Toy Factory Project is a cross-generational band that carries the music of Toy Caldwell and the Marshall Tucker Band into new arrangements and new audiences. Marshall Tucker Band co-founder and drummer Paul T. Riddle started it, and it has grown from a tribute-album idea into a rotating ensemble that includes Marcus King and a group of established players. Its members say they are not a tribute band and are not trying to reproduce the original act.
What Toy Factory Project is
Toy Factory Project is a band built around the songs of the Marshall Tucker Band, with Toy Caldwell at the center of that catalog. Caldwell was the band’s lead guitarist and primary songwriter, and the project is framed as a tribute to him as much as to the group. Riddle has described it as a continuation of the Marshall Tucker Band story rather than a replacement for it.
Riddle and Marcus King frame the project as homage. The goal, as both describe it in Relix’s February 2026 feature, is to bring this music to listeners who have never heard it and to make new versions of the songs. King put it this way: “our goal is to breathe new life into the music of The Marshall Tucker Band—making a whole new generation aware of this music that is so powerful and inspirational.”
How the idea became a band
The project traces back more than a decade, to an idea for an album celebrating Marshall Tucker Band music. Riddle’s account, as reported by Relix, unfolds in roughly this order:
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- 1 Take the Highway
- 2 Blue Ridge Mountian Sky
- 3 In My Own Way
- 4 Fire on the Mountain
- 5 Heard It in a Love Song
- The tribute-album idea. Riddle first conceived a record that would honor the band’s songwriting and catalog.
- Early sessions stall. A first set of sessions with friends did not come together as planned.
- A chance performance. Riddle later heard Marcus King perform “Can’t You See” and contacted him.
- A band replaces the album plan. The idea was revived as a band-oriented project, which then grew into a live act and a recording project.
- First public performance. Toy Factory Project debuted at Telluride Bluegrass in June 2025.
Who plays in Toy Factory Project
Membership is event- and recording-specific, so treat the list below as a snapshot tied to each source and date rather than a permanent roster. Relix’s February 2026 feature lists the core ensemble, and its August 2026 announcement names two additional musicians for upcoming shows.
| Musician | Reported role or status | Source and date |
|---|---|---|
| Paul T. Riddle | Marshall Tucker Band co-founder and drummer; initiated the project | Relix feature, February 24, 2026 |
| Marcus King | Co-frames the project with Riddle; performs in the ensemble | Relix feature, February 24, 2026 |
| Charlie Starr | Listed as a core performer; instrument not stated in the source | Relix feature, February 24, 2026 |
| Oteil Burbridge | Listed as a core performer; instrument not stated in the source | Relix feature, February 24, 2026 |
| Josh Shilling | Listed as a core performer; instrument not stated in the source | Relix feature, February 24, 2026 |
| Jimmy Rector | Listed as a core performer; named again among musicians joining upcoming shows | Relix feature, February 24, 2026; Relix announcement, August 25, 2026 |
| Billy Contreras | Listed as a core performer; instrument not stated in the source | Relix feature, February 24, 2026 |
| Sam Bush | Joined selections at Telluride; named among musicians joining upcoming shows | Relix feature, February 24, 2026; Relix announcement, August 25, 2026 |
| Béla Fleck | Joined selections at Telluride | Relix feature, February 24, 2026 |
| Del, Ronnie and Rob McCoury | Joined for “Sittin’ On Top of the World” and “Can’t You See” at DelFest 2026 | GratefulWeb festival report by Russell Levine, June 20, 2026 |
Not a copy: how the sound differs
Riddle is direct about the project’s intent. In the February 2026 Relix feature he said: “We don’t want to copy it—that’s not our intent here. We’re not a tribute band. It’s all about the love of this music.” A second line from the same feature sums up the approach: “We want to pay homage to the songs, the writing and the band, but we are not copying.”
The clearest sign of that difference is instrumentation. Riddle wanted B3 organ, violin and fiddle rather than the flute-and-saxophone texture that defined the original band. The songs remain recognizable, but the arrangements are built around a different palette, and the sets blend Marshall Tucker material with improvisation, bluegrass influences and extended jams.
These statements are the project’s own characterization, reported by Relix. They describe intent; they are not an outside assessment of how closely the music resembles the original.
Live shows so far
| Date | Event and location | What was reported | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| June 2025 | Telluride Bluegrass, Telluride, Colorado | Debut performance; Riddle described a 12-song set that included “Hillbilly Band” | Relix feature, February 24, 2026 |
| February 2026 | Capitol Theatre, Port Chester, New York (two nights) | Two-night stand reported by Relix | Relix feature, February 24, 2026 |
| 2026 (reported June 20, 2026) | DelFest 2026 | A 90-minute set of Marshall Tucker material, improvisation, bluegrass influences and extended jams; the McCoury family joined for two songs | GratefulWeb, Russell Levine, June 20, 2026 |
| December 31, 2026 | Fox Theatre, Atlanta, Georgia | Announced as the band’s first New Year’s Eve show | Relix announcement, August 25, 2026 |
The 12-song set and the 90-minute DelFest set are event descriptions from the people who reported them, not official setlists. Neither source publishes a full song list for every show.
New Year’s Eve at the Fox
Relix announced on August 25, 2026 that Toy Factory Project will play the Fox Theatre in Atlanta on December 31, 2026. Riddle’s statement in that announcement reads: “I’m counting down the days until I can see everyone and we get to play at the Fox,” Paul T. Riddle said in a statement. “It’s one of my favorite places to play!” The show is described as the band’s first New Year’s Eve performance.
Tickets and availability
The announcement laid out a sales sequence that has already passed. A fan presale began August 26, 2026, a venue presale followed on August 27, and general sales opened August 28, 2026. As of this article’s date, those windows are closed, and the sources cited here do not confirm how many seats remain.
- Open the ticket link in Relix’s announcement at Relix’s August 25, 2026 announcement to see whether it still routes to a live listing.
- If the link is dead or sold out, check the Fox Theatre’s own box office or event calendar for resale or waitlist options.
- Confirm the date, time and lineup on the venue listing before travelling, since guest musicians have been announced for upcoming shows and may change.
Recorded music
Relix reported in February 2026 that a self-titled debut album was slated for the following year, which would be 2027. That is a plan reported at the time, not a confirmed release date. No release is verified as of this article’s date, so do not treat the album as available until a label or the band confirms it.
Listening to the source material
If you want to hear the songs Toy Factory Project reworks in their original form, start with the Marshall Tucker Band’s studio albums and a greatest-hits collection. Comparing the originals with the reinterpretations is the most direct way to hear the project’s stated approach. The sources cited here do not point to a specific edition or store listing, so choose whichever release suits your format and budget.
Quick Recap
What is and is not confirmed
- The founding story, the core lineup and the Telluride debut come from a single Relix feature by Mike Greenhaus, dated February 24, 2026.
- Set lengths and the DelFest performance come from one first-person festival report, so they describe that reporter’s experience rather than an official record.
- Guest appearances are event-specific. A musician named for one show may not appear at another.
- No audience, sales or chart figures for the project have been published in the sources cited here, so this article does not estimate its reach.
- Full source references: Relix, “Toy Factory Project: Take The Highway,” February 24, 2026; Grateful Web, Russell Levine, DelFest 2026 report, June 20, 2026.
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