Guy Tortora

Event information

Born and raised in California, Guy Tortora brings his unique blend of blues, folk and Americana to London.

As a songwriter and performer, Guy's music is often called Americana buy his style incorporates original, well-constructed and performed songs that include styles that originated in the USA, including blues, jazz, folk and roots. Guy also interprets the work of other writers in these genres with depth and feeling, including standards and traditional tunes, as well as songs by the likes of Eric Bibb and Kreig Viesselman.

He has laid claim to a unique niche on the Blues 'n' Roots scene across the UK and Europe, from small clubs and theatres to festivals. His solo albums received a warm welcome in Blues 'n' Roots reviews and his third album, Anywhere But Here, received great acclaim from reviewers and audiences alike. He has performed live with artists as diverse as Eric Clapton, Pee Wee Ellis, John Cleary and Eric Bibb and has gigged across North America and much of Europe.

Guy is a guitar player of accomplishment and a distinctive songwriter. On both acoustic and electric guitar, he plays finger-style and is a fine bottleneck and slide player. His playing is not the flashy, guitar-slinger style beloved of blues rockers everywhere but more understated, leaving room for the songs to make an impact.

Guy was among the finalists in the British Blues Awards in both the album category for Bluesman In A Boneyard and the song category for Boneyard Guy. The semi-autobiographical Prodigal Song also received a nomination.