Sugar Pie DeSanto

Sugar Pie DeSanto is the name of a popular rhythm and blues songstress of the 1950s and 1960's. She was born Umpeylia Balinton in Brooklyn, New York on October 16, 1935 to an African American mother and Filipino father. She spent most of her early life in San Francisco, California, where she moved with her family at a young age.

In 1955, DeSanto did some touring with The Johnny Otis Revue. From 1959-1960, she toured with The James Brown Revue.

In 1960, DeSanto rose to national prominence when her single, "I Want to Know," rose to number four on Billboard's Hot R&B Sides chart. DeSanto continued to release popular songs throughout the 1960s, including some collaborations with Etta James. Though it had often been said that her stage performances far surpassed her studio recordings, a full length live recording, "Classic Sugar Pie", was not released until 1997.

DeSanto was given a Bay Area Music Award in 1999 for best female blues singer. In October 2006, her husband Jesse Davis died attempting to extinguish a fire that destroyed their apartment in Oakland, CA.

Popular singles

*"I Want to Know" (with The Pee Wee Kingsley Band) (1960) #4 U.S. R&B
*"Slip-In Mules (No High Heel Sneakers)" (1964) #48 U.S.
*"Soulful Dress" (1964)
*"Use What You Got" (1964)
*"Do I Make Myself Clear" (with Etta James) (1965) #96 U.S.
*"In the Basement - Part 1" (with Etta James) (1966) #37 U.S. R&B, #97 U.S.

External links

* http://www.geocities.com/shakin_stacks/sugarpiedesanto.txt
* http://www.bay-area-bands.com/bab00076.htm
* http://www.pbs.org/kqed/fillmore/learning/people/desanto.html
* http://www.roctober.com/roctober/greatness/sugar.html