorcycle-club fiction into a screen role.
Hells Angels at Altamont: The Hells Angels’ role as security at the 1969 Altamont concert, where violence culminated in a fatal stabbing. The episode became a defining public association for Barger and the club.
Hell's Angels (film): A 1930 American aviation war film directed by Howard Hughes. The shared name can be confused with the motorcycle club and Barger’s story.
Oakland: A major California port city on the eastern shore of San Francisco Bay. Its Hells Angels chapter became the center of Barger’s influence within the club.
Gimme Shelter: A 1970 documentary film about the Rolling Stones’ 1969 American tour and the Altamont concert. Barger’s appearance connects him to one of the most discussed filmed moments involving the Hells Angels.

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Hells AngelsRelated: Barger became the club’s most nationally recognized member.