New & Approved

Singer, Songwriter, Guitarist Monte Montgomery is best described by one word, Musical. Having grown up immersed in music, he has been playing professionally since his teens. Monte is currently one of the hottest draws on the talent-packed Austin, TX music scene and is well known throughout the U.S. for his electrifying performances. Monte has earned praise from both critics and fellow musicians not only for his stunning and imaginative six-string work but also for his abilities as a Singer and a Crafter of ear-catching pop-rock songs imbued with a deep roots sensibility. Monte was the first to ever be named by Guitar One magazine as 'One of the Top 10 Best Undiscovered Guitarists in America'. In March 2004, Monte was named 'The Best Acoustic Guitar Player' at the Austin Music Awards during the South by Southwest Music Conference for the Seventh Year in a row! In March 2004 Monte was named by Guitar Player Magazine as one of America's Top 50 Greatest Guitarists Of All Time! As Acoustic Guitar magazine notes, 'Monte Montgomery is not your typical up-and-coming guitar god. His exquisitely crafted, melodically and rhythmically sophisticated pop songs suggest the best of Fleetwood Mac, Squeeze and The Police, while just happening to integrate the most mind-boggling guitar work in the state of Texas.' New & Approved gives every listener an example of Montes's dynamic rock n' roll experience with rich, stunning guitar work and powerful song deliveries. Growing up in Birmingham, Alabama, Monte first learned piano and trumpet, and by the beginning of his adolescence, was an avid listener to pop radio. After moving to Texas at the age of 12, he joined the legendary musical scene around the restored town of Luckenbach and began his impressive rise as a musical talent. Performing with his mother at a popular Hill Country picking parlor he quickly absorbed everything he could. By his mid-teens, Monte was playing gigs on his own around Austin and San Antonio, both with bands as an electric guitarist and in a variety of acoustic configurations. At the same time, Monte developed his guitar chops from absorbing the work of a variety of respected players such as Fleetwood Mac's Lindsey Buckingham, Mark Knopfler, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Albert Lee, Steve Vai, Steve Morse and Larry Carlton. 'I like it all,' he explains of his musical influences. Leading his own band, Monte began developing his trademark electrified acoustic guitar style. 'I started playing acoustic at the beginning of each set, the response was so overwhelming that I kept the acoustic up there longer and longer. Then I just started playing all acoustic. I found I could do anything on an acoustic guitar I could do on an electric if I turned it up loud enough.' After living and playing in San Antonio for a time, Monte set out to make his mark in the highly competitive Austin musical community. Starting with a $50 half-hour gig at a small Austin Pub on a Tuesday night, Monte quickly attracted packed houses and graduated to filling the biggest clubs in the city. His live performances and albums have earned him words of praise in the music press and an ever-widening touring circuit throughout the U.S. As Texas Monthly noted, 'He brings taste, precision, economy and a playful sense of timing to popish songs with sturdy hooks and sings in a voice that's equal parts grit and sunshine. And when you have the ability to make one guitar sound like two, who needs any more support than bass and drums.' Monte caught the ear of 'Austin City Limits' producer Terry Lickona, who invited the relatively unknown talent to tape a segment of the legendary show. When Lickona introduced Montgomery to the audience at the artist's 'Austin City Limits' performance, he described Monte's talent in a simple yet profound statement: 'Monte Montgomery blows people away. There is no other way to describe it.' Word about Monte reached the folks at Alvarez Guitars and once they heard Monte's virtuosity with the instrument they immediately arranged for an endorsement. As Monte's toured nationwide he cultivated his reputation as the Hottest Acoustic Guitarist on the planet. This led to the introduction of the Monte Montgomery Signature Guitar by Alvarez, which was unveiled at the Winter NAMM Show and Convention in Anaheim in January 2004. Monte's considerable musical talents have come to fruition. As leader of his own band, Monte continues as a national touring act and has shown a side that's more than a new found 'Texas Guitar Slinger'. Monte sings and writes songs that are concise and contemporary and although his music contains a lot of guitar it's more than just a guitar show. With an appeal that extends to listeners of all ages and tastes, Monte has been making a living playing and singing for most of his life, building a career through his own hard work and talent. In fact, it's almost as if his future as a musician was all but fated. 'I never woke up and said, what am I supposed to be doing with my life? I always knew, even before I played guitar, that I was going to be doing music, one way or another.'