Bill Wharton “The Sauce Boss”

Bill “The Sauce Boss” Wharton is a legendary bluesman and an unforgettable showman, famous for literally cooking up a pot of gumbo on stage while playing his swampy slide-guitar blues. A Florida native with a career spanning decades, Wharton earned his Sauce Boss moniker back in 1989 when he began bringing his homemade hot sauce and gumbo to gigs – an act that quickly became his signature. Musically, Wharton delivers a gritty blend of Gulf Coast blues and roadhouse rock, fueled by stinging electric slide guitar and his “big, bluesy” vocals. His unique approach even inspired Jimmy Buffett’s song “I Will Play for Gumbo,” which immortalized the Sauce Boss in pop culture. Over the years, he has shared his delicious blues concoction at countless festivals and famously feeds the audience with free bowls of gumbo at the end of each show.

When the Sauce Boss takes the stage, it’s not just a concert – it’s a full-on experience of music, food, and fun. He’ll have you clapping along to rollicking originals like “Let the Big Dog Eat,” salivating at the gumbo bubbling in his cast-iron pot, and by set’s end, lining up for a taste. Wharton’s shows feature “edgy, slide guitar, rockin’ blues grooves, with a large serving of fun” in the Sauce Boss tradition. With his infectious energy and good-time charisma, Bill Wharton turns every performance into a Blues & Gumbo party. Don’t miss this one-of-a-kind act who serves up soulful music and spicy flavor in equal measure.