• AN DY C OH E N •

ANDY COHEN IS A VIRTUOSO FINGER-STYLE GUITARIST WHO HAS sharing his expertise in classes, camps, and anywhere people are mak- been described as “a walking, talking folk-blues-roots music encyclope- ing music. dia.” He grew up in a home with a piano and lots of Dixieland Jazz Andy Cohen has more than a dozen recordings to his credit, including records. During the Sixties Folk Revival, he got hooked on the music Oh Glory, How Happy I Am: The Sacred Songs of Rev. Gary Davis and of Big Bill Broonzy and the Jim Kweskin Jug Andrew M. Cohen: Dolceola Favorites. An enthu- Band. When Andy was 16, he heard South Car- siastic proponent of the dolceola, Andy says he olina’s Rev. Gary Davis perform and the effect “never leaves home without it.” Described by on him was profound. He has devoted his life some as a “miniature piano,” the dolceola has a to studying, performing, and promoting tra- keyboard, but the strings are struck with wooden ditional blues and folk music of the pre World mallets. War II era. Along the way, Andy earned a Master’s Andy toured with Martin, Bogan and Arm- Degree in anthropology. His passions come to- strong, John Jackson, Rev. Gary Davis, Brother gether in his essay on “The Hands of Blues Daniel Womack, Rev. Dan Smith, Jim Brewer, Guitarists,” published in Ramblin’ On My Mind: and Honeyboy Edwards. He also worked ex- New Perspectives On the Blues, edited by David tensively with Walt and Ethel Phelps , Big Joe Evans (2 008). Duskin, Pigmeat Jarrett, Etta Baker, Big Boy At an Andy Cohen concert, expect to hear Henry, and Son Thomas. blues rooted in Mississippi, the Piedmont, Mem- Andy has helped to support a number of phis, and , as well as some ragtime, gos- his mentors and younger players, by organiz- pel, and original tunes. ing festivals and other venues for them to play In 2011 Andy received the Eisteddfod in. He has written about several of the old masters and studied their Award from The Eisteddfod Traditional Music Festival. Festival Direc- work in a systematic way. Many of his students are now professional tor Dr. Jerome Epstein said, “We decided to give the award to Andy, one touring musicians. The Country Blues says “One thing is for sure, the of this year’s performers, because of his outstanding contributions to the boy can play. There are few people around today who had a chance to field of traditional music, as performer, collector, and advocate.” pick it all up from the old generations, get this good at it and continue In 2012 Andy received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Cali- to cherish and preserve the old traditions.” He has been assiduous in fornia Autoharp Gathering.

“A few paragraphs can’t do justice to the variety of delights discovered within guitar virtuoso Andy Cohen ’s Built Right On The Ground

(EARWIG CD4959)... The well-known, the obscure and the weirdly wonderful are all here and it ’s soon more than evident that traditional folk-blues, ragtime, country and good-time piano are all safe in these accomplished hands. ” —— JOHN BOTTOMLEY • BluesInTheNorthwest.com

MAJOR FESTIVAL PERFORMANCES • Smithsonian Folklife Festival • Current Folk Alliance Director of www.andycohenmusic.com • California Autoharp Gathering • Sunflower River Blues Festival Traditional Studies/ Resident Folklorist • Chicago Blues Festival • University of Chicago Folk Festival • Past Staff Member of Common Ground BOOKING CONTACT • Clearwater Festival • Vancouver Folk Festival Michael Frank, CEO • Eisteddfod Traditional Music Festival • Wheatland Festival NATIONAL RADIO SHOW Earwig Music Company Inc. PERFORMANCES • Fox Valley Folk Festival • Winnipeg Folk Festival 2054 W. Farwell Avenue Prairie Home Companion Chicago, IL 60645 • Kansas City Blues & Jazz Festival PLUS numerous clubs, coffeehouses, Woodsongs Radio Hour • Kent State Folk Festival folk festivals, workshops and house office phone 773-262-0278

concerts across the USA and Canada • King Biscuit Blues Festival AWARDS mobile phone 773-960-7064 • Mariposa Folk Festival in a career spanning 50 years. fax 773-262-0285 2012 Lifetime Achievement Award from • Memphis Dulcimer Festival e-mail [email protected] GUITAR, PIANO, AUTOHARP, the California Autoharp Gathering • Mississippi Valley Blues Festival DOLCEOLA INSTRUCTOR 2011 Eisteddfod Award from The www.earwigmusic.com • Old Songs Festival • Augusta Heritage Festival Eisteddfod Traditional Music Festival • Ottawa Folk Festival • Old Town School of Folk Music --- given for dedication, inspiration, and • Owen Sound Folk Festival service to the practice and dissemination • Pinewoods traditional dance and music camp of traditional folk song, music, and dance. • Philadelphia Folk Festival • Port Townsend Blues Week