History written by Mudcat Ward, bass: In 1977, Sugar Ray Norcia and Neil Gouvin were working southern Rhode Island in their band, Sugar Ray & the Blues Stompers. Up in Boston, Ronnie Earl, still using his given surname Horvath, was beginning to try stage monikers such as Little Ronnie. After a while, the winds of change were swirling. Ronnie and bassist, Mudcat Ward were searching for musical colleagues that wanted to play bluer, lower down, earthier and produce the highest quality blues.