Coco Montoya

“Montoya is a show-stopper…heartfelt singing and merciless guitar with a wicked icy burn. He is one of the truly gifted blues artists of his generation.” –Living Blues “’Just play what you feel, be real about it, and enjoy yourself.’ That’s what Albert Collins taught me,” says the award-winning guitar virtuoso and soul-deep singer Coco Montoya. The self-taught, left-handed Montoya learned from the best: the iconic Albert Collins (for whom he originally drummed), and UK legend John Mayall. Incorporating lessons learned from his mentors, Montoya puts his own stamp onto every song he performs. Since his first solo album in 1995 (which won him the Blues Music Award for Best New Artist), Montoya’s endlessly inventive guitar work and passionate, hard-hitting vocals have kept him at the top of the blues world. Montoya’s well-earned reputation as an eye-popping live performer precedes him. His shows are a tour-de-force of memorable, hook-filled songs sung with passion and fueled by equally memorable, top shelf musicianship. Vintage Guitar states, “Coco keeps getting better and better. He plays with fire and passion rarely seen in this day and age.” Billboard declares, “In a world of blues guitar pretenders, Coco Montoya is the real McCoy. He exudes power and authenticity. Be prepared to get scorched by the real thing.” See them live at Almost Famous Wine Lounge, an award-winning tasting room and world-class music venue located in the heart of Livermore’s urban wine, spirits and brewery district.