Andrew James Abbott
By Mitzi Beliveau
I was at The Greatest Jam Session at Wilbeski’s on one Tuesday evening, and a delightful and a friendly man introduced himself to me. He said he noticed I was taking lots of pictures of everyone who played and sang on stage. He came up with and smile and introduced himself as, Andrew James Abbott. Andrew is the bass player extraordinaire!
I had seen Andrew as his friends call him on the bass guitar. Andrew began to tell me his story of life and how he started his career as a bass player. One of the first things he talked about was his lovely partner of 16 years. He said we are not married, but she is my wife. She has been with me at the right times and at the lowest times of my life.
Andrew went on to talk about how his father bought a guitar for him at the age of 10, and he also had a drum set. Andrew said he had played the bass guitar as a fill-in, in the past. I found Andrew to be caring, serious about life, and the people he met. Andrew’s other passion is mentoring others just starting out because others mentored him as a youth.
Andrew went on to talk about his “Big Brother Bands.” They were my support and mentors in life in his teen years. In 1973 he toured Europe with several bands before he came back to the USA and played in many bands filling in as needed. That is when he met the love of his life. He said she changed my life. Not often a man will credit a woman for keeping him on the straight and narrow, but Andrew does.
I asked Andrew what you would tell others trying to get into the music world? “Spend time as a youth with friends every day. Keep your skills up by playing every day, plus it is fun! ” Andrew himself likes helping and mentoring others in the music world. He fills in for bands who play, Funk, Rock and Roll, Blues, Ragga, and Jazz. With Andrew on the bass, you know the music is going to be on the beat and flowing smoothly.
You can see Andrew every week jamming at Shaws Bar and Grill in Minneapolis on Mondays, Wilbeski’s in St. Paul on Tuesday and Wednesday at Hollihan’s in White Bear or filling in to help other bands. Come on out and see a great bass player with the best heart ever!
You can find out more about Andrew James Abbott on his Facebook page.
Music Experience With Mitzi Beliveau 