Carlos García Montoya: 1903-1993: Guitarist Biography

Carlos García Montoya: 1903-1993: Guitarist.

Carlos Montoya transformed flamenco guitar in the 1950s and 1960s, showing that it deserved consideration as an art form outside of its traditional context as background music for dancers with casta-nets. "Hailed by guitar wizards such as Steve Howe, Robbie Krieger, and Eddie Van Halen as a genius and inspiration," wrote Guillermo Juan Christie in Guitar Player, "Montoya asserted the independence of the flamenco guitar as a viable world-class solo instrument, and his impact on the spread of flamenco cannot be underestimated." Montoya impressed audiences from the Orient to Latin America with his agile technique, and broadened the appeal of flamenco by recording over 40 albums. Wrote Billboard, "Montoya was a performer whose passionate style and improvisational skills earned him enormous public acclaim and provided a model for other flamenco guitarists."