Andy Stein

Biography

Andy Stein, born and raised in New York City in a family of classical musicians, began his musical journey early, surrounded by professionals including his aunt, renowned violist Lillian Fuchs. He studied violin with his pianist father and teacher Dorothy Minty, a Juilliard instructor, until age 14, playing chamber music regularly. Summers at Camp Killooleet exposed him to folk music via John Seeger, leading to old-time fiddle playing at Greenwich Village jams. In high school, he explored Renaissance music, building a harpsichord and playing viola da gamba. At the University of Michigan, where he majored in violin, he co-founded Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen, blending rock 'n' roll with blues, country, western swing, and jazz, adding swing via violin and tenor saxophone.

After moving to California with the band, Stein freelanced extensively, recording with Itzhak Perlman, Plácido Domingo, Emmylou Harris, Bob Dylan, B.B. King, Eric Clapton, and others, earning a Grammy for Best Country Instrumental in 1978 for 'One O'Clock Jump' with Asleep at the Wheel. He performed on Broadway in revivals like 'Fiddler on the Roof,' appeared on TV shows including Late Night with David Letterman and Saturday Night Live, and served 22 years as violinist/saxophonist in the Guys All-Star Shoe Band on A Prairie Home Companion with Garrison Keillor. His style mastery spans classical, rock, jazz, gypsy, tango, and country, rooted in chamber music training.

As a composer and arranger, Stein scored films for Roger Corman and National Lampoon, wrote an opera with Garrison Keillor, arranged for pops orchestras worldwide, and transcribed Duke Ellington works. His arrangement opens Paul McCartney's 1999 album Working Classical. Featured in Robert Altman's A Prairie Home Companion film and Ken Burns documentaries, Stein's versatile legacy bridges genres, from Native American events on Alcatraz to performances for U.S. presidents.

Fun Facts

• Performed for the Native American occupying force on Alcatraz in the 1970s.
• Built his own harpsichord in high school and temporarily quit violin for viola da gamba while obsessed with Renaissance music.
• Joined Vince Giordano and the Nighthawks after boldly approaching Manhattan Rhythm Kings at a 1979 New York street fair.
• His violin features in Ken Burns documentaries The War (2007) and The West (1996).

Musical Connections

Mentors/Influences

• Dorothy Minty - Violin teacher from age 6 to 14, Juilliard instructor under Louis Persinger (Chamber music quartets) [Childhood to 14]
• Lillian Fuchs - Aunt and prominent violist, family classical influence (N/A) [Early life]
• Artie Drellinger - Saxophone teacher (N/A) [Mid-1970s]

Key Collaborators

• Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen - Founding member, violin and saxophone (Early 1970s albums and tours) [Late 1960s-1970s]
• Asleep at the Wheel - Fiddle player on first five albums, tours (Coming Right At Ya!, Grammy-winning 'One O'Clock Jump') [Early 1970s]
• Guys All-Star Shoe Band (A Prairie Home Companion) - Violin/saxophone, house band 22 years (Weekly radio broadcasts, Robert Altman film) [1970s-1990s]
• Vince Giordano and the Nighthawks - Violinist since 1979 (Performances and recordings) [1979-present]
• Garrison Keillor - Opera co-composer, A Prairie Home Companion (Opera libretto, radio show) [1980s-2000s]

External Links

• Spotify
• Wikipedia