Sugar Pie DeSanto: The Bay Area’s Filipina-Black Soul Queen Too Bold to Be Forgotten

By Jennifer Redondo 

Sugar Pie DeSanto wasn’t just a name on a record sleeve , she was fire on stage, a Bay Area original who stood barely five feet tall but sang and moved with the power of giants. Half Filipina, half Black, and all soul, she carved out space in an industry that wasn’t built to celebrate women who looked like her. Before divas dominated arenas, DeSanto was tearing up clubs, touring with James Brown, and writing for legends like Minnie Riperton and Etta James. And yet, despite her impact, history has tried to tuck her away in the margins. This is our reminder: Sugar Pie DeSanto is too bold, too brilliant, and too unforgettable to be left behind.

"Don’t forget about me: Sugar Pie DeSanto, worldwide entertainer, international."

These were the closing words of the R&B singer and dancer in her interview with See Us Unite. We aim to honor her request and ensure this trailblazing woman is remembered as the legend she truly was.

Here are 10 things you may not have known about her.

1. She is half Black and half Filipino. 

Born on October 16, 1935, in San Francisco, Umpeylia Marsema Balinton was the eldest of 10 siblings. Her mother, Alice Roosevelt Coates, was an African-American from Philadelphia, and her father, Engacio Bindo Balinton, was a Filipino seaman born in Manila.

Her mother, a talented pianist, fostered Umpeylia's musical talents, teaching her to sing and supporting her career. Her father, however, raised his children with strict Catholic principles. He once interrupted one of her performances, pulling her off the stage by her ear and exclaiming in his Filipino accent, "Who told you you could shake your booty?"

2. Her name derived from ampalaya. 

She got her name after ampalaya, the Filipino name for bitter melon or tropical sour fruit. It’s best known for its healing benefits to help manage blood sugar. Umpeylia, or Peylia, shares a name with her Filipino grandmother. She described her name as "Pinoy and Soul" in an interview with See Us Unite.

3. She came up in San Francisco’s Fillmore District. 

Following World War II, a significant migration of African-Americans from the South led many to California. During that time, San Francisco's Fillmore District was a vibrant, multicultural community. This neighborhood, often called the "Harlem of the West," was a harmonious blend of Black, German, Mexican, Chinese, and Italian residents who coexisted with mutual respect. It was also a lively hub for Black businesses and a thriving scene for jazz and blues clubs.

4. She was childhood friends with Etta James.  

Etta James, three years DeSanto's junior, was not only her lifelong friend but also referred to by DeSanto as her cousin. They spent their formative years together, harmonizing and singing on the back porch. They sang two songs together: "Do I Make Myself Clear" and "In the Basement."

DeSanto’s sister, Francesa Balinton, was a part-time member of Etta James’ vocal group, The Peaches. But she did not go on to record with them after they were discovered by Johnny Otis.  

5. She was discovered by Johnny Otis in 1955.  

Even at the age of 15, DeSanto was already performing in clubs, often sneaking out of her parents' home and stuffing her bra with baseballs to appear older. At 19, she was discovered by Johnny Otis, known as "the godfather of rhythm and blues," at a talent show held at the Ellis Theater. Under his guidance, she recorded her initial singles in Los Angeles, "Please Be True" and "Boom Diddy Wawa Baby."

6. She was only 4 feet and 11 inches tall. 

Small yet fierce, DeSanto was given her stage name "Sugar Pie" by Johnny Otis, who found her little and cute. Otis thought her birth name, Umpeylia Balinton, was unsuitable for a record, leading her to adopt Sugar Pie. For a time, former NBA Boston Celtics player, Don Barksdale, managed DeSanto. He’s the one who gave her the last name “DeSanto,” a nod to her Filipino heritage. That’s how she became Sugar Pie DeSanto.  

7. Her single, “I Want to Know,” brought her national prominence.

“I Want to Know” is a song inspired by her everyday life –  going through problems with men, smoking weed and hanging out. In 1959, DeSanto co-wrote “I Want to Know” with Bob Geddins and recorded the song with her first husband, Pee Wee Kingsley. It reached number four on the Billboard’s Hot R&B chart. This was her hit single that opened doors for her!  

8.She toured with James Brown and is known as “The Lady James Brown”.  

After the initial success of her hit single, James Brown discovered DeSanto at the Apollo Theater. She toured the United States for two years, opening for the "Godfather of Soul," in cities like Philadelphia, Charlotte, Oklahoma, and Phoenix. DeSanto eventually left to headline her own concerts. 

9. Peylia Parham was her songwriting alias.

After the dissolution of her first marriage, DeSanto relocated to Chicago and signed with Chess Records in 1961. By 1965, she started a songwriting partnership with Shena DeMell. Together, they wrote "Do I Make Myself Clear" and "In the Basement," which DeSanto later performed with Etta James. DeSanto also composed songs for notable artists such as Minnie Riperton, Fontella Bass, Billy Stewart, Little Milton, Bobby McClure, Jesse James, The Dells, and The Whispers.

10. She moved back to the Bay Area in the 1970s.

DeSanto settled in Oakland and was recognized with a Bay Area Music Award for best female blues singer in 1999. In 2006, she endured a house fire that claimed her husband, Jesse Earl Davis, and all her possessions. Despite her health challenges, DeSanto continued on. She released her album Sugar Suite in 2018. DeSanto had been fighting cancer, undergoing radiation and chemo. The disease took a devastating toll on her vocals and throat. She was waging a comeback and was determined to make it back on stage. DeSanto passed away peacefully in her sleep in Oakland, California, on December 20, 2024, at the age of 89. She was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in 2024.

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Written by Jennifer Redondo

Co-Founder and Co-Author of In Her Purpose

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