An Interview with Tony Furtado

A talented multi-instrumentalist, cross-pollinating rambler and a budding songwriter, Tony Furtado is an eclectic musician with a knack for mining musical gold from the American folk tradition while also incorporating the best of contemporary rock. Having lived in Washington D.C. and Boulder, Colorado as well as in a few different cities in his home state of California, his accomplishments include winning the Grand National Banjo Championship twice (1987 and 1991) and recording with roots luminaries such as Laurie Lewis, Grant Street, David Grier, Tony Trischka, Mark Schatz, Jerry Douglas, Kelly Joe Phelps and Allison Kraus. Tony's 15-year recording history includes a variety of studio efforts (Swamped, Within Reach, Full Circle, Roll My Blues Away, American Gypsy )and two live releases (Tony Furtado Band and Live Gypsy )as well as a freshly minted songwriting/vocal debut These Chains (see TonyFurtado.com). He now resides in Los Angeles, where he recently participated (along with Keith Richards, Lucinda Williams and a host of others) in A Tribute to Gram Parsons, a live homage to the late father of the alt-country tradition. The tribute shows played to full audeinces at the Universal Amphtiheatre in July.

Hi Tony.

Hi.

I remember you from Boulder. I interviewed you back in 1997 for a grassroots paper called the Boulder Planet. I still have the clip. But unfortunately the paper no longer exists.

That doesn't surprise me.

Well I think you had just released Roll My Blues Away, which is my favorite work of yours. That album has a great acoustic sound. Lots of gorgeous nooks and crannies on that one.

Thanks. A lot of people tell me that's their favorite release of mine.

How'd that project take shape?