Andy Baylor- multi-instrumentalist, bandleader, songwriter, singer, sideman and artist, is our very own king of roots music.
Andy’s been a driving force behind legendary acts of inner Melbourne’s 70’/‘80’s roots renaissance including the Belair Bandits, Blue Rockets, jump blues band Honeydrippers, the Dancehall Racketeers, the long-running Cajun Combo, seminal ‘90’s Fitzroy funk band, Banana Oil and, more recently the folksy/art Banksia Band. He has produced many acclaimed,influential independent albums alone, playing a half-dozen stringed instruments, singing, songwriting and illustrating with his own artwork. Funky soul, R&B, western swing, Jazz, Cajun, old -style blues, hillbilly, country, country rock,old-timey fiddlin’ – name a roots music style and Andy’s been there at the forefront. Early on, during an extended working holiday in the USA, Andy met and played with musical legends like David Grisman, Cajun greats Dewey Balfa and Mark Savoy, and Bob Wills’ fiddler Johnny Gimble. He hung out and played in Southern Juke Joints, Texas dancehalls and Cajun bars. Back home in the '90s Baylor was in constant demand running the Cajun Combo, freelancing and playing with internationals like a touring post- Zeppelin Robert Plant, jazz organist Jimmy McGriff and sax great Big Jay McNeely. With the Cajun Combo he backed Screamin' Jay Hawkins, Louisiana Red,Queen Ida ,Rockin’ Dopsie and blues singer Jimmy Witherspoon. He also played guitar for “The Lost Queen of New Orleans Soul”- singer Betty Harris and eccentric New Orleans voodoo blues singer Coco Robicheaux. He toured with Texas accordionist Flaco Jimenez with a re-formed Racketeers, played fiddle and guitar and did touring stints with Slim Dusty, Redgum and Lucky Oceans band, was an award –winning regular at Tamworth Country Music Festival, and was personally chosen along with his musical brothers, Donal and Peter, by non other than Bob Dylan as support act for his 1992 tour.