Coco Montoya & Ronnie Baker Brooks

Coco Montoya

Henry “Coco” Montoya was born in Santa Monica, California, on October 2, 1951, and raised in a working-class family. Growing up, Coco immersed himself in his parents’ record collection. He listened to big band jazz, salsa, doo-wop and rock ‘n’ roll. His first love was drums; he acquired a kit at age 11.  Montoya turned his love of drumming into his profession, playing in a number of area rock bands while still in his teens and becoming an in-demand drummer.

In 1969, Montoya saw Albert King opening a Creedence Clearwater Revival/Iron Butterfly concert. He was transformed. “After King got done playing,” says Montoya, “my life was changed. When he played, the music went right into my soul. It grabbed me so emotionally that I had tears welling up in my eyes. Nothing had ever affected me to this level. He showed me what music and playing the blues were all about. I knew that was what I wanted to do.”

The next chapter of Montoya’s story was a chance meeting in the mid-1970s with legendary bluesman Albert Collins. Montoya says, “Albert was coming through Los Angeles and needed to borrow my drum set, which I left at the club. I went down to see his show that night and it just tore my head off. The thing that I had seen and felt with Albert King came pouring back on me when I saw Albert Collins.”

Montoya’s recorded debut as a bandleader came with 1995’s Gotta Mind To Travel. The album became an instant fan favorite with praise from all corners. The album immediately made it clear that Montoya ranked among the best players on the contemporary scene.

Still an indefatigable road warrior, Montoya continues to tour virtually nonstop, bringing audiences to their feet from New York to New Orleans to Chicago to San Francisco. Across the globe, he’s performed in countries including Australia, Belgium, Switzerland, Germany, Norway, England, Brazil, Argentina, Spain, Mexico, Ecuador, Italy, Poland, Russia, the Czech Republic and Canada.

Ronnie Baker Brooks

Chicago guitarist, vocalist and songwriter Ronnie Baker Brooks is one of the city’s—and the world’s—most undeniably talented and electrifying bluesmen. Ronnie was born into Chicago blues royalty as the son of legendary multiple GRAMMY Award nominee, Blues Hall Of Famer, Lonnie Brooks. He is among the few contemporary blues artists who learned his craft directly from many of the genre’s icons, including Albert Collins, B.B. King, Willie Dixon, Koko Taylor and, most significantly, his father. “I’m blessed to have played with and learned from the best. I’m carrying them within me!”

Like all the great blues artists before him, Ronnie Baker Brooks has, through hard work, perseverance and gritty determination—along with his prodigious, natural talent and charisma—earned his place in the upper echelons of the blues world. Today, Ronnie Baker Brooks stands tall as a blisteringly innovative guitarist, an endlessly inventive songwriter and an intensely soulful vocalist.

Ronnie Baker Brooks may have been born a blues prince, but he never received any royal treatment. “Dad set me up for today,” Ronnie explains. “He always told me to put the time in, study, practice, get better. I started my music career as his roadie. He wouldn’t let me play onstage with him until I earned it. I grew up witnessing and learning from the legends of the blues. I’m excited to continue to create Chicago blues as part of my family legacy and our shared history. I’ll always represent the blues in everything I do. Dad started the fire, Albert poured the gas on it, and Koko put the grill on.” Now, with Blues In My DNA.