Biography
Born in 1955, Andy has been playing harmonica and singing professionally since 1977. He has recorded 7 LPs, 12 cds and two 45s. These recordings feature mostly Forest’s original songs. After living in Europe for ten years he returned to his home New Orleans in 1991 where he still plays in clubs and frequently goes on tour in Europe and Canada.
Early influences were Sonny Terry, Little Walter Jacobs, Sonny Boy Williamson, James Cotton, Paul Butterfield, Taj Mahal and Charlie Musselwhite – to name a few. He has played on stage with B.B. King, Bobby Blue Bland, Johnny Shines, Champion Jack DuPree, James Booker and many other greats of the Blues. He has written scores of songs, one novel which was published in 3 languages (Letter From Hell) and paints “outside” art, mostly of blues and jazz singers. Andy’s cd “Real Stories: of love labor and other man-made catastrophies” for Slang Records won “Best Blues Album” of 2007 in the Best of The Beat Awards of New Orleans. The CD “NOtown Story: The Triumph of Turmoil” was Nominated for another Best of The Beat Award for 2010.
The latest CD “Other Rooms” available at www.louisianamusicfactory.com and CDbaby
Between 1985 and 1990 Andy acted in a dozen films for mostly Italian productions doing supporting and lead roles. As of October 2010 he began making videos and short films professionally. So far Andy has done about 50 productions for local New Orleans Bands and a few trailers for booksBnimble (a new online publishing company).