Toby Tomplay

About Band

Born and raised in Baton Rouge, Louisiana where live music is a way of life, Toby Tomplay was mesmerized by Rock and Blues at an early age. At 16 years old, Toby became serious about playing the guitar and quickly excelled at it. By 18, he fronted his own band, quit his ‘day job’ and became a full time musician. "I had wanted to play guitar ever since I was a kid" states Toby, adding, "I’ve done as many acoustic shows as I have full band shows. This has played a very big part in defining who I am musically." Acts such as Stevie Ray Vaughan, Jimi Hendrix and Jack Johnson made a huge impression on Toby and contributed largely to the style of playing that has made him so unique. Also, being a fan of some of the more modern bands like Matchbox Twenty, Maroon 5 and the Foo Fighter’s, it’s obvious that they not only contributed to the evolution of his signature style of playing but also added the some of that flavor to his very distinct and believable vocals. In his own words, "I think it’s important to pull influences from many sources and genres but still allow yourself to be original and fresh." After selling out shows such as the Varsity Theatre in Baton Rouge, Toby moved on to many other notable venues throughout Louisiana, Texas, Alabama & Florida including hot spots on Bourbon Street in the famous French Quarter in New Orleans and Club Lavela in Panama City Beach. He’s opened for bands such as The Little River Band and Zebra, shared the stage with such talents as Jimmy Wallace of Gavin Degraw, Ryan Knewl of Sister Hazel and in of of Toby’s regular venues in Baton Rouge, country music star Keith Urban even stopped in to play a few. "What a fun night" Laughs Toby, "Keith was such a cool guy to jam with and wow, what a player!" Toby caught the eye of Country Music Superstar Clay Walker and has had production and publishing deals with his company E L Music