Sugar Ray Norcia

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

Norcia has appeared on over 50 albums, including discs with The Bluetones, Ronnie Earl, Roomful of Blues, Big Walter Horton, Otis Grand, Ann Peebles, Michelle Willson, Jimmy Rogers, Pinetop Perkins, J. Geils, Maurizio Pugno, 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-that also includes fellow Bluetones Mudcat Ward and Anthony Geraci. 

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 clean 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,” Instrumentalist – Bass” and “Song of the Year” (for “Last Words of a Fool”.) 

Sugar Ray’s recording titled  "Evening" was nominated for Five 2012 Blues Music Awards including “Album of the Year”, “Band of the Year”, “Traditional Blues Album”, “Instrumentalist – Harmonica” and “Instrumentalist – Bass”. In 2012 Ray was also inducted into Rhode Island’s Music Hall of Fame, as well as the Canadian South Hall of Fame. 

Sugar Ray Norcia was nominated for a 2014 Grammy Award for his contribution to an album entitled "Remembering Little Walter" on Blind Pig Records. This was his third Grammy nomination. It featured Sugar Ray Norcia, Mark Hummel, Charlie Musselwhite, Billy Boy Arnold, and James Harman. This same recording won two 2014 Blues Music Awards for “Album of the Year” and “Traditional Blues Album”. 

Sugar Ray and the Bluetones have a new Record entitled "Living Tear To Tear" on Severn Records that was released on August 19, 2014. It debuted at #1 on The Living Blues Radio Charts. 

(Sugar Ray Norcia at 24th annual Pocono's Blues Festival 2015)