Andy Scheinman

Andy Scheinman is a product of the Nashville music scene, but not the Nashville music machine. He specializes in a blend of folk and country -- Scheinman calls it "folk-western" -- that owes more to Bob Dylan than to Garth Brooks or Shania Twain. Scheinman brings a northeastern sensibility to his music, having graduated from New York University with a degree in music. While in the Big Apple, he fronted a rock band called the Astorians that made waves in the college rock scene and scored opening gigs with acts like the Replacements and Living Colour. The band's debut album was Guffaw; it appeared in 1987. A year later Scheinman moved to Vermont. He spent seven years there fly fishing and writing songs before moving to Nashville in 1995 to jump-start his career as a solo artist. While maintaining a day job as a sports journalist for International Boxing Digest, Scheinman began making the coffee shop rounds and ended up opening for songwriters like Martin Sexton, Vance Gilbert, and Iris DeMent. His debut album, Make Amends, was released on the Tangible label in 1999. It raised Scheinman's profile and prompted promotional tours throughout the U.S. and abroad. ~ Evan Cater, All Music Guide