Artie Tobia

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A contemplative approach to lyrical content matched with a voice that is full of integrity, Artie captures the attention of listeners instantly. He is not your watered down commercial artist relying on a formula to draw you in. Instead he uses his skill as a keen observer of life, people and the moments that most of us barely even notice, to empathize with people from all walks of life. He cites and writes with the honest emotion of a person just trying to get through the maze of hurdles and obstacles, we all call life. He is not surprised by the range of comparisons that are made to Bruce Springsteen, Delbert Mclinton, Don Henley,John Mellencamp or the Allman Brothers, among others. He has always had an independent spirit as a listener which pays off for him as a songwriter and a performer. His debut CD, ~ The Parade (Red Tail Hawk Records 2001 ), is a diverse collection of stories. A slice of Americana, (a blend of rock, folk, country and blues), the music has "temerity and twang", according to one reviewer. For The Parade a band was assembled with some of New York, Nashville and Austin's finest musicians. Mark Barden(The Cox Family and Michael Martin Murphy) along with Dennis Brown (Doug Stone, Alan Jackson),provide beautiful slide, acoustic and electric guitar. They are supported by the rhythm section of Rob Garcia (Flying Neutrinos and Woody Allan's New Orleans Band) and Mark Andes ( Heart , Firefall ) on bass. Cindy "Crosby" Crossley adds beautiful background harmonies and vocals. Nashville session players Tim Lusby on pedal steel, Jim Young on organ, Lisa Zanghi on piano and Alan Johnson on fiddle, round out the effort, allowing the lyrics and vocals to shine. Ê Artie is the founder and a regular performer in the Traveling Songwriters Show, which features a growing collection of singer songwriters, including Marc Douglas Berardo, Chris Brown, KJDenhert, Nicole Mckenna, Jenny Reynolds, Jeff Twardzik Erik Balkey and Trina Hamlin. The show is fast making a name for itself as a show not to be missed, attracting regional and national performers. Performing primarily in an acoustic duo with long time friend and guitar mentor MarkBarden. Artie plays 150 shows a year in NYC and the surrounding area, this has allowed him to fine tune his skills as songwriter." A warm acoustic guitar, a crisp vocal and a good story have always caught my ear when listening to other performers." he says. Now it is his own guitar and stories that delight audiences.

Still in The Way, with his band 5 OCLOCK SHADOW  was released in March of 2005 and has been met with critical acclaim. More info to come....