About Andy

Four-time Grammy winning instrumentalist Andy Leftwich began playing the fiddle at the age of six, entering his first contest at seven, and winning the National Championship for Beginners at the age of twelve.   By the time he was a teenager, Andy made appearances on the Grand Ole Opry, “Music City Tonight” with Crook and Chase and was well accomplished as a winning contest fiddler among the southeastern region.  At age 15, Andy capped off his contest career by winning the “Walnut Valley Old Time Fiddle Championship”, one of the most prestigious fiddle contests in the country. Adding mandolin and guitar to his arsenal, Andy began playing professionally at the age of fifteen.  At the age of 19, he joined multi-award-winning bluegrass group Kentucky Thunder, playing alongside the legendary Ricky Skaggs, where he remained for nearly 16 years.  He released his first solo album, Ride, on Skaggs Family Records in 2003, and recorded two critically acclaimed albums as a member of trio Three Ring Circle with dobro player Rob Ickes and bassist Dave Pomeroy. Along the way, Andy has built an impressive list of studio credits as one of Nashville’s top session players and can be featured on multiple Grammy award winning albums. In 2016, Andy felt the call to move on to pursue other musical and ministerial pursuits and released his first gospel project, “Instrumental Hymns”.  Andy and his wife Rachel (daughter of Cheryl White of the celebrated country and bluegrass family band, The Whites) also enjoy collaborating musically, touring together for 13 years as part of A Skaggs Family Christmas (which spawned two albums – A Skaggs Family Christmas Volume 1 and Volume 2).  In 2014, they participated as producer and vocal arranger on Directions Home: Songs We Love, Songs You Know for award winning Christian vocal group Point of Grace. In 2021, they released their first gospel album, In Christ Alone.  Most recently, Andy joined the artist roster of Mountain Home Music releasing his 3rd solo album, “The American Fiddler”, and he made his artist debut at the Grand Ole Opry on New Year’s Eve in 2022.