Andy Coats
Raleigh, North Carolina, United States
Music
Press
"Andy Coats's songs eloquently illustrate life's elusive passions"
- wagmanblues.com
5 Stars!
Reviewer: brent p
with feeling and depth, Andy's guitar brings to life the blues spirits of the past and weaves them together with the emotions of the present to form his own brand of blues. definitely worth adding to your collection!
4 Stars!
buy this now!!
Reviewer: matt w
very original take on some traditonal styles, great mix, expertly arranged, great songwriting! - CDBaby
"Andy Coats possesses a voice that's rich, dark, and mellifluous. Paired with smooth guitar picking, he has created a blues feel that is close to perfect. You find yourself jammin' on his front porch drawn by his realness and pure musicianship."
Kerry Gibson, Shut Eye Records A&R - Shut Eye Records
Discography
Still working on that hot first release.
Photos
Bio
Bringing a fresh attitude but vintage tone to the roots and blues scene, Andy Coats is a seasoned performer and multifaceted singer-songwriter-guitarist. He has lived and performed in Southern California, the Midwest, and is currently back in the region where he was born and raisedthe Piedmont of North Carolina.
In June, 2007, Andy won the Triangle Blues Society (TBS) Blues Challenge in the solo/duo category. In doing so, he earned the right to represent the TBS at the 2008 International Blues Challenge, where he reached the semi-finals. Sherry Johnson, of the TBS, has called Andy one of North Carolinas most gifted young bluesmen.
His success in the blues challenges follows upon another great honor he received in 2006, when he was selected as an Emerging Artist for Arkansas Blues and Heritage Festival (aka King Biscuit) in Helena, Arkansas.
Andys set in Helena was well-received and, in 2009, he was invited to perform on the Lockwood-Stackhouse Heritage Stage. In addition to these performances in the Delta, Andy has played at many other festivals, such as the Downhome Carolina Blues Festival, Bull Durham Blues Festival, the Des Moines Arts Festival, and the Iowa State Fair.
On the club circuit, Andy has played the full gamut of venues from the smallest coffeehouse to large theaters; some of the more noteworthy rooms include B.B. Kings Blues Club (Hollywood, CA), the Blue Café (Long Beach, CA), the Blue Bayou Club (Hillsborough, NC), and Papa Mojos Roadhouse (Durham, NC), where he has opened
for such national acts as Rod Piazza and the Mighty Flyers, Eric Sardinas, and Michael Burks.
Andy has also gotten extensive airplay and performed live on various NPR radio stations throughout the US, such as: WSHA (88.9 FM, Raleigh, NC), WCOM (103.1 FM, Carrboro, NC), KUNI (Iowa Public Radio, Cedar Falls, IA), and others.
Finally, Andy has released 3 independent CDs, consisting of original and traditional music, and which are available for sale through his website www.andycoats.com as well as www.cdbaby.com and other retailers.
He is very excited about being based in the Southeast again, and having the chance to meet and perform with some of its older musicians. Of special note, Andy has developed a musical partnership with octogenarian John Dee Holeman, who won a National Heritage Fellowship in 1988 and a North Carolina Folk Heritage Award in 1994. Andy feels very privileged to have Mr. Holeman as a mentor, and the two have been playing shows together throughout the Carolinas.
Band Members
Links
