Biography

Robert Linton is a musician of deep thoughtfulness. This sensitivity is evident on his recordings of lyrical guitar instrumentals. Linton plays finger-style nylon-string guitar, and his songs exude such tranquil beauty and peaceful solace that they work their way into your soul without you even realizing it. They become part of your being without any conscious effort or mood-setting intention required. This is the essence of true musical artistry.

Robert, who has spent most of his life in Logan Utah, first picked up the guitar at the age of 12, plucking away at the strings, finding finger placement to form chords. He listened to a variety of musical genres, trying to emulate the guitarists he heard. Through everything ranging from acoustic folk to hard rock to jazz, he found influence in the musical spectrum. In his early teens, Robert was under the guidance of guitar instructor Barry Brooksby, who opened his world further to learning songs by the artists/bands he admired while studying the intricacies of the guitar. Throughout his teens, Robert’s collection of music grew, fueling his performance style. As he entered his college years, it was at this time that his own musical expression began to unfold on his own recordings.

Robert's first recordings can be found on his 2001 demo, which featured (among others), the songs "Scent of Rain," "Mountain Mist," and "Autumn Moon." These tracks would later be re-recorded and released on his CD, “Pale Shades.” By 2005, Robert had released his second CD “Within the Outline.” It was while promoting “Within the Outline” that Robert first connected with noted guitarist and founder of the ground-breaking label Windham Hill, Will Ackerman, the founder of Imaginary Road Studios.

Agreeing to produce Robert's next CD, “Whisperings at Nightfall,” Ackerman added other instruments to Robert's sublime guitar compositions, calling on the members of a crew of accompanists who have since been featured on many excellent recordings from Imaginary Road. After the release of “Whisperings at Nightfall,” Robert took time away from recording his music to write music for the library of Harpo Productions.

In February of 2011, Robert released “Throughout the Autumn Light.” Mixed, mastered, and co-produced (with the artist), by the highly regarded studio engineer and overall sonic wizard, Corin Nelsen, the album features a stellar cast of guest artists: Stephen Katz (cello), Jeff Oster (flugelhorn), Tracy Silverman (violin), Jill Haley (English Horn), and Jeff Pearce (EBow guitar).

In March and April 2011, “Throughout the Autumn Light” reached number two on the Zone Music Reporter Top 100 Radio Airplay charts. At the start of 2012, the CD was nominated for Best Instrumental Acoustic Album by radio broadcasters reporting to Zone Music Reporter. Also during this time, “Throughout the Autumn Light” and “Whisperings at Nightfall” were added to the music library of The C.A.R.E. Channel, a program of healing healthcare systems, which is played in more than 900 leading hospitals around the country.

At the start of 2016, Robert's album “Beyond the Clearing” was released with contributions by guest artists Sara Milonovich (violin), Adam Miller (guitar), Jeff Pearce (Ebow guitar), Stephen Katz (cello), Jeff Oster (flugelhorn), Heidi Breyer (piano), Kitty Thompson (cello), and Jill Haley (English Horn). With Corin Nelsen again at the helm of mixing and mastering, “Beyond the Clearing” went on to be nominated by the Zone Music Awards for Best Instrumental Acoustic Album of 2016.

On April 5th, 2019, Robert's album “Adrift in Wonder” was released. Co-produced, mixed and mastered by Corin Nelsen, this album includes performances by Sara Milonovich (Violin), Premik Russell Tubbs (Alto Flute, EWI), Eugene Friesen (Cello), and Jill Haley (English Horn). The album won the Zone Music Reporter’s “Best Acoustic Album of 2019” at the 2020 ZMR Awards. Songs from Robert's albums have received airplay on Sirius XM radio, Pandora Radio, and independent radio stations from around the world.

Robert’s 2020 release, “In the Calm of Christmas,” is a collection of traditional carols. It includes two original compositions, “Under the Glistening Wood” and “Snowfall on the Eve.”