Sugar Pie DSanto receives new honor for her legendary career as a songwriter and singer

Just in case you wondered what ever happened to Sugar Pie DeSanto legendary Filipino American R&B artist, while performing at a recent San Francisco street festival, she did one of her trademark somersaults.

Sugar Pie DeSanto, the female James Brown, just released a new album, "Sugar's Suite 7" at the age of 85 and on Dec. 10, she received the prestigious Arhoolie Award for 2020.  

RELATED: Meet legend Sugar Pie DeSanto

Named after her grandmother, she was born Umpeylia Marsema Balinton in Brooklyn, NY, her father was Filipino American and her mother was African American. 

Sugar Pie’s DeSanto's latest album, Sugar’s Suite, can be
 obtained directly fromher producer’s label, Jasman Records. 

She was dubbed Little Miss Sugar Pie by the legendary Johnny Otis. He signed her to her first professional contract in 1954, after which she had her first hit record in 1959.

“While it is important to us that we do represent the Bay Area at large, we are especially proud to honor Oakland’s Sugar Pie DeSanto, who fits squarely into the richness of the East Bay, where Arhoolie is,” Arhoolie Foundation Executive Director Chris Machado told OaklandSide.org.

When Arhoolie Foundation board member Larry Batiste gave DeSanto, an Oakland resident, the news of the hefty award, DeSanto was characteristically nonplussed. “See, I didn’t come here yesterday. I’ve been acknowledged, voted on, rooted for, and talked about all my life. Been there, done that. So I didn’t fall out with excitement. But it’s a nice thing. I’m enthused and feel lucky to be chosen.”

“I’m not as strong as I think I am. I’m not worried about it, though,” said DeSanto. “I’m just doin’ what God says for me to do. I’m still tryin’ to push but it’s hard. I ain’t fallin’ apart, but I’m damn near fallin’! I do want people to know that I always gave it all I had.”