2-7-2026
Singer, harpman and three time Grammy Nominee Sugar Ray Norcia’s career kicked into high gear in 1979 when he formed the original Sugar Ray and the Bluetones with guitar giant Ronnie Earl, Anthony Geraci, Michael "Mudcat" Ward and Neil Gouvin. In the late ‘70s and early 80s they were the house band at the Legendary Speakeasy Cafe in Cambridge, MA. And they dominated the blues scene in Boston, NYC, Washington DC and Chicago, where they played at Theresa’s Lounge on the South Side with Junior Wells. The band recorded two records with Chicago harmonica giant Big Walter Horton and toured as the backing band for blues legends Otis Rush, Big Joe Turner, J.B. Hutto, Sunnyland Slim, Hubert Sumlin, Roosevelt Sykes and many more. After Mr. Earl left to join Roomful of Blues, a relatively unknown guitarist joined the Bluetones--Doug "Kid" Bangham~"Kid" coming from the band members as they didn't even know his name at the time! The Bluetones traveled to California and back, and were one of this generation’s first blues bands to tour Europe, as early as 1980. Bangham left to take the place of Jimmy Vaughan in the Fabulous Thunderbirds. Sugar Ray also joined Roomful of Blues in the 1990's for seven strong years of touring and recording.
Norcia is a 3-time Grammy Nominee, has received over two dozen Blues Music Award Nominations including winning two Blues Music Awards in 2014 and has appeared as a special guest on countless albums. In 2012 Ray was inducted into Rhode Island’s Music Hall Of Fame. In 2016 Sugar Ray and his band The Bluetones released a CD called “Seeing Is Believing” and Sugar Ray was nominated for an unprecedented seven 2017 Blues Music Awards including Traditional Blues Male Artist and BB King Entertainer of the Year! Sugar Ray’s 2020 release titled “Too Far From the Bar” features the late great Little Charlie Baty and was nominated for five Blues Music Awards as well. In 2022 Ray was nominated for Traditional Blues Male Artist by the Blues Music Awards Foundation. Sugar Ray has been on over fifty recordings with the likes of J. Geils, Michelle Willson, Otis Grand, Pinetop Perkins and is a featured vocalist on both Knickerbocker All-Star recordings.
The Bluetones are: Tom Ferraro on guitar, Mudcat Ward on bass, Neil Gouvin on drums and Matt McCabe on piano.
“Sugar Ray has great tone and phrasing, singing ad playing the harp. One of my favorites.” - Charlie Musslewhite
”Sugar Ray is the real deal. There is nobody better to represent this music.” - Kim Wilson, The Fabulous Thunderbirds
You may also like the following events from The Bull Run Restaurant:
Also check out other
Music events in Shirley,
Entertainment events in Shirley,
Arts events in Shirley.
