Andy Pratt

Biography

Andy Pratt attained vast critical acclaim in the 1970s, mostly based on the albums Andy Pratt (1973) and, particularly, Resolution, (1976) which Rolling Stone magazine raved "has forever changed the face of rock." Though Pratt never gained the commercial success that many predicted, he nonetheless was seen as one of the most unique singer/songwriters of his day. Born into a well-to-do family in Boston (his great-grandfather founded the Pratt Institute), Andy Pratt graduated from Harvard in 1968 and became active musically in the Cambridge, MA, scene with groups such as Butter and the Chosen Few. In 1972, he cut a demo of "Avenging Annie" before releasing his 1973 Columbia album, Andy Pratt, to much critical praise. In 1975, Pratt enrolled in Boston's Life Institute after the death of his father, seemingly searching for a higher meaning in life. Released from his Columbia contract that same year, Pratt hooked up with Arif Mardin, who worked diligently with Pratt to find expression to the profound changes in his life.

The result was the classic Resolution album, released on Nemperor in 1976. Though the album received rave reviews and charted reasonably well, it was no runaway commercial success. The next effort from Pratt and Mardin, Shiver in the Night, was notably more commercial than Resolution and sold moderately well. In 1979, Pratt released Motives, his final album for Nemperor. It signaled his conversion to Christianity, though Pratt's unique style remained intact. Andy Pratt continued to release albums into the '80s and '90s. He has lived in Belgium since 1996, after having originally moved to Holland in 1987 and marrying a Dutch woman in 1988. His music is mostly Christian-based and Pratt states that it has been used as the impetus for inner healing of people in distress. The interesting Live at the Village Underground 2003 was released by Renaissance Records in 2009. ~ Michael Ofjord, All Music Guide