Have you heard of this guitar wiz from Winthrop, Maine that goes by the name of Rob Carlton? If not, get ready for the blazing hot sound of RC as he excites the world with his phenomenal playing skills. Originally from Long Island, NY, this guitarist is no stranger to the music game as he has played in many bands over the years. One band in particular, Empyre, helped Rob gain more notoriety and exposure early on his career. This band had the pleasure of opening up for and touring with such acts as: Cinderella, Zebra, Blue Oyster Cult among others. Fun times for Carlton & company during those Empyre years, but the journey was far from over.

Three albums later after leaving Empyre, Rob decided to start a new band titled Sevenfold. He would go on to tour big Christian festivals such as SuperFest traveling all over the United States. From there, it was time for Rob to make some music of his own as a recording solo artist.

The first solo album recorded would be called A Time Such As This followed by Unshackled and finally Beautiful Collision. His most recent record, Beautiful Collision, was released in 2009 and offers up some of Rob Carlton’s finest work yet. On this cut, Carlton plays his guitar with such ease and precision. You can really sense that Rob was meant to pick up a guitar at the age of 12 and play on. He has a natural ability and an incredible talent that can be appreciated by millions everywhere.

Standing in the shadows of his own personal guitar idol, Jimi Hendrix, Rob has thrived at perfecting his music throughout the years. Living up to the reputation and greatness of Jimi Hendrix may not be an easy task but I would say Rob Carlton is doing a pretty damn good job in his own right. I honestly think Jimi would be proud of Rob’s accomplishments as a guitar player and I feel RC would receive a Jimi Hendrix seal of approval.

Rob is representing the instrument very well and for all you inspiring guitarists out there; you might want to take notes because this man is the real deal.

Dedication is a major factor in the life and times of Rob Carlton. When he was younger, he would play his red Stella guitar until his fingers bled for crying out loud! If that’s not dedication & commitment, then I don’t know what is! This incredible will and strife to want to do nothing else but hit those strings continues on today for Rob. This musician has such tenacity and drive when it comes to picking up his guitar and playing the hell out of it. To RC, the guitar is more than just a stringed instrument; it is a crucial part of who he is. Rob is so consumed with his trusty sidekick that in a sense he becomes one with the almighty guitar. The guitar completes him and he completes the guitar as they live happily ever after. Rob Carlton himself said it best when he stated during our interview for Skopemag.com that: “I can see myself someday like 95 sitting with a lot of guitars playing my Taylor guitar just enjoying the peace guitar can bring to you in this sometimes crazy world”. This guy truly loves playing and I don’t think there is anything that can stop this intense passion. There is no holding back Carlton as he rolls forward and unleashes his insane skills for the whole wide world to hear.

Over time, RC has accomplished a lot as a music artist and also picked up some well-deserved achievements along the way. Rob has been a member of ASCAP (The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers) in which he has won many awards for. Carlton has endorsement deals with: GHS Strings, Morley Pedals, Halo Guitars, Specraflex Cables and Rocktron Amps & Effects. Rob has also been featured in such magazines as: Guitar World, Guitar Player, Burn, Kerrang!, Circus & Good Times. Rob has a 2010 tour kicking off in April in NYC at Uncle Mike’s and UC Lounge. He will also be playing at the big NAMM show in California and he “hopes to see everyone there!” A lot of excitement surrounds this artist as the Rob Carlton buzz is about to blow up big time. It seems that Rob’s “future’s so bright he’s just gotta wear shades!” Rob’s very first album was titled Going All The Way and the latest release titled Beautiful Collision makes perfect sense now.

Carlton knew all along that he, his music and his guitar were going all the way to the top by way of a beautiful collision of sound, heart, devotion & determination. This all adds up to the present status of Rob Carlton blending together his rock, classic rock grooves, blues and acoustic jams. Don Henley once sang “All She Wants To Do Is Dance” and now I say All He Wants To Do Is Play. If you’re not a fan already, then you surely will be after hearing the amazing solos and sensational guitar presence.

You can purchase all of Rob’s music through Cdbaby.com and iTunes. There are also special deals offered exclusively through www.skopemag.com such as: The Beautiful Collision Package. This package includes a signed copy of the CD, official Rob Carlton Pic and a signed Rob Carlton poster all for 20 bucks! Check out this sweet deal for yourself at: http://skopemag.com/2009/09/18/rob-carlton-beautiful-collision-package. Rob is also offering up his own Extreme Guitar Lessons to all the avid learners out there and you can find more info here: http://skopemag.com/2009/11/03/rob-carlton-extreme-guitar-lessons. You can find out more about this excellent guitarist through these helpful sites: www.jango.com/music/rob+carlton, www.myspace.com/robcarlton and www.myspace.com/rob_1281967. All I have left to say is that Rob Carlton is the real deal guitar hero for 2010 & beyond as he looks to become a household name.

4 solo CD’s A Time Such As This, Unshackled. Beautiful Collision. Seven thunders all songs on iTunes, Cdbaby, skopemag.com plus more! Over 80 dist Radio stations playing Rob Carlton include Radio dimension, Hot mix 106, Wzzo FM, Rukus, Maxium thresold. Rob Carlton is also being played nationally and now is doing guitar clinics as well www.guitarconvention.com Rob Carlton has recently done a radio interview with CBS broadcaster Al Cole and, plans to do more CBS interviews soon. producer jack douglas of John Lennon and Aerosmith calls Rob a helluva guitar player rob just signed a deal in 2012 with cinnderella records and out of the box records to distribute seven thunders to 15,000 internet and terrestrial radio stations!