The Toy Hearts are not your average bluegrass band. Hannah Johnson fronts the band with all the confidence and charisma of a true professional and a voice that belies her age.  The band is a real family affair with Hannah's Dad Stewart on dobro and banjo, sister Sophie, on guitar and vocals, the other two members of the band are Bob and Howard, play bass and violin respectively. The material the band plays incorporates traditional bluegrass such as their namesake song Bill Monroe's 'Toy Heart', but mixes in some Western Swing, (they cover Wayne Hancock and Patsy Cline numbers), and material by recent country artists such as Patty Loveless, Paulette Carlson and Alison Krauss.

Hannah Johnson has been acting and singing from the age of eight,  performed  on television and radio and now in her  second year of A levels in English and Drama. Hannah has always loved country music and has recently taken up the guitar.

Sophie Johnson began learning classical guitar at seven years old, was a member of the Birmingham Schools Guitar Ensemble, has performed  at the prestigious  Symphony Hall Birmingham, and Queen Elizabeth Hall London. Sophie was a songwriter and lead guitarist in local rock/pop bands but latterly has been a member of the gypsy influenced Latin/jazz group, Trio Gitano, who are currently completing their debut album. Sophie is at Birmingham University studying English and philosophy.

Stewart Johnson’s  career has involved working in film, television, theatre and radio. He recently played 'Jack Clement' in the West end hit musical Great Balls of Fire' and has appeared in many TV shows including Later with Jools Holland and the Royal Variety Performance. He has recorded and  toured the world with such artists as Billie Ray Martin, Ronnie Prophet and Robert Joe Vandygriff. Howard Gregory  moved to Birmingham from the West Country in1981. He formed Western Swing band Station Break with Stewart Johnson and toured Europe. He is long time member of the 44s, the backing band for renowned boogie-woogie piano player Big Man Clayton. More recently he has been gigging with Birmingham musician Steve Gibbons.

Bob Boucher, a ‘veteran’ bass player from Birmingham, has toured and worked extensively on television with Tuxedo Bay, he played bass in numerous line ups with Ricky Cool, (with Stewart and Howard) and also in the latter two years with Station Break, (the line up that Ken Harris fronted). Since then, he has toured and recorded as a member of Big Man Clayton and The 44’s.

Jamie Fekete started playing guitar at a young age and was a member of the Birmingham schools guitar ensemble with Sophie. Jamie was in rock bands throughout his teens, now he is in his second year of study at Birmingham University and is an accomplished flamenco guitar player and member of Trio Gitano. Jamie is relatively new to the mandolin and the newest member of the Toy Hearts, but already drawing appreciative comments on his mandolin playing.

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