| Andy White | |
|---|---|
| Born | 28 May 1962 Belfast, Northern Ireland |
| Nationality | Northern Irish |
| Field | Music |
| Training | Cambridge University, UK |
| Works | Rave On Andy White, 1986 |
Andy White (born 28 May 1962)[1] is an Irish singer/songwriter and poet, born in Belfast. He started writing poetry and music from a young age, penning a poem called "Riots" aged nine. He attended Methodist College Belfast. He studied English Literature at Robinson College, Cambridge University, graduating in 1984.[1] White first achieved recognition while at Cambridge as a guitarist for Tony Tiger and the Frosties, a student band that entertained thousands at May Balls (Kings 1982, Robinson 1983), the Red Event (1982) and dozens of college gigs. He went on to perform at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 1984 in a solo show, "The Ghost of electricity."
He released his first EP Religious Persuasion in 1985 on Stiff Records, and his first album Rave on Andy White in 1986. He has since collaborated with Peter Gabriel, Sinéad O'Connor and English producer John Leckie. White won Ireland's Hot Press Songwriter of the Year Award in 1993.[1]
In 1995 he released an album (Altitude) with Tim Finn (of Split Enz) and Liam Ó Maonlaí (of Hothouse Flowers); the trio recorded as ALT.[1]
In 1999 a book of lyrics and poems (The Music Of What Happens) was published by Lagan Press.
After many albums with roots label Cooking Vinyl, and a live performance album for Real World Records/WOMAD, White currently records for ALT Recordings through UK label Floating World in Europe, and independently elsewhere.
White tours often, performing live at the WOMAD UK festival in 2000 and hosting the gala finale in 2005, MCing the main stage at the Fleadh in London for its first two years, and performing again in 2002.
White is best known for his songs such as (James Joyce's Grave, Street Scenes From My Heart), and noted for the political and literary content of his work.
In 2011, as a result of a continued friendship with the Canada-based songwriter Stephen Fearing, he appeared on the collaborative album, "Fearing and White", part of a collection of songs written at infrequent intervals over the course of a decade. After touring the songs in the spring of 2010, the album was finally recorded during September. The UK release date was confirmed as 15 August 2011, with a tracklisting that includes "What We Know Now", "Say You Will" and "Under The Silver Sky".
White currently lives in Melbourne, Australia with his wife and son.