Texas-born singer/songwriter Sugaray Rayford (né Caron Nimoy “Sugaray” Rayford) embodies soul music. Physically, at a towering height of six feet and five inches, Rayford’s voice emerges with a depth that few can replicate. Spiritually, Rayford’s lyrics lean into his gospel and blues influences while embracing today’s sentiments.
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Today (September 8), Sugaray Rayford is releasing a new track off of his upcoming album, which will be released early next year. The single, titled “Miss Information,” critiques some of our current cultural woes while simultaneously keeping the sound of the song upbeat. Along with Rayford’s distinct vocals, “Miss Information” features African flavored horns and percussion, a Farfisa organ, and a wah-wah guitar.
“The beautiful thing about music is that it’s a great vehicle for the truth because people listen to the music before they realize what the lyrics are about,” Rayford tells American Songwriter. “Misinformation has become the lay of the land in the world today, so we wanted to bring a little light and truth to the party. It’s plain talk about our current state, but we’re still having a lot of fun with it.
“Misinformation is like roaches when the lights come on, so we’re turning the lights on with this song,” he adds.
Rayford’s latest release comes on the heels of a 2020 Grammy nomination for his album Somebody Save Me. The artist also won the Blues Music Award for Soul Blues Male Artist and B.B. King Entertainer of the year in 2020. These successes, in addition to his current work, are specifically built upon the artist’s resilience. Rayford grew up in poverty and later served in the military as a marine. These experiences consequently formed a bedrock of empathy and grit in the singer/songwriter’s work ethic, and his music shines because of it.
Love is the answer, Sugaray Rayford sings, She don’t have no master / Just Add in some laughter / The world’s turning faster / Writing new chapters / Change or go backwards.
Listen to the premiere of Sugaray Rayford’s “Miss Information” below.
