Guitar, Fiddle
Andrew Wilson has been playing fiddle and guitar for 36 years. His first teacher in Spokane, WA wasJayDean Ludiker. Throughout his teenage years, he explored the contest scene in the Northwest,earning the WA State Champion title a total of 3 times -once in the Junior Division, and twice as the Open Champion.
From about the age of 13, Andrew started teaching fiddle and guitar to other players. A weekly free workshop in Spokane that was run by Frank Wagner was the starting point for Andrew’s passion for teaching. Each week, the more experienced students were asked to help newer students learn a tune.Andrew began passing on his knowledge right from the beginning, and found that personally fulfilling and motivating.
As a young adult, Andrew started playing with bands and discovered that he had a knack for backup and improvising. Married to Deanna at 19, they performed together as a duo, and added the kids to the band as they came along. Andrew was employed in the construction industry for over 10 years, but came back to performing and teaching which has been his mainstay.
Some of the highlights of his career:
• arranging 12 songs for Rex Allen Jr and the Phoenix Symphony in 2003
• 8th place at the National Fiddle Contest (Weiser, ID ) in 2011
• Walnut Valley (Winfield, KS) fiddle champion in 2012
• Arkansas Masters Fiddle and Flatpicking Guitar Champion in 2012
• Four Corners Fiddle Champion (Wickenburg, AZ) in 2012
• 2 years as Assistant Music Director at Barleen’s Arizona Opry (2014-2015)
• Freelancing as a fiddle player with multiple bands in TX, he has shared the stage with country musicians Wade Hayes, Dwight Yoakam, Shenendoah, John Michael Montgomery, Mark Chestnut, Rick Trevino, Roger Creager, Kevin Fowler, Tracy Lawrence.
Andrew’s style crosses genres from country to bluegrass, celtic to swing, traditional jazz manouche to Americana. In addition to fiddle, Andrew plays guitar, cello, mandolin, bass, viola- and he sings. The band she plays with appreciate his ability to blend with their sound and bring the energy level up on stage.These days, Andrew teaches about 60 students weekly, most of them virtually. In addition, he is developing multiple courses and online workshops for adults and violin players who want to play the fiddle. He and his wife Deanna perform as the duo “Wilson and Wilson”. On the weekends, Andrew canbe found traveling throughout Texas to play with country bands. For more information about lessons, visit WilsonSchoolofStrings.com or WilsonFiddleMethod.com
