Release date: August 23, 2024
By Marty Gunther
Occasionally, a new artist emerges from the shadows and the moment he opens his mouth, all you can say is “Wow!” That’s what you’ll be doing from the opening notes of this soulful mix of blues, soul, and Big Easy R&B from New Orleans-based vocalist/keyboard player Sonny Gullage.
The 25-year-old son of bassist Tony Gullage (who’s worked with Dr. John, Henry Butler and other Crescent City superstars) and the grandson of gospel singer Sister Alberta Gullage (who recorded for the Wajo label in the ’60s) Sonny’s music is chockful of empathy, sensitivity, keen observations and deep beats.
Initially a bass player Sonny honed his blues skills as artist in residence with the house band at B.B. King’s club in New Orleans. A songwriter of note, he began writing – and showing sensibilities far beyond his age -- as a 12-year-old. His first-ever tune dealt with BP’s Deep Horizon oil spill of 2010, which devastated the economy along the Gulf Coast. He’s also a former American Idol contestant who’s appeared in a couple of movies. And Disney included him in the soundtrack of its updated Lady & the Tramp movie.
If you find any similarity between Gullage and the late Mike Ledbetter, it’s probably more than a coincidence; Sonny’s original family surname was Ledbetter. And they’re both related to Huddie “Lead Belly” Ledbetter as a forebear. Mike’s training came from opera and Sonny’s from the church and bayou, but they share a similar soulful depth of feel, vocal power and much, much more.
The first full-length CD from Blind Pig Records since its recent relaunch, this truly is an all-star effort. It was produced, mixed and mastered by multiple Grammy winner Tom Hambridge who plays drums and provides backup vocals throughout. Recorded at Sound Stage Studio in Nashville, the lineup includes guitarist Kenny Greenberg, keyboard giant Kevin McKendree and rotating bassists Rob Cureton and Tommy McDonald. Guitar whiz Christone “Kingfish” Ingram heats up the action on one cut, and sax player Max Abrams and trumpet player Julio Diaz comprise a horn section on two others.
The opener, “Just Kiss Me Baby” will have you heading to the dance floor as Sonny celebrates a relationship. The title track, “Go Be Free,” kicks off with an up tempo Southern gospel beat then evolves into a powerful number that recounts a lesson from his parents in childhood that serves him well today: You have to keep your mind at ease in order to overcome whatever you’re facing -- whether it be the desire to get out of class at school, move to a new locale or to overcome a major loss.
The funk’s on overdrive for the horn-driven “Things I Can’t Control,” a highly danceable lecture about acceptance of the past and willingness to make a change. The ballad “Separate Ways” smolders from the open. Dealing with the impending breakup of a love affair, Gullage admits that he’s partly to blame because he’s been working too much, but suggests he and his lady both have to make immediate alterations in their lives if their romance is to survive. “Worried About the Young” -- a stark, bluesy statement about how the current state of world affairs might mean there’s no tomorrow – simply cooks to follow, its message driven home by Kingfish’s rich fills and highly emotive solo.
The Chicago-style “Blues All Over You” comes with an old-school lump-de-lump feel, as Gullage questions a companion about her troubles and promises eternal support. The arrangement gives McKendree and Greenberg plenty of space to show their skills. More comforting words flow from the quiet “I’ve Been There.” The barrelhouse pleaser, “Stop the Stuff,” delivers a rapid-fire warning to a cheating woman. She’d better change her ways or the singer is going to split – soon.
Fueled by keyboardist McKendree in a different manner entirely, the minor-key ballad, “Tattooed Wings,” changes the pace as the singer realizes the angel of his desires is really a devil instead. Then Sonny takes listeners to a Delta juke with the rock-steady “Hot House.” The announcement of the end of a relationship comes in no uncertain terms in the form of “File It Under Blues” before “Home to You” ends the disc on a positive note.
The world of blues is in a better place thanks to the emergence of Sonny Gullage. Be the first one in the neighborhood to pick up this one. You’ll be glad – and your friends will be, too. There’ll be honors ahead for this one.
About the Author: The blues came calling for Marty Gunther in the 1960s, when he witnessed Muddy Waters, Mississippi John Hurt, B.B. King and Howlin' Wolf perform at the Newport festivals in his native Rhode Island. A longtime Chicagoan who's now based out of Mason, OH, he's a professional journalist and harp player who studied under Sugar Blue before co-founding the Nucklebusters, a band that's filled clubs in south Florida since the '80s.
To buy/hear the music, visit: www.blindpigrecords.com