Toby Walker

"Flat out... you have to hear this great musician... I'm blown away" - Jorma Kaukonen Hot Tuna, Jefferson Airplane, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Inductee "As a blues guitar player, I am stunned and in awe of Toby Walker's pickin'! Add to that his fine songs and singing and friendly presentation, and it's obvious that Toby Walker is one of the most enjoyable artists in today's Blues World." ...Steady Rollin' Bob Margolin Guitarist for the late Muddy Waters

- Jorma Kaukonen
Hot Tuna, Jefferson Airplane, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Inductee

"As a blues guitar player, I am stunned and in awe of Toby Walker's pickin'! Add to that his fine songs and singing and friendly presentation, and it's obvious that Toby Walker is one of the most enjoyable artists in today's Blues World."
...Steady Rollin' Bob Margolin
Guitarist for the late Muddy Waters

"A real killer with fantastic technique. He just knocks me out."
..John Hammond

"If he doesn't get them with his phenomenal guitar playing or catchy songs, he gets them with his wonderful stories. True entertainers have an engaging spirit that puts a smile on your face. Arlo Guthrie has it, David Bromberg has it, and so does Toby"
- John Platt Host of Sunday Morning Breakfast at WFUV.

Internationally and nationally acclaimed Toby Walker has been hailed as a roots music fingerstyle guitar virtuoso who has toured the US, England, Wales, France, Germany, Belgium and Holland. Walker has been featured in the New York Times, the London Sunday Times, the London BBC, Sirius-XM radio and was the 1st place recipient of the International Blues Challenge Award given out by the Blues Foundation in Memphis TN.

Walker combines the styles of blues, ragtime, country, bluegrass, rock and old time jazz into his own unique style. Jorma Kaukonen of Hot Tuna and the Jefferson Airplane says "Flat out... you have to hear this great musician... I'm blown away" and has employed Walker to teach at his famous Fur Peace Ranch Guitar Camp for 5 consecutive years. In 2010 Walker won the NY Music Award for 'Best Instrumental CD,' sharing the honors with Mariah Carey, Rufus Wainwright and Judy Collins among many others.

Walker has recently released two instructional guitar DVD's for the world famous company Homespun Tapes, both of which have been getting rave reviews and his latest CD release 'Shake Shake Mama' has been hailed as a shining success in the genre of traditional blues recordings.

Carnegie Hall acknowledged his rare talents and hired him to augment and teach in their "American Roots" program aimed at honor level middle school students.

Toby's passion for blues, rags, folk, and other traditional American music drove him to leave an apartment crammed full of recordings, books and instruments for the Mississippi Delta, Virginia and the Carolinas where he tracked down some of the more obscure - but immensely talented - music makers of an earlier era. He learned directly from Eugene Powell, James "Son" Thomas,Etta Baker, and R.L Burnside, among others.

The talent, passion, and soul of a Toby Walker performance reflects these travels. Whether it is telling the humorous and heartwarming tales of other masters, talking about his inspirations, or astounding you with his mastery, his performances are a feast for the senses. The audience is moved in ways that delight them long after the encores. You can catch a taste of these stories on his Web site in "The Masters" section. But make no mistake about it - he is to be experienced live. Those fortunate enough to attend one of his shows will vouch for that.

The love Toby has for his craft pushes him to share his history and experience where he has performed his Blues In The Schools program, allowing others to share the sounds, sights, and emotions of his unique abilities. His teaching credits include, among others, Jorma Kaukonen's Fur Peace Ranch in Ohio and a DVD release with the prestigious Homespun Tapes label called 'Blues Fingerpicking Freedom.' In 2006, Carnegie Hall acknowledged his rare talents and hired him to augment and teach in their "American Roots" program aimed at honor level middle school students. This one-of-a-kind series demonstrates the history of blues music and traditions, while teaching the history of African Americans as they migrated from the south into the north.

His mastery of the blues was recognized in Memphis when he won the International Blues Challenge Award.

Awards
2010 NY Music Award For Best Instrumental Album
2009 Bronte Blues Awards - Best Acoustic Blues Act and Best Acoustic Guitarist
2006 NERFA Formal Showcase Performer
2002 International Blues Challenge Award presented by The Blues Foundation