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Lancaster, PA born Tony Torres was playing drums at the Pentecostal church at the age of 7, then the guitar, shortly after. Seeing Tony’s knack for music and as a way to keep him indoors and off the streets,  Tony’s father Miguel, made sure that he had an instrument in his hand most of the time. Miguel brought Tony to live in Puerto Rico for a year to get know his heritage, where Tony learned to play the cuatro. During these childhood years when other kids were, riding bike and playing packman Tony was a musical sponge, absorbing everything he could get his hands on.

   Blues guitarist, Craig Hauser, says, “Tony used to come into the music store that I worked at; I think he was like 12 years old; pick up a guitar and start playing leads from the “Who” & “The Doors” note for note without a mistake, and he leaned them  by ear. Just blew me away!”

   Guitarist/producer Mickey Dean Fisher recounts, “Tony was about 16 years old when I was recording whatever his teenage band was at the time. What was so memorable about it was, after it was over I realized, in this four hour session this kid on guitar, never made a mistake- not one. That rarely happens at any level.”

Torres played locally with the alternative band “Anticupid” in the early 90s, and later joined “Honolulu Slim & The Diamonds” as a sideman for the great harmonica player, Mark Prados. That’s when Dave Costarella, the D.C. of D.C & Co. got to meet him. "Honolulu Slim, always had a great band, Mark's a hell of a harp player and entertainer. I didn't know Tony when they brought him in. He was doing a good job backing Slim, but when Slim took a break and let Tony do a song, I realized how good Tony was. I thought this guy's one of the few people that could entertain me fronting a three piece blues band for three sets. I knew then, I'd eventually bring Tony into the D.C. & Co. family, where his talents would be featured, with plenty of room to stretch and grow." remembers Costarella "Our long  time guitarist Nate (The Man) Skiles, was now in Collage and his band "Town Hall was taking off, so we brought Tony in and it was a perfect fit from the start." 

 Fifteen years later it's still a great fit. Tony Torres continues to perform and record with D.C. & Co., but with much encouragement, a new found stability and a life changing Ibogaine session, forty year old Tony Torres is finally ready to do what he was born to do "Rock it -Tony Torres style!"

Tony formed his trio "Tony Torres & Real Gone" with his childhood friend Steve Shenberger on bass, (Tony taught him to play the bass when he was nine years old), and then added journeyman Tom Webb on drums.  Their natural ease and chemistry is apparent both on stage and on their recently recorded and soon to be released. original five song EP. 

The band "Power Trio" was formed to facilitate a gig at The Lancaster Press Room and featured the great drummer Larry Marshall, and Tom Hillicker on bass, fronted by Tony Torres, the music was so good that The Lancaster Press Room hired them for New Years Eve, and to play monthly through out 2015.

No matter who Tony is playing with, what you get is, blistering, bad-ass guitar playing, on the money vocals, and sets that will keep you on the dance floor all night long. Tony pours his heart and soul into every note and leaves nothing on the table at the end of the day.

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Additional info -  In D.C. & Co., I've put Tony in all kinds of musical situations, complexities and styles (jazz, funk, rock, blues, swing) and he always plays appropriately, authentically, and well. I've heard him play country, metal, and anthem rock, all well. I know Tony is like a music historian, and I asked him, out of all the music he can play why he chooses to play the type of music he plays with his band and how did that come about?

When I was a child, my father told me NOT to just pick a style & go with it. He told me if I learned all styles, I'd always have work. However, simple 3-chord Rock, Blues and Oldies are what really got me ticking. He saw that, so he always made sure there were plenty of those styles of records around: Scotty Moore (Elvis's guitarist from the 50's), Chuck Berry, Bill Haley & his Comets, Cliff Gallup (Gene Vincent's 1st guitarist), Ritchie Valens, Buddy Holly, and my dad always made sure I could catch The Grand Ole Opry whenever somebody hot was scheduled, The Midnight Special, and Hee-Haw (Roy Clark, Buck Owens, and Merle Haggard). And Beatles, Beatles, Beatles! My father was always going to auctions, finding guitars and drums to keep me occupied. I made the best use of my time with them as a 7 or 8 year old could. I took it from there by listening to and reading about any and all that I learn of. Early Rock n Roll and Blues still gets me pumpin' and inspired the most, to this very day.