Sugar Pie DeSanto

HEY LOCO FANS – If blues history were a stage show, Sugar Pie DeSanto would be one of the fire-breathers, back-flipping between verses, singing with grit, sass, and pure soul. Let’s dig into her story—think of this as a teleprompter-ready, conversational ride through the life of a true R&B and blues force.

Early Life & Roots

Born October 16, 1935, in Brooklyn, New York, under the name Umpeylia Marsema Balinton (sometimes spelled Peylia), Sugar Pie had a multicultural start: her mother was African-American and a concert pianist, her father a Filipino seaman from Manila. When she was four, the family relocated to San Francisco’s Fillmore District—then called the “Harlem of the West.”

As a young girl she befriended a neighborhood peer, Jamesetta Hawkins, who later became the legendary Etta James. The two sang together on porches and battled it out in local talent shows. Despite her petite stature, barely five feet tall, Sugar Pie commanded enormous stage presence. She once said, “I can’t keep still, honey. It’s all about giving the audience what they want.”

Discovery & Career Breakthrough

Her big moment came around 1954 when Johnny Otis, the “Godfather of R&B,” spotted her at a talent show and gave her the stage name “Sugar Pie.” By the late 1950s she was recording and performing regularly, often with her then-husband Pee Wee Kingsley. Their 1959 hit “I Want to Know” climbed to No. 4 on the Billboard R&B chart.

In 1959 and 1960 she toured with James Brown’s revue, opening for the Godfather of Soul himself. Though he jokingly called her “the little girl,” her fierce stage energy earned her the nickname “the Lady James Brown.”

Chess Records and Musical Milestones

In 1962 Sugar Pie signed with the legendary Chess Records in Chicago. While her earlier success came elsewhere, Chess became the home of her defining work. Her catalog there included “Slip-in Mules,” an answer to Tommy Tucker’s “High-Heel Sneakers,” and her signature song “Soulful Dress.”

She also recorded powerhouse duets with Etta James—“Do I Make Myself Clear” (1965) and “In the Basement” (1966)—both full of attitude, laughter, and fire. Beyond performing, she wrote over a hundred songs recorded by artists like Minnie Riperton, Fontella Bass, The Whispers, and Little Milton.

On stage she was wild—back-flipping, straddling audience members, and singing upside down. Critics compared her to a “stage arsonist.”

Later Years, Legacy & Recognition

Even after her 1960s heyday, Sugar Pie stayed active, touring Europe with the 1964 American Folk Blues Festival and later building a loyal following overseas. She eventually settled in Oakland, California, performing well into her 80s. In 2020 she received the Arhoolie Award for her lifelong contribution to traditional music.

Her life wasn’t without heartbreak. In 2006 her husband Jesse Earl Davis died in a tragic house fire that destroyed their home. Still, she returned to the stage with the same fierce determination she’d always had.

Sugar Pie DeSanto passed away peacefully in her sleep on December 20, 2024, at the age of 89.

Why She Matters

She bridged R&B, blues, and soul at a time when women in that space had to fight not only for hits but for respect. Her songwriting and performances helped shape the sound of 1960s soul, and her dynamic stagecraft paved the way for later artists who blended theatricality with pure musical fire.

Her multicultural heritage and lifelong devotion to live performance make her story a uniquely American one—full of rhythm, resilience, and personality.

Key Dates & Songs

1935 – Born October 16 in Brooklyn, NY
1954 – Discovered by Johnny Otis
1959 – “I Want to Know” hits No. 4 on the R&B charts
1962 – Signs with Chess Records
1964 – Tours Europe with the American Folk Blues Festival
1965-66 – Duets with Etta James: “Do I Make Myself Clear” and “In the Basement”
2020 – Wins the Arhoolie Award
2024 – Inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame; dies December 20

Closing

From the Fillmore steps to Chicago studios, from back-flips on European stages to songwriting sessions that shaped modern R&B, Sugar Pie DeSanto proved that the blues can come dressed in sequins, laughter, and fire. Small in stature, larger than life, she left a sound that still jumps out of the grooves—and a spirit that refuses to sit still.