Sugaray Rayford w/opener Heather Pierson Trio in Parker Press Park

Sugaray Rayford is a man with a message, a larger-than-life personality, and a voice to deliver it. Working with producer and songwriter Eric Corne, the soul-blues powerhouse has crafted an incendiary sound and narrative, contributing to an exciting new chapter in American soul music.
It's a sound that combines classic soul melodies and funky R&B grooves with raw blues power. The pair's first collaboration, Somebody Save Me, earned Rayford a 2020 Grammy nomination. Later that year, he won Blues Music Awards for 'Soul Blues Male Artist' and 'B.B. King Entertainer of the Year.' Rayford's follow-up, 2022's In Too Deep, won many awards, including the Blues Music Award for 'Soul Blues Album of the Year'.
Heather Pierson is a New Hampshire based singer/songwriter, pianist, song leader, and performer with a passion for cultivating joy, both onstage and off. With a toe in each of the realms of New Orleans jazz, blues, vocal chants, instrumental piano, and folk, her multi-genre songwriting places her firmly in a category all her own, one honed by decades of diligent practice and curious exploration.
In nearly 25 years on her own record label, Vessel Recordings, she has released sixteen albums and several singles of original music, including her most recent, "Back To The Light". Her most vibrant release yet it was recorded ‘live on the floor’ at Acadia Recording Company in Portland, ME with her trio mates Shawn Nadeau on bass and Craig Bryan on drums and percussion. Released in September 2024, Back To The Light pulsates throughout with the grooves of New Orleans, the beauty of Appalachia, and Sunday-go-to-meeting celebration.