Andy Leftwich

Video

Oral History Information

Interview Date
Job Title
Musician, Violinist

Andy Leftwich began playing the fiddle at the age of six when his dad bought one from a local pawn shop. Andy grew up knowing he could always express himself though music and by the age of twelve branched out to play the mandolin after seeing a young performer at a festival. Growing up, Andy visited local music stores every Saturday to pick and play with fellow musicians and to learn as much as he could from each of them. One of his more memorable moments was when Ricky Skaggs asked him to come play on stage with him. During the encore Ricky looked over at Andy and asked him what he was doing for the next couple of years and invited him to be a part of his band, the Kentucky Thunder. Ricky produced Andy’s first solo album entitled Ride and helped Andy get established in the Nashville studios as a session musician. In the early part of his career Andy was in the studios with the likes of Steven Curtis Chapman, Rob Ickes, Alan Jackson and Keb’ Mo’. In 2020 during the NAMM Show in Anaheim, Andy joined his friend Doyle Dykes in playing for the annual NAMM Tribute program, which honors those who pass away in the music products industry.