It seems that you can get sound out of your DAW, but are having difficulty getting it in (recording).
 
Maybe you could try downloading the free Audacity audio recorder and make a test recording with that.  It's starting at the bottom, but it's light and easy to configure, and it should at least rule out your audio hardware and your computer. 
 
Or if you already have other DAW software, you could test with that also.
 
http://www.audacityteam.org/

Yes swapping out components when Troubleshooting is a good idea, Different audio interface would be my first bet. 

Cactus Music
Yes swapping out components when Troubleshooting is a good idea, Different audio interface would be my first bet. 

True, but it's quicker and cheaper to at least try an alternate DAW first.  Test the hardware signal path.  If that works then it means the audio interface is working. The question then becomes, why isn't it working with Sonar?

Well, I finally had my "DUH!" moment.  My preamp's battery died last weekend (the preamp between my instrument and sound card), but I wanted to try out some new pedals anyway, and that's when I got no recorded sound.  Today with the preamp and a new battery, it records fine.  I thought the missing preamp was irrelevant because I could still play my instrument loud enough for the track's input signal meters to go 1/3 of the way up!  So you would think I could at least hear something on the recorded clip or wav file, with the volume turned all the way up.  Anyway, I'll know better next time. 
 
Thanks for all the replies!
 

+1

Why we need to monitor properly. This all bring to light what was the OP hearing before they hit the record button? 
If you read back it was all about "seeing" a signal and not hearing one. 
I imagine the sound card does not include the ability to direct monitor your input. 

Actually my card lets me hear the audio being recorded, but it was too faint to hear above the sound of my "live" instrument.  That's often the case even with the preamp working, so that's why I over-relied on the audio signal meter.  It's weird how the meter could be 1/3 of the way up for such an incredibly low volume - must be a logarithmic scale, like the Richter scale.

Could you (or a mod) mark the thread title with SOLVED

I have a new twist to this situation.  Recording 24 tracks in, all meters reading properly showing input and leaving picture trails on console view.  Finish recording, hit stop, only 6 or 7 tracks show the pictures of the tracks.  There are also no other .wav files recorded.  It is as if I had not armed the other tracks.  This may happen every once in a while.  Sure would like to solve this.  Anybody got any ideas?