Born in Santa Monica, Ca., Montoya's career began in the mid 1970's when Albert Collins asked him to join the Icebreakers as a drummer. Collins took Montoya under his wing and taught him his "icy hot" guitar style. The two remained friends even after Montoya left Collins' band In the early 1980's John Mayall heard Montoya playing guitar in a Los Angeles bar and asked him to join the newly reformed Bluesbreakers. He remained a member of the band for 10 years, a number of those years alongside Walter Trout forming a two guitar attack that epitomized the Bluesbreakers sound of the 80's.In 1995 he appeared with The Cate Brothers for the resumption of their recording carreer on their release, Radioland. Since that same year, Montoya has recorded several solo albums. In 2002, he featuresd on Bo Diddley tribute album hey bo diddley - a tribute!, performing the song"pills."

Instuments: Montoya is left-handed but plays "upside down right handed" guitar. In other words he can play a guitar strung for a right-handed playing, with the bass strings at the upper edge of the fretboard, rotating the guitar so he stops the strings with his right hand and picks them with his left hand. Thus for him the treble strings are at the uppper edge and the bass strings are at the lower edge.