Real Name:
Brian George Walton Jr.
Date/Place of Birth:
October 8th 1964 in Duarte California
Education:
He began learning classical violin in 1977 at John Marshal Fundamental Secondary School in Pasadena, California and later received a Scholarship to The Julliard Conservatory to study music theory.
Instruments:
Besides Fender Strat's and Tele's piped through a Crate Combo with very little effects, Brian also plays Piano, Bass Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Lap Steel and Mandolin. If you ask him he forgot how to play Violin.
Awards and Honors:
Brian became one of the youngest inductees into the American Music Association at the age of twelve. He also received awards for being the most versatile musician in 1991 by the German Country Music Association, the musician of the year in 1992/1993 by the GCMA and special award as honorary musician of the Schleusinger Country Festival
The ‘80s
In the ‘80s Brian began playing with the Band King Ratt a southern Rock Group out of central Florida. King Ratt fronted for groups such as Molly Hatchet, The Marshal Tucker Band and played the Orlando Music festival in 1985. In 1987 Brian, entered the Military, moved to Europe and joined the group Overland Express, his first contact with Country Music.
Although they never had a huge claim to fame, the vestiges of the Band (Brian, Bruce Borowski) became Night Hawk a hugely popular Blues-Rock trio that played the U.S.O Nightclub circuit from 1988 until 1991.
The ‘90s
In 1991 Brian founded the Country Band Bakersfield which proceeded to become a huge success throughout Europe. He received rave reviews in the 1993 edition of Country Circle and was billed by major newspapers as Europe’s answer to Garth Brooks.
During this time the he toured with Johnny Paycheck, The Bellamy Brothers, Tom Wopat, Albert Lee, Christine Albert, Allison Kraus, Willy Nelson, Waylon Jennings, The Judds, Martina McBride, Richard Dobson, Jamie Mitchell, Dwight Yokum, Vince Gill and Stella Parton…
Late in 1997 Brian joined Westend which was born out of the ambers of the fall of the East German Wall and they were second only to Truck Stop as the Top rated Country Bands in Europe. Westend later became number one in Germany and was starting to make a name for them selves abroad when problems within the Band caused a breakup in 2000. Just before the release of their first album.
Today
Brian now lives in beautiful Colorado at the foot of the Rocky Mountains and owns the successful Radio Station RadioUnlimited. He does occasional session and studio work with friends out of the Bakersfield era and, of course he still plays and records his own music. His most recent release “Made in the Shade Live!” was recorded during the 2007 US Concert tour. |
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