Robert Linton is a musician of deep thoughtfulness, this sensitivity is evident on his recordings of lyrical guitar instrumentals. Linton plays finger-style nylon-string guitar, his songs exude such tranquil beauty and peaceful solace that they work their way into your soul without you even realizing it. They become part of your being without any conscious effort or mood-setting required, which is the essence of true musical artistry.
Sounds Like: William Ackerman
Latest News
New 2016 album Beyond the Clearing now released, including a stellar cast of guest musicians: Sara Milonovich(violin), Jeff Oster(Flugelhorn), Jill Haley(English Horn), Adam Miller(Guitar), Jeff Pearce(EBow Guitar), Kitty Thompson(Cello) and Heidi Breyer(Piano).
Bio
Like many other children whose paths would lead them to pursue a music career, Robert Linton was influenced by his immediate surroundings, whether it was his grandfather's stint as a well-known pianist/organist in Logan, Utah, or his father playing sax with his band mates, performing to large crowds. As a young boy at home, Robert pounded on the piano keys while his older sister, Andrea, played her more complicated pieces. Eventually, Robert became the piano student, and he was eager to learn.
As he grew older, his love of and appreciation for music evolved to a whole new level whenever Robert's father, Don, would sit and play "a mean slide guitar" (per Robert), his repertoire including both impromptu pieces and classic rock songs from artists as varied as Led Zeppelin, Cat Stevens, and Simon and Garfunkel. It was his passion for this music, the music he grew up listening to, that led Robert to learn these (and others) artists' signature songs by ear, encompassing a long list of titles, which only grew longer when he started taking formal guitar lessons in 1993. Starting with simpler pieces, Robert tried to match the playing styles of such icons as Jimi Hendrix and Jimmy Page, plugging away on his first electric guitar, inspired by dreams of one day reaching similar creative heights.
Typical of his generation, during his teenage years Robert's music collection grew as he continually discovered more artists, past and present, all who sparked his interest and kindled his love for making his own music. While still in his teens, and with the knowledge gained from his music teachers in high school, Robert began composing songs, including one piece, "Autumn Moon," which eventually made it onto his acclaimed CD, Whisperings at Nightfall. During his years of study at Utah State University, where he graduated with a bachelor's degree in Liberal Arts and Sciences, Robert continued composing music. The creative well inside him had been tapped and the flow of musical inspiration continued with song after song pouring out, as he played his guitar for seemingly endless hours, working his craft and mastering his instrument.
In 2001, Robert recorded an early demo, featuring (among others) the songs "Scent of Rain," "Mountain Mist," and "Autumn Moon." After graduating in 2004, he released his first CD, Pale Shades, followed in 2005 by Within the Outline. It was while promoting Within the Outline that Robert first connected with noted guitarist and founder of the ground-breaking label Windham Hill, Will Ackerman, (currently the hottest producer in contemporary instrumental music via his Imaginary Road Studios). Agreeing to produce Robert's next CD, Whisperings at Nightfall, Ackerman coached the relatively new artist on performing styles as well as assisting him in culling selected tracks from Robert's earlier releases which were then earmarked for new versions. Calling on the members of a crew of accompanists who have since been featured on many excellent recordings from Imaginary Road, Ackerman added other instruments to Robert's sublime guitar compositions, including cello, violin, English horn, bass, vocals, and percussion.
2011 will see Robert Linton releasing his forth CD, Throughout the Autumn Light, mixed, mastered and co-produced (with the artist) by the highly regarded studio engineer and overall sonic wizard Corin Nelsen. The album also features a stellar cast of guest artists: Stephen Katz on cello, Jeff Oster on flugelhorn, Tracy Silverman on violin, Jill Haley on English Horn and Jeff Pearce on EBow guitar.