Coco Montoya
Coco Montoya | |
|---|---|
 Coco Montoya – Live in Concert | |
| Background information | |
| Born | Henry Montoya October 2, 1951 Santa Monica, California, United States |
| Genres | Blues, blue-eyed soul, country rock |
| Occupations | Musician, songwriter |
| Instruments | |
| Years active | 1977–present |
| Website | CocoMontoyaBand.com |
Henry "Coco" Montoya (born October 2, 1951, Santa Monica, California) is an American blues guitarist and singer and former member of John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers. He is of Mexican heritage.[1]
Musical career
[edit | edit source]Montoya's career began in the mid-1970s when Albert Collins asked him to join his band as a drummer. Collins took Montoya under his wing and taught him his "icy hot" guitar style. The two remained friends even after Montoya left Collins' band to start a career of his own.
In the early 1980s John Mayall heard Montoya playing guitar in a Los Angeles bar. Soon after, Mayall asked Montoya to join the newly reformed Bluesbreakers. He remained a member of the band for 10 years.
In 1995 he appeared with the Cate Brothers for the resumption of their recording career on their release, Radioland.[2] Montoya released his debut solo album that year, and has since recorded several more solo albums.
In 2002, he featured on the Bo Diddley tribute album Hey Bo Diddley – A Tribute!, performing the song "Pills."
His 2019 recording, Coming In Hot, was chosen as a 'Favorite Blues Album' by AllMusic.[3]
Left-hand style
[edit | edit source]Montoya is left-handed but plays a left-handed guitar with a right-handed neck (i.e. strings upside down).[4]
Personal life
[edit | edit source]Montoya and his longtime girlfriend Lenora married in 2009. He has two daughters: Jasmin (born 1980) and Donna (born 1988).
Discography
[edit | edit source]- 1995 Gotta Mind To Travel (Silvertone; Blind Pig)
- 1996 Ya Think I'd Know Better (Dixie Frog; Blind Pig)
- 1997 Just Let Go (Blind Pig)
- 2000 Suspicion (Alligator)
- 2002 Can't Look Back (Alligator)
- 2007 Dirty Deal (Alligator)
- 2009 The Essential Coco Montoya (Bling Pig) - compilation
- 2010 I Want It All Back (Ruf)
- 2014 Songs From The Road [live] (Ruf)
- 2017 Hard Truth (Alligator)
- 2019 Coming In Hot (Alligator)
- 2023 Writing On The Wall (Alligator)
References
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- ^ Cate Brothers biography, VH1.com
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External links
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- 1951 births
- Living people
- American blues guitarists
- American male guitarists
- Contemporary blues musicians
- American musicians of Mexican descent
- American blues rock musicians
- John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers members
- Electric blues musicians
- Musicians from Santa Monica, California
- American blues singers
- Guitarists from California
- 20th-century American guitarists
- 21st-century American guitarists
- Hispanic and Latino American musicians
- American musician stubs