Born in New York on October 16, 1935, to a Filipino father and an
African-American mother, Peylia Marsema Balinton (Sugar Pie DeSanto) made a
career in rhythm'n'blues, scoring a hit in 1961 with the song "I Want to Know".
She grew up in San Francisco and rubbed shoulders with Etta James in her youth,
when singer and bandleader Johnny Otis discovered her in 1955 and cast her in
his revue, giving her the nickname "Sugar Pie" in the process. In 1958, she met
and married Alvin "Pee Wee" Parham, with whom she formed a duo that recorded two
singles. After touring with James in 1959-196...