Sugaray Rayford

Sugaray Rayford is a blues, soul and soul blues singer-songwriter from Tyler, United States, born in 1969. He performs as a solo artist and with The Blues Giants. Raised in Texas, he begins singing and playing drums in church at the age of seven, and gospel remains a strong part of his music. His voice and delivery draw on blues, soul and old-school rhythm and blues, with references in his style to Muddy Waters, Otis Redding, Teddy Pendergrass and James Brown.

Career

Rayford starts out in gospel and later moves into contemporary music in the San Diego area, where he sings lead with the R&B and funk band Urban Gypsys. With that group he shares stages with acts including the Average White Band, Dennis Quaid, Joe Louis Walker, Kal David, Super Diamond and Venice. After exploring blues, he leaves Urban Gypsys and becomes lead singer with Aunt Kizzy’z Boyz, a Temecula-area blues band.

He joins Aunt Kizzy’z Boyz in 2004. The band releases Trunk Full of Bluez the same year and plays more than 200 shows a year over the following years. In 2006 the group represents San Diego at the International Blues Challenge in Memphis and finishes second. In 2007 it releases It’s Tight Like That. In 2008 the band wins the LAMN Jam Grand Slam Urban Artist of the Year title and receives a distribution deal from RBC Records.

Los Angeles work and solo recordings

After moving to Los Angeles, Rayford hosts a blues jam at Cozy’s in Sherman Oaks, where he meets and performs with many established musicians. He also works with Chuck Kavooras, a guitarist and owner of Slide Away Studios, and together they form Sugaray and the CK All Stars around the Monday-night jam. The house band includes a rotating line-up of musicians on guitar, bass, drums, keyboards and horns.

Rayford becomes lead vocalist for the Mannish Boys, an international act managed by Delta Groove. He performs with them in Spain at the Hondarribia Blues Festival, and the band continues to work with him around this period. He also records studio vocals for the theme to Judge Joe Brown, the trailer for City Lights, and backing vocals for The Heavy Pets.

His first solo project, Blind Alley, is produced by Chuck Kavooras and recorded at Slide Away Studios. The release includes versions of songs by Al Kooper, Blind Willie Johnson, Son House, B.B. King and Arthur Adams, along with originals written by Rayford and Kavooras. Guest musicians on the record include Jimmy Z, John “JT” Thomas, Alvino Bennett, Hank Van Sickle, Tim Bogert, Ralph Carter, Gary Mallaber, Phil Parlapiano, Allan Walker, Gary Bivona, Alicia Morgan, Francesca Capasso, Jeff Paris, Lou Castro, Teddy Andreadis, Jim King, Lavell Jones, Lisa D. Foreman, Vince Tividad, Patrick Caccia and Geoff Nudell.