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Jonn Del Toro Richardson is a blues guitarist from Houston TX representing the strong defining sound of the Texas Blues. Inspired by his uncles he picked up the guitar in his early twenties and immediately started playing in the music scene around Houston. From starting his own bands to having the honor to play with many of the blues greats in Houston early in his career, like NAME ALL THE TEXAS BLUES MUSICIANS YOU HAVE PLAYED WITH HERE, Richardson discovered his passion in blues music.
One of early his bands consisted of Richardson playing with his musically talented uncles. Showing his gratitude for his mother’s heritage and his uncles inspiration he legal changed his name Jonn “Del Toro” Richardson … taking on his mother’s family name from which he proudly inherited his musical talent and giving him the name we know him as now, Jonn Del Toro Richardson, The Texas Bull
Richardson’s partnership with Diunna Greenleaf and his role in the Blue Mercy Blues Band and the support of the Blue Shoe Project in Dallas TX lead them to the International Blues Challenge in Memphis TN in 2005. In Memphis Diuna Greenleaf and Blue Mercy took the first place over 120 competing bands on Beale Street giving them recognition nationally and internationally playing amongst the greatest in the blues scene. That same competition Richardson was honored with the Albert King Award, the most promising blue guitarist of the competition. This set a new standard for his level of playing and from there he has gone on to continue playing with blues greats such as, Hubert Sulim, Pinetop Perkins, Otis Taylor, XXXXMORE XXX. Richardson also consistently returns to the competition to support the upcoming musicians and presents the Albert King Award to the new winner. “NEED A QUOTE ABOUT GIVING BACK OR ABOUT IBC”
Just three short years later, Diuna Greenleaf and The Blue Mercy band was also garnered the Blues Music Award for the Best Debut Artist in 2008. Richardson and Greenleaf also shared the honor to be apart of the backing band for Pinetop Perkin’s recording on “Last of the Delta Mississippi Blues Man” that won a Grammy Award in 2008 for Best Traditional Blues Album. This album was also produced by the Blue Shoe Project in Dallas TX.
Richardson is widely known for his impeccable tone, as well as, his incomparable tasteful playing. His soft voice in conversation is a calming cover to the strong and steady singer and the explosive guitar player he is on stage. His passion for the blues radiates creating a fire of excitement during each guitar solo. He is the Bull and the Toreadors all in one. As he begins to play he lets the energy of the fans inspire him using their energy to calculate his attack. Without warning he can transition from his steady smooth sound to his explosive guitar solos elevating the crowd’s energy higher and higher with each solo always maintaining control to bring it back to the slow and steady. Giving the crowd a chance to breath before his next strike … forcing the crowd to beg for the encore!
