Andy Swindell

"I grew up in the age of Barbra Streisand, Aretha Franklin, Nancy Wilson. It was a time where a fat, ugly broad that could sing had value. Now everything is about image. It's not poetry. This just isn't my time."

The above quote is from Bill Withers' Rolling Stone interview, March 26, 2015. An influence of mine, he was "musing on the Grammys." His statement really rang true with me.

In these days of larger-than-life presentations on international stages, simple songs sung by regular folks do not stand a chance. It's all about youth, beauty and packaging-qualities that are superficial and temporary. Yet, the internet provides a guy like me the ability to reach out to the world with a wink and a laugh. Greetings!

I am a career musician, a husband and a father. The trick has been making all of these things work together. As the keyboard player and vocalist for The Embers for many years (a successful regional “beach music” act that is in the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame), I was afforded the ability to make a living playing music while being home in Durham, North Carolina almost every day...a wonderful thing! Yet, that market requires one certain style of music to be played, leaving little room for creativity. This, given my love of songwriting, is pretty restrictive. It's just so much fun assembling little ideas into a finished tune to be shared with others! Hopefully, you will be one of them.

My musical tastes are pretty darn eclectic, and my choices of subject matter even more so. Humor is mandatory! Yet, serious subject matter is worthy of song as well. After all, I am a child of the Woodstock Generation, and prone to want to let my "freak flag fly!"

AM radio played all sorts of exceptional songs during my formative years. Rock, soul, folk, country rock, easy-listening and protest music were all played by the same stations. Bands had their own styles and voices. Creative differences were celebrated! Kids played records for each other, listening to the precious vinyl on which they'd spent their allowances. Giving each song a chance to make it into their psyches. Reading every word on the liner notes of artistic album covers. What a terrific time in music history! It is with that same spirit that I approach my music.

I hope you enjoy!