Manhattan Rob is as much a character as he is a singer/songwriter and energetic performer.  One’s first impression of Walsh might be as a kind of gnarly, road-worn codger who sounds like he's had his share of beatings in life.  Yet, despite this image, Manhattan Rob’s tight rhythms, clever lyrics and high energy performances put any doubt of freshness to rest. 
Manhattan Rob is an everyman figure.  Not necessarily political, but a populist flavor is definitely in evidence. He also tends to make fun of whatever he can.  Walsh's writing is usually about people and ideas that he has come in contact with, in his travels.  His style flows with Blues, Rock, Ragtime, and Americana, while keeping it fun with tongue-in-cheek sarcasm.
In the 1970’s, Rob Walsh began his musical journey as a solo coffeehouse performer and street musician in New York City. It was there he picked up the name "Manhattan Rob" from his street-level associates in New York’s Washington Square culture.  With the close of the 70's, Walsh became an active side-man on bass, saxophone and guitar during the post-punk era in Max's Kansas City, CBGB and other NYC venues.
After an extended foray into the London Pub scene, Rob returned to the 1980's New York club scene. As leader and front man of the enigmatic Hi-Fi TIE, Walsh enjoyed the attention of large audiences in the larger prestige venues as well as the smaller room on the Lower East Side. Hi-Fi TIE released one EP titled "The Boys Can't Help It" on Right On Red Records in 1984.
After years of living in itinerant life of travel, Walsh returned to his home in the hills of Northern New Jersey.  He resurrected his former moniker, Manhattan Rob, and began writing and gigging in the local club scene. There, he began to draw on his life-long feel for the blues and the folk-like roots in him that were reawakened by his years of travel.
Walsh's books of self-penned compositions have been growing considerably since then. From the years of travel and his take on what’s around him, Rob has plenty of material to build with.  Walsh's writing comes from the heart, and he tries to write from his listener's heart. His themes tend to be on the populist side with the added ingredients of personal depth, and a tongue-in-cheek twist on the issues.
With his unique style of songwriting and his clever lyrical styling, the music of Manhattan Rob is a breath of fresh air in the Blues and Americana genres.
For more information, please email: rob@manhattanrob.com

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