- From the San Franciso Bay area. Moved to Colorado. Now lives in Portland, Oregon.
- Began his pro career playing banjo with Laurie Lewis and Grant Street.; and his own group Sugarbeat.
- 1987, won the National Banjo Championship in Winfield, KS in 1987. Won a second time in 1991.
- 1989, released Swamped album (Rounder).
- 1991, released Rounder Banjo Extravaganza album with Tom Adams and Tony Trischka (Rounder).
- 1994, released Full Circle
album (Rounder).
- 1994, formed a band called Sugarbeat.
- 1997, released Roll My Blues Away album (Rounder).
- 1999, formed the Tony Furtado Band, a fusion of country, bluegrass, blues and jazz.
- His recording of “I Will” with guest artist Alison Krauss was included on Krauss’ “Now That I’ve Found You” album, which sold over two million copies.
- 2002, formed The American Gypsies (a jazz group). Released American Gypsy
album (no label).
- He is also a virtuoso slide (bottleneck) guitar player. He manufactures and sells his own brand of bottleneck slides for the guitar.
- He is also a sculptor.
Furtado, Tony
