Andy Aledort is a singer, songwriter, and guitarist extraordinaire. Joe Perry of Aerosmith called him “Simply a phenomenal player.” Joe Satriani called him “One of my favorite guitar players for many years.” Tom Morello said, “Andy plays with a combination of great technique and soul.”
He’s one of the few people who can claim to have jammed with the bands of both Jimi Hendrix and Stevie Ray Vaughan, as well as with many other legends, including Buddy Guy, Dickey Betts, and Hubert Sumlin.
He’s sold more than one million guitar instructional DVDs, which have helped countless people learn to play, including me. He has recorded many albums; his latest, “In a Dream,” is available for purchase on his website.
In addition to his playing, Andy is an author and music journalist. He has written many articles and conducted interviews with everyone from Leslie West, to Jeff Beck, to Johnny Winter. He’s an Associate Editor for Guitar World Magazine. He co-authored the New York Times bestselling biography, Texas Flood: The Inside Story of Stevie Ray Vaughan, a must-read for fans of blues and SRV.
Topics of our conversation include Andy’s early influences and exposure to the blues; playing with Hendrix’s bandmates at the Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame (with Jimi’s dad standing 20 feet away); getting to know Stevie Ray and Jimmie Vaughan, SRV’s unorthodox routine for taking care of his fingertips, and much more.
For the first episode of Hangnail's Hollers, I'm delighted to bring you this conversation with a true musical renaissance man. Enjoy!
Andy Aledort on rocking with Hendrix’s band, writing the book on Stevie Ray Vaughan, and more