Have you heard of this guitar wiz from East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania 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 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 ft know what is! This incredible will and strife to wantto 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 ft 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.

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

You can purchase all of Rob’s music through cdbaby.com and iTunes. There are also special deals offered exclusively through www.skopemag.comsuch  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 

By Jimmy Rae

Press Release:

GUITAR MASTER ROB CARLTON RELEASES NEW DISC “SEVEN THUNDERS”

Pennsylvania, USA-- With three successful solo albums under his belt, Rob Carlton has dropped his fourth work titled Seven Thunders. It is the follow-up to 2009’s acclaimed Beautiful Collision. The title track off the new album has received airplay on radio stations across the country as well as in Canada and the release started out with a bang, earning a 5 star review from SKOPE Magazine.

The Long Island native cut his guitar pickin’ chops while playing for the bands Empyre and Sevenfold. Metal band Empyre gave Rob some early exposure as a young artist, touring with and opening for Cinderella, Zebra, and Blue Oyster Cult. During his time in Sevenfold, he traveled throughout the U.S. and played some Christian music festivals. He was inspired by his longtime guitar idol Jimi Hendrix to start producing albums on his own.

As a child, Rob first started playing guitar at the age of twelve. His dedication was so strong that he often played until his fingers literally bled. Rob’s skill as a player comes from within. Much of his talent is self-taught and inimitable. He shows off this passion on Seven Thunders in which each of the tracks feature him careening through the chords in a blaze of energy. However, there are also a couple softer acoustic pieces that showcase his non-electric prowess.

One factor that makes this album different than the rest is Rob’s evolution as a musician. He has spent time practicing alongside of Jimmy Brown, Senior Music Editor of Guitar World Magazine. Those jam sessions helped to create the sounds of Seven Thunders.

Rob has been honored by the greater music community. He is an ASCAP (The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers) award winner and has endorsement deals with several instrument companies. Articles about his works have graced the pages of Guitar World, Guitar Player, Burn, Kerrang!, Circus, and Good Times.

Recently, Rob signed a digital distribution agreement with Musik and Film Inc/Full Entertain Music Inc (MAFFEM). The company is in charge of distributing Beautiful Collision and has also released Seven Thunders.

For additional information, please contact Laurena Marrone at Grit PR, This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

To sample Rob’s new tracks, please visit www.myspace.com/robcarlton.