Stereo Six: Sonny Gullage Runs Down Six of His Most Savoury Albums

Thanks to artists such as Sonny Gullage, we can feel good that the present and future of the blues are in good hands. The New Orleans-based Gullage is set to release his debut album, Go Be Free, on August 23rd via Blind Pig Records. Despite his young age, the singer and songwriter looks back to the roots of blues and gospel for inspiration. His family surname was originally Ledbetter, relatives of the early 20th-century iconic father of blues music, Huddie “Lead Belly” Ledbetter. Channelling that legacy and heritage, Gullage puts his spin on the blues, blending what’s come before him with the present sounds.

Go Be Free reflects the rich musical history that Gullage grew up around and the influence of the culture of his home city. Despite only being 25, he has always viewed himself as an old soul. He is committed to carrying on the legacy of the blues and presenting it for a new generation to experience. He once competed on American Idol, which exposed him to a much larger audience. That appearance also helped lend him credibility as an artist, and people got a chance to experience his multi-talents. The song “Worried About the Young” on Go Be Free is a collaboration between Gullage and Christone “Kingfish” Ingram. Both just 25, they are proving that the blues has a lot of enduring relevance in today’s music scene.

Gullage joins us today for our latest Stereo Six to run down six classic albums that have had a huge influence on him.

1. Ray Charles – The Genius of Ray Charles (1959, Atlantic Records)

“I have to start this list with one of my favourite artists of all time, Mr. Ray Charles. The Genius of Ray Charles was my first Ray Charles album I listened to from top to bottom. It gave me every emotion I could feel back then. I was happy when the band played ‘Alexander Ragtime Band,’ and when I heard ‘Come Rain or Come Shine’ I was that shade of melancholy that comes from doubted love. But when that opening track, ‘Let the Good Times Roll,’ came in, I was right back on my feet! It taught me that energy isn’t always in the happy song, but it can be in every song. I often think of these songs and can’t help but nod along to the music I internalized back in high school.”

2. Donny Hathaway – These Songs For You, Live! (2004, Atlantic Records)

“I have to also give a space to Donny Hathaway’s classic album, These Songs for You, Live. In my list, this might be the most dynamic album. Granted, this album was released 25 years after his passing, the collection was the summation of an amazing performer. Every moment of this album was so personal to who Donny Hathaway was to the world.

“As an artist, he’d paint the world with songs that were gospel and blues and funk and soul. In this compilation of live performances, the world was painted in beautiful colours in a way that only Donny Hathaway could paint it. That’s how I want to be as an artist. When people hear my sound, I want them to feel like they truly know me.”

Artwork for the albums Sonny Gullage lists in this Stereo Six

3. Stevie Wonder – Songs in the Key of Life (1976, Tamla Records)

“I believe there are certain albums that really spoke or speak to most artists. So while trying not to sound cliche, I want to acknowledge that Songs in the Key of Life was a huge part of shaping my sound. I like albums that have variety and diversity in terms of sound. This album gave me more than my fill when I heard it for the first time.

“There are huge standouts in this album. Classics like ‘Isn’t She Lovely,’ ‘I Wish,’ ‘Sir Duke,’ ‘As,’ and more are in this album. But in the slightly lesser known songs like ‘Have a Talk With God,’ ‘Village Ghetto Land,’ and ‘Contusion.’ I found little elements that changed my view of what music could be. Leave it to Stevie Wonder to implement Bach-like orchestral movements in a song that described living in the Ghetto in the American 1970s.”

4. Herbie Hancock – Possibilities (2005, Hear Music, Vector Recordings)

“I think one of the first albums that definitely helped to shape my sound is the Herbie Hancock Possibilities album. Every song had such a unique way of coming across. I heard writing on a level that was higher than I’d experienced, in songs like ‘Sister Moon,’ or ‘Hush, Hush, Hush,’ or ‘Stitched Up.’ I was exposed to a different side of artists like Christina Aguilera, Paul Simon, Sting, and John Mayer. There were even classic songs that were being redone with each artist’s individual approach. When I was trying to find my sound, this album made me feel like going for unorthodox sounds when playing and singing was more welcome than not.”

Kevin “Sonny” Gullage ‘Go Be Free’ album artwork

5. Bobby Blue Bland – Midnight Run (1989, Malaco Records)

“When it comes to the blues, I have a very specific taste, and the album that did that for me was Bobby Blue Bland, Midnight Run. The range of emotions between all of the tracks was so expressive. It’s almost a lost art when it comes to performing that way. It was like having a full concert experience. There’s performing on stage and there’s recording in the studio, but only a few people can give that stage sound on a recording. From ‘You Got to Hurt Before You Heal’ to ‘Keep It a Secret’ Bobby Blue Bland gave a live feeling and sound to this album, which made me try to do that as well when recording, especially with my new album Go Be Free.”

6. [Curveball] Rupert Holmes – Partners in Crime (1979, Infinity, MCA Records)

“My curveball album is sort of funny to me. I love Rupert Holmes’ Partners in Crime album! I grew up on ‘Answering Machine’ and there were so many elements to what made that song amazing. Rupert Holmes made the scene and brought you along for the journey. He was so articulate but relatable. I wanted people to feel that way when they listened to my music or even when I wrote songs, I wanted to feel that way. Not to mention songs like ‘Escape’ and ‘Him.’ I just wanted to have a catalogue of songs that everyone had been through at some point in their lives.”