#5 -Sugar Pie DeSanto: Going Back Where I Belong
Sugar Pie DeSanto and an otherworldly performance at the Ponderosa Stomp, 2010, New Orleans
Sugar Pie DeSanto (born Umpeylia Marsema Balinton) recently passed at the age of 89 and I felt compelled to bear witness to her powers as a performer as I experienced them in 2010 at the Ponderosa Stomp festival in New Orleans.
The Stomp was a great, weird festival that I was involved with for several years as a volunteer photographer. A music-obsessive’s record collection come to life, it gathered scores of ‘unsung’ originators and innovators of Soul, Blues, Rock ’n’ Roll and Country music to play multi-stage bills that rocked ‘til 3 in the morning. It was a great education while it lasted and set me off on many paths of musical discovery.
Going Back To Where I Belong, 1960
What I loved most was seeing artists in their 60s, 70s and 80s come alive with youthful joy as they played their music to an audience of adoring fans. 50 years would melt away from the faces of these performers as they did what they were born to do, if even only for brief moments in history, despite the hardships and neglect they faced in their careers.
This magic transformation was enabled by the great backup bands the festival employed. Veteran blues, soul and zydeco guitarist Lil Buck Sinegal (who passed away in 2019) was the Stomp M.V.P. and backed many artists through the years. (A couple of his own singles are posted below.)
I showed up in the afternoon for soundcheck. Sugar Pie was a poised professional, she sounded great and quickly established a connection with the band. However, I wasn’t prepared for the show she was to put on later that night.
As she hit the stage she promptly flung off her glittered pumps and proceeded to climb, growl, scowl, flash, and contort her way through a mind-altering set of bygone hyper-sexual R&B showmanship. I had not seen anything like it before or since, especially from a 4’11” 75 year-old.
When she exited, the crowd destroyed, she remembered that she’d left her shoes, which I obediently fetched for her.
BONUS TRACKS:
Sugar Pie DeSanto is maybe the only female vocalist I know who could go toe-to-toe with Etta James, who happened to be her cousin and close friend. They don’t so much compete as blend together to where it’s hard to tell where one force ends and another begins.
Here’s the all-time underground party banger “In The Basement” plus another fantastic soul-rave “Do I Make Myself Clear” that they recorded together.
In The Basement (with Etta James), 1966
Do I Make Myself Clear (with Etta James), 1965
More Deep Cuts:
Go Go Power, 1966 (a $400 single if you can find it)
Git Back, 1974
A Little Taste of Soul, 1962
And let’s not miss out on Lil Buck, who’s singles are coveted by rare funk collectors and can fetch over $1,000.
Cat Scream
Don’t Make Me Cry
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