Grammy Nominated Soul Artist Sugaray Rayford Releases Please Take My Hand

Sugaray Rayford

Sugaray Rayford’s new single “Please Take My Hand” is a modern blast of gospel tinged retro soul from his forthcoming album, In Too Deep, out March 4, 2022 via Forty Below Records.

Sugaray’s full-bodied, incredibly soulful voice delivers a moving song that speaks to the heart of suffering as he welcomes people to join him at his side. “Take My Hand” is a meaningful outreach to the oppressed regardless of color, race or religion and beckons listeners to take his hand through their struggle. Beautiful.

In “Please Take My Hand,” Rayford raises the voices of generations who’ve struggled and persevered with love in the face of oppression, accompanied only by a spare bass drum, handclaps, and cowbell. Rayford tells Relix Magazine, “This song is about unity regardless of color, religion, race, or creed. We all live on the same planet, so we are all brothers and sisters.”

Listen to “Take My Hand”

Rayford’s new album, In Too Deep explores themes of love, loneliness & pertinent social issues of today. The album features the partnership between the soul-blues powerhouse and producer/songwriter Eric Corne. The pair’s first collaboration, Somebody Save Me, earned Rayford a 2020 Grammy nomination. Later that year, Rayford took home Blues Music Awards for ‘Soul Blues Male Artist’ and ‘B.B. King Entertainer of the Year.’

The summer of 2021 saw the release of the adventurous single “Homemade Disaster.” The song found its home on multiple retro-soul and new blues playlists on Spotify, with PopMatters declaring that the track “will appeal to fans of Gary Clark Jr. and Chicano Batman.”

In Too Deep opens with “Invisible Soldier,” a song inspired by the 10-year Marine veteran’s struggles with insomnia from PTSD. The track serves as a reminder that our cities and communities are full of veterans struggling with the aftershocks of war and how it’s invisible to most fellow citizens because they’re in plain clothes. Soul Tracks hosted the world premiere and stated that “’Invisible Soldier’ was a musical expression of the battles that our troops fight long after the guns fall silent.” “Invisible Soldier” has also been the recipient of playlist love from Spotify’s ‘All Funked Up’ and ‘Retro Road Trip,’ and Apple Music’s ‘Roadhouse.’

Rayford is a dynamic performer known to put his band through its paces with abrupt feel and style changes. He thrives on funky up-tempo grooves, as evident in another standout song, “Miss Information” premiered in American Songwriter who stated that “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.” The track has already received airplay on BBC2’s The Blues Show with Cerys Matthews and on BBC6 Craig Charles Funk & Soul Show. “Miss Information” has also been playlisted on Spotify’s ‘Got Blues,’ ‘In The Name Of The Blues,” Apple Music’s ‘Roadhouse,’ and YouTube’s ‘Grown Folks Choice.

Corne’s production paints unique vignettes with each arrangement to suit the mood of the lyric and Rayford’s deft interpretations and portrayals. Corne enlisted some serious heavyweight friends to help him orchestrate the strings and horns on the record, with violinist Eric Gorfain (Dionne Warwick, REM) and from Rayford’s current band saxophonist Aaron Liddard (Amy Winehouse), respectively. Also on hand are three mainstays of Corne’s studio work, Taras Prodaniuk (Lucinda Williams), Matt Tecu (Jacob Dylan), and Sasha Smith (Priscilla Ahn,) along with Rayford’s live Musical Director Drake “Munkihaid” Shining.

Sugaray Rayford’s live shows are wild dance parties, but in essence, he is a galvanizing uniter. Some conversations may be had, and some self-reflection may occur, but people leave feeling a sense of joy and togetherness at the end of the day.

Pre-order link for In Too Deep by Sugaray Rayford