biography

Energetic. Raw. Feisty.
 
These three words tell you everything you need to know about Australian roots artist Toby on stage.

Toby is a stand out performer - and this is why she is making her mark touring the world - with seven Canadian tours up her sleeve, she also tours throughout Europe, America and Australia playing major festivals, and performing her own headline shows.
 
For an audience, these live shows are a deeply emotional and joyous experience. For Toby, she wears her emotions, thoughts and adventures on her sleeve as clearly as the delighted smile she sports while playing. It's that chemistry and connection – in between plenty of dancing and jumping from both sides – that makes each performance so strikingly unique and deliciously unpredictable.
 
Passionate and known for her unwavering commitment to her craft Toby is willing to take the risk and be vulnerable with her thoughts and emotions committed to song.

Perth born TOBY’s new album "SLEEPTALK" is the album you should be listening to! Why?

This album was recorded in San Francisco, California, where TOBY worked with co-producer Carey Williams. They met when TOBY played alongside Etta James (managed by Carey) at a festival in Milwaukee in 2009.

This is TOBY’s fourth full length album and is the culmination of years of touring endlessly throughout Australia, four tours to Europe, eight tours to Canada and memorable performances in the USA.

This album showcases TOBY’s insightful, honest and poignant song writing. It is an invitation to explore her mind and her soul. This critique of the human condition is both personal and broad.

It has captured TOBY’s best songs to date - with a full mature sound, and an incredible line up of musicians!

It tells stories across emotions and continents, yet never loses track of it's Australian roots, giving it a sense of place and time.
But best of all, it is simply full of great songs that people want to hear.

TOBY’s songwriting skills are honed enough to make her radio-friendly, and her voice is naturally soulful, earthy and dynamic enough to appeal to all kinds of music fans. The songs themselves have some seriously infectious hooks and draws in European flavours, some gutsy blues, slow, chilled out reggae and some soulful acoustic ballads.

Half of SLEEPTALK was recorded at Decibelle Recording in San Fran with JJ Wiesler, and the other half in Berkely at San Pablo Recorder with Jon Evans. One track was recorded at Couch Studio with Shaun O'Callaghan, North Fremantle, WA (John Butler Trio)
 
Carey put together an amazing team of musicians to record the album . Jon Evans played bass on several tracks. Jon has toured and performed with Tori Amos for twelve years. He has also worked with Linda Perry and Paula Cole. Other musicians include Dawn Richardson on drums (4 Non Blondes, Tracy Chapman), Julie Wolf (Ani Difranco, The Indigo Girls, Maceo Parker), David Matthews (Etta James), Claytoven Richardson on backing vocals (Kenny G., Michael Bolton, Elton John, Peabo Bryson, New Kids on the Block, Ricki Martin, Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey, Jennifer Lopez, Aretha Franklin, Natalie Cole), Sakai (live performances with Quincy Jones, Stevie Wonder, and Chaka Khan), Marcie Brown (She has performed with Lucianno Pavoratti, Andreas Bocelli, Dizzy Gillespie, Itzak Perlman and Ray Charles. She has been a member of the Cirque du Soleil.)  

TOBY has pulled together experiences from travelling the world, performing her music. She has supported the likes of Sheryl Crow, John Mellencamp, Paul Kelly, The John Butler Trio, Brandy, The Indigo Girls, Gomez, Donavon Frankenreiter, Luka Bloom and Pete Murray. TOBY has performed at major festivals worldwide including Summerfest (Milwaukee, USA), PrideFest (Milwaukee, USA), Big Time Out Fest (Canada) and WA Blues and Roots Fest (Australia)
 
By not deviating from her fiercely independent origins, TOBY keeps this album real and untamed as she criss-crosses the globe connecting with audiences, injecting them with the passion she feels for music and turning each performance into a memorable party.

 
www.tobymusic.com.au
www.myspace.com/tobybeard
www.youtube.com/tobybeard

updated August 2010

50 words...
Energetic, raw and feisty, Toby is a charismatic singer, songwriter and guitarist magically weaving together roots, rock and reggae. Passionate and joyous on stage, recent appearances like America's Summerfest prove why Toby is warmly welcomed to festival bills, support slots and headlining shows world-wide.