Sugar Blue
Sugar Blue
Sugar Blue (born James Whiting, December 16, 1949, in Harlem, New York) is an American Grammy Award-winning blues musician, who plays the harmonica. He is probably best known for playing on The Rolling Stones' single, "Miss You".
In the mid-1970s, Blue played as a session musician on Johnny Shines' "Too Wet to Plow" (1975) and with Roosevelt Sykes. Whilst in the company of the latter, Blue met Louisiana Red and the twosome toured and recorded in 1978.
Taking advice from Memphis Slim, in the late 1970s, Blue traveled to Paris, France. This led to him playing on several of The Rolling Stones' tracks ("Some Girls", "Send It to Me" and the aforementioned "Miss You"). Trombonist Mike Zwerin backed Blue on his solo debut album, "Crossroads" (1979). Following the release of his "From Chicago to Paris" (1982), Blue joined Willie Dixon's Chicago Blues All-Stars. In 1984, Blue's track "Another Man Done Gone", appeared on the compilation album, "Blues Explosion". It won a Grammy in 1985 for Best Traditional Blues Album.
Blue appeared with Brownie McGhee in the film, "Angel Heart" (1987). Blue's next album "Blue Blazes" was released in 1994. It was followed by "In Your Eyes" (1995), and "Code Blue" released in 2007.
On January 26, 2010, Beeble Music released "Threshold", Blue's latest album.
(Sugar Blue at Riverfront Blues Festival, Wilmington, Delaware 2009)