Coco Montoya

Doors at 5PM / Show at 6PM 

Taught by the “Master of the Telecaster,” Albert Collins, and schooled by a decade on the road with John Mayall, Montoya -- who cut three successful CDs for Alligator between 2000 and 2007 -- has a hard-edged sound and style all his own. He delivers instantly memorable songs, powered by his forceful, melodic guitar playing and passionate vocals.

"Montoya is a show-stopper…Heartfelt singing and merciless guitar with a wicked icy burn…he swings like a jazz man and stings like the Iceman, Albert Collins. He is one of the truly gifted blues artists of his generation.” –Living Blues

A monster player and dynamic performer, on HARD TRUTH Montoya unleashes one career-topping performance after another, the music immediately ranking among the best he’s ever recorded. Produced by Tony Braunagel (Eric Burdon, Curtis Salgado, Taj Mahal, Bonnie Raitt), the album features eleven songs, ranging from red hot rockers to soul-baring ballads, driving shuffles and intense slow blues, each delivering its own hard truth. From the radio-friendly, gospel-inspired celebration of love, “I Want To Shout About It,” to the haunting “Devil Don’t Sleep” to the icy-hot cover of Albert Collins’ “The Moon Is Full,” HARD TRUTH ranks among Montoya’s best recordings ever.

Coco Montoya continues to pack clubs and theaters around the world, and brings festival audiences to their feet from New York to New Orleans to Chicago to San Francisco. Vintage Guitar says, “Coco just keeps getting better and better...rockin’ blues with guitar that cuts straight to the heart of the matter. His guitar playing is funky and blistering; it’s perfect. Whatever he plays, he does it with fire and passion rarely seen in this day and age.”

"Stratocaster-fueled, fierce slash-and-burn guitar work…dramatic, smoldering Southern soul-rooted intensity. Montoya’s voice is as expressive as his guitar.” –Washington Post

www.cocomontoyaband.com