Music has been one of Andrew’s greatest passions for nearly two decades. In the ‘early days’ at Cardinal Gibbons High School he won an award for composing an original piece, ‘Station 9’, for the school’s jazz ensemble. In the ‘later days’ he spent several years playing bass guitar & keyboard for a band that frequented local hotspots: The Pinhook, Devines & Motorco. At James Madison University, Andrew got involved in the university’s music club, helped local bands with bookings, and received a minor in the Music Industry. Upon receiving his cap and gown, he and his friend packed up their bicycles and cycled from San Francisco to Wilmington, using a mandolin and a harmonica to write songs along the way.
Andrew and his wife, Laura, perform at weddings for friends and family with old classics like, ‘Can’t Help Falling in Love‘ or ‘To Make You Feel My Love‘. They are also proud new parents of their son, Luke Avett Johnston. The name ‘Avett’ was chosen because they are huge fans of North Carolina’s popular folk group, The Avett Brothers. As part of their wedding in 2018, they performed ‘Salvation Song’ with a rather loud choir of friends and family singing backup. With music being a big part of both their lives, they self-recorded an album of covers and originals to give their guests to enjoy.
Andrew’s love for teaching has kept him going with steady guitar lessons for the past 7 years, and he has also coached soccer and basketball at Immaculata Catholic School in Durham (his alma mater). He is excited to be a part of Notasium’s community where he can help others learn & grow in the wonderful world of music.