Anthology

Grammy Award winning harmonica virtuoso SUGAR BLUE has toured the world over the course of four decades. He is probably best known for lending his signature harmonica sound to The Rolling Stones’ single, “Miss You”.

Raised in Harlem, NY, his mother was a singer and dancer at the Apollo Theatre. His childhood was spent among musicians from the club including Billie Holiday. His aunt gifted him his first harmonica, which he used to play along to Bob Dylan and Stevie Wonder on the radio.

Blue began his career as a street musician, and quickly went on to record with legendary blues artists Brownie McGhee, Roosevelt Sykes, Victoria Spivey, and Johnny Shines.

Blue relocated to France, where he wound up hooking up with The Rolling Stones. The Stones invited Blue to join them in the studio. He also joined the group for several live performances. Blue declined the band’s offer to be their full-time sideman, and instead embarked on a solo career, moving back to the US in 1982.

In 1983, Blue put together his own band, and received the 1985 Grammy Award for his work on Blues Explosion. In total, Blue has recorded 11 solo albums, including his 2010 release titled Threshold. Speaking about the latest album, Blue says, “I believe that the greatest threshold of all is love because it is the fountain from which all human life springs. Life echoes in the sounds of our interactions: joy, sadness, heartache, passion, loneliness, intimacy, celebration or solemn occasion. We have tried to give voice to these feelings in this musical offering.”