Timo Arthur
Winner of the 2013 Atlanta Blues Challenge and current guitarist for five-time Blues Music Award nominated artist Brandon Santini, Timo Arthur has quite the musical resume. In addition to his celebrated guitar chops, Timo has also established himself as a talented songwriter among his peers, writing in a wide range of styles. An alumnus of Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA, Timo spent fifteen years performing on the New England scene with various regional acts. He has traveled to China as well performing at the elegant House of Blues & Jazz in Shanghai where he was twice hired as the guitarist for two 4-month residencies there in back to back years. Since then, as previously mentioned, he won the Atlanta Blues Challenge with bassist Tamara Nicolai, who now performs with the famed Squirrel Nut Zippers.
Hailing from a musical family, Timo, whose given name is Timothy, grew up in Milford, CT. His mother played cello in local symphonies as well as classical piano at home, and his father played guitar and blues piano at home as well. Showing a strong interest in music at an early age, he received a guitar as a Christmas present from his parents at age eight. He gave his first performance at age ten at a school talent show. The following year, he was performing original songs at this show. He would go on continuing to write and perform original material throughout his teens on guitar as well as piano. He also played with bands taking on duties of playing guitar, bass, singing, and songwriting. By the time he was twenty, he had moved to his father’s native country of Barbados where within four days of his arrival, he was chosen as lead guitarist for a top-billed calypso band. Though having never played in that genre before, Timo adapted quickly, proving his immense talent, work ethic, and natural musicianship.
After a year in Barbados, he would return to the US to attend Berklee College of Music, in Boston, MA, as mentioned before. After his fifteen-year stint in New England, he ultimately wound up in Atlanta for a couple years. His victory with Tamara Nicolai at the Atlanta Blues Challenge won them a spot to compete in the International Blues Challenge in Memphis, TN, the following year. It was there that he was discovered by Memphis-based blues artist Brandon Santini, who hired him as a full-time guitarist for his band. This led to Timo moving to Memphis, where he currently resides.
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