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 Sugar Ray And The Bluetones Capture Pure Blues Magic On New Album Blues From Sibculo In April 2025, Sugar Ray and the Bluetones journeyed to Sibculo, the Netherlands, spending three inspired days recording at Natural Records Studio. The result is Blues From Sibculo, a warm, raw, and unfiltered celebration of authentic blues. Recorded completely live with no overdubs, the album captures the chemistry of four seasoned musicians letting the blues speak in its purest form. Fronted by Sugar Ray Norcia’s soulful vocals and masterful harmonica, the record features Rusty Zinn’s crisp, expressive guitar work, Michael “Mudcat” Ward’s deep, steady bass, and Neil Gouvin’s effortless swing on drums. Blues From Sibculo feels like being right there in the room intimate, powerful, and timeless. ABOUT SUGAR RAY NORCIASugar Ray Norcia singer, harmonica player, and three-time Grammy nominee has been a driving force in the blues world for over four decades. He founded the original Sugar Ray and the Bluetones in 1979 with guitar legend Ronnie Earl, igniting a career that has produced more than 60 album credits and 22 Blues Music Award nominations, including two wins in 2014. Norcia was inducted into the Rhode Island Music Hall of Fame in 2012, and his 2016 album Seeing Is Believing earned an unprecedented seven nominations at the 2017 Blues Music Awards, including Traditional Blues Male Artist and B.B. King Entertainer of the Year. THE LEGACY OF THE BLUETONES The original Bluetones lineup — Sugar Ray Norcia, Anthony Geraci, Michael “Mudcat” Ward, Neil Gouvin, and guitarist Ronnie Horvath (later known as Ronnie Earl) — helped define the New England blues scene of the late 1970s and early 1980s. As the house band at Cambridge’s legendary Speakeasy Café, they built a reputation that spread across New York, Washington D.C., Virginia, and Chicago, where they performed alongside Junior Wells at the famed Theresa’s Lounge. Over the years, the band has toured with and backed blues greats such as Otis Rush, Big Joe Turner, J.B. Hutto, Sunnyland Slim, Hubert Sumlin, and Roosevelt Sykes, and recorded two albums with harmonica giant Big Walter Horton. After Ronnie Earl joined Roomful of Blues, guitarist Doug “Kid” Bangham stepped in before going on to join The Fabulous Thunderbirds. THE BAND TODAY
Michael “Mudcat” Ward has recorded with J. Geils, Jimmy Rogers, Ronnie Earl, Sleepy LaBeef, and Hubert Sumlin (alongside Eric Clapton, Keith Richards, and Levon Helm). He is also a published author of Ellison “Tarzan” Brown: The Narragansett Indian That Twice Won the Boston Marathon (McFarland & Co.). Neil Gouvin, a lifelong collaborator with Norcia, has appeared on every Bluetones recording and has worked with John Hammond Jr., Otis Grand, and Joe Houston. His work on Hammond’s Found True Love earned a Grammy nomination. With Blues From Sibculo, Sugar Ray and the Bluetones reaffirm what they’ve always stood for real, heartfelt blues played live, straight from the soul. Tracks: 01. No More Chances 02. High and Lonesome 03. Mean Old World 04. Blind Date 05. Bloodstains on the Wall 06. Dream Girl 07. Rusty Nail 08. I’m Holding On 09. You Got Me Wrong 10. Wait and Watch Website: sugarrayandthebluetones.com Comments are closed.
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