Texas-born Sugaray began his musical career before the age of seven singing and playing the drums in church. His gospel influence can be heard and felt in his music. Rayford’s phrasing is intimate and conversational, with a powerful, sexy, & soulful voice.
He is a 2020 Grammy Nominated artist, BMA Award-winning, Texas soul-blues singer and actor. His performances are legendary and full of energy and passion, and when he belts out a song you not only hear it, but you feel it too.
Here he gives us his Top 10 favourite blues tracks and a little insight into why each one is special to him.
1- Son House – Death Letter
This song has always meant everything to me, it literally reminds me of the time when I found out about my mother and grandmother’s deaths.
2 – ZZ Hill – Down Home Blues
This was the first blues song I ever really heard.
3 – Little Milton – Walkin’ The Back Streets and Crying
It’s the playing and emotion in this song, it is the Everest of the blues.
4 – Lightning Hopkins – Got To Move Your Baby
Because I’m from Texas, home of the greatest Bluesman of all time.
5 – Mississippi John Hurt – Candyman
I was introduced to his music while I was doing my first play and I fell immediately in love with it.
6 – Bobby ‘Blue’ Bland – I Wouldn’t Treat a Dog (The Way You Treated Me)
Mr Bland sings from the heart and the song and the way the band played has always intrigued me! It is so southern soul-blues.
7 – Bobby ‘Blue’ Bland – Dust Got Into Daddy’s Eyes
Because my brother introduced this song to me just a couple of years ago and I love it.
8 – Little Milton – Grits And Groceries
Because Little Milton‘s approach to the song was fearless and his arrangement makes your entire body move.
9 – Denise LaSalle – Steal The Queen
It’s Denise LaSalle, do I need to say anymore?
10 – Clarence Gatemouth Brown – Depression Blues
Gatemouth Brown is probably one of the greatest musicians to come out of the Texas Louisiana area, the blues, jazz, soul or swing he mastered them all.
Sugaray Rayford was awarded Soul Blues Male Artist Of The Year at the Blues Music Awards in Memphis in 2019.
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