Sugaray Rayford delivers his latest single, “Homemade Disaster” on 7 August. The song finds the Arizona-based vocalist in fine form. His Muddy Waters-crossed with-Otis Redding singing approach is front and center on a track that will appeal to fans of Gary Clark Jr. and Chicano Batman.
Rayford notes, “We wrote this song to go on Somebody Save Me but pulled it off the album. We went back and re-recorded something things. The last two albums have been so prophetic, and when people hear this, they’ll think we’re talking about things that are happening now. I pushed myself to get outside my comfort zone.”
What was this year looking like for you before the pandemic?
It was probably going to be the best year I’ve had as a musician. Everything was happening: I was nominated for a Grammy. I had new management, a new booking agency. I won more awards in one year than the other 18 to 19 years of my career. I was booked all the way through 2020. I still believe it’s my year.
How have you gotten through the personal side?
I do a live show every week. I bring on great guests that I really like. We shoot the shit and allows the people a window into how we interact. I’ve been writing quite a bit. I have some things to say.
Tell me about having a Grammy nomination.
I was shocked. I was in France and got a text message from a friend, and then my phone was blowing up. A friend said, “Congratulations.” I said, “Congratulations for what? This is Sugaray, you sure you got the right person?” The next thing I knew, I had messages from everyone. I was blown away. I still am. It would have been great if I had won.
There’s still time.
It’s been a gradual climb. I always want to be myself.
You were in the Marine Corps. What was that like for you?
I did ten years in the Corps. I’ve been all over. It was a way for me to become somebody. I wasn’t going to college. There were no prospects for me in East Texas at the time. It had been a long time since the US military had seen combat. It taught me to be disciplined and how to be a grown man. If I had not joined the military, a lot of the good things that happened to me would not have.