Sugar Ray and the Bluetones at Amazing Things Arts Center

Singer and harp man Sugar Ray Norcia's career kicked into high gear in 1979 when he formed the original Sugar Ray & the Bluetones with guitar giant Ronnie Earl, and it's stayed there ever since.

Norcia has appeared on nearly 50 albums including discs with the Bluetones, Earl, Otis Grand, Ann Peebles, Michelle Willson, Sax Gordon, Duke Robillard, and his 1999 "Best Traditional Blues" Grammy nominated collaboration with fellow harmonica virtuosos James Cotton, Charlie Musselwhite and Billy Branch called Superharps.

In the '90s Norcia spent seven high-profile years with the legendary Roomful of Blues. He cut five albums with the group including 1996's Turn It On, Turn It Up, which also received a "Best Traditional Blues" Grammy nod....

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Singer and harp man Sugar Ray Norcia's career kicked into high gear in 1979 when he formed the original Sugar Ray & the Bluetones with guitar giant Ronnie Earl, and it's stayed there ever since.

Norcia has appeared on nearly 50 albums including discs with the Bluetones, Earl, Otis Grand, Ann Peebles, Michelle Willson, Sax Gordon, Duke Robillard, and his 1999 "Best Traditional Blues" Grammy nominated collaboration with fellow harmonica virtuosos James Cotton, Charlie Musselwhite and Billy Branch called Superharps.

In the '90s Norcia spent seven high-profile years with the legendary Roomful of Blues. He cut five albums with the group including 1996's Turn It On, Turn It Up, which also received a "Best Traditional Blues" Grammy nod.
Today Norcia's elan and robust tone makes his voice one of the most distinctive, well-defined and recognizable instruments in modern blues.
He continues to tour the world with his durable Bluetones and make acclaimed albums like his fourth Severn release 2007's My Life, My Friends, My Music — which drew Blues Music Award nominations for "Album of the Year", "Instrumentalist — Harmonica" and "Song of the Year" (for "Last Words of a Fool"). That disc's sequel is in the works.

"Sugar Ray's voice combines the roadhouse grit of Muddy Waters with a lonesome desperation all his own. Sugar Ray gets so down and out that he makes your skin crawl. He has an ability to convey pain as few bluesmen of his generation can."
Steve Morse (The Boston Globe)

"Sugar Ray has great tone and great phrasing, singing and playing the harp. One of my favorites!"
Charlie Musselwhite

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