Bob Frank of Earwig Music describes Andy this way: “Andy Cohen is a virtuoso finger-style guitarist who has been described as ‘a walking, talking folk-blues-roots music encyclopedia.’ He grew up in a home with a piano and lots of Dixieland Jazz records. During the Sixties Folk Revival, he got hooked on the music of Big Bill Broonzy and the Jim Kweskin Jug Band. When Andy was 16, he heard South Carolina’s Rev. Gary Davis perform and the effect on him was profound. He has devoted his life to studying, performing, and promoting traditional blues and folk music of the pre-World War II era. Andy has toured solo, as well as with Martin, Bogan and Armstrong, John Jackson, Rev. Gary Davis, Brother Daniel Womack, Rev. Dan Smith, Jim Brewer, and Honeyboy Edwards. He also worked extensively with Walt and Ethel Phelps, Big Joe Duskin, Pigmeat Jarrett, Etta Baker, Big Boy Henry, and James ‘Son’ Thomas.” Beyond that, Andy has recorded at least a dozen CDs, including such titles as, Oh Glory How Happy I Am, Mississippi Heavy Water Blues, Road Be Kind, and Tryin' To Get Home. He has taught at many prestigious music camps, including Augusta Folk Heritage, Festival of American Fiddle Tunes, Pinewoods Music Camp, and Common Ground Music Camp. One more thing to know about Andy, at one point the Southern Folklore Center in Memphis hired Andy to teach their local blues singers how to play authentic blues guitar.
Andy Cohen
